What Is Occupational Therapy and How Can it Help My Autistic Child?
Occupational therapy gives children with autism the tools and support to develop their abilities. The skills they develop enable them to live fuller, richer lives.
Did You Brush Your Teeth Yet?
This is the go-to question of the morning and night for parents with little ones. February is National Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month and we want to help tell you why brushing your teeth is so important. We are super excited because during the month of February we have two very special guests coming to visit our PediaPlex locations and teach the importance of dental health with the kiddos!
Why It Matters
We know that you know how important it is to keep your child’s teeth clean. But do you know WHY it actually matters? Teeth play a very important role in how children chew and how they speak. Taking care of your child’s teeth will also help to prevent the nasty plaque and bacteria that can build up in their teeth. If we aren’t careful, those nasty bacteria can lead to things like stinky breath, cavities, gingivitis, and even worse things! Be sure that you are helping your child to brush their teeth two times a day, after breakfast and before bed. It’s important to make sure they are reaching those hard to reach teeth in the back and not just brushing the front two. To make it more fun for your child, get them a timer or a have a song playing in the background for 2 to 3 minutes so that they know when they can stop. Watch this video to see how to properly wash your teeth!
Sensitive Teeth
If your child is on the autism spectrum then chances are brushing their teeth is not one of their favorite things to do. It’s irritating, tastes funny, and is just plain boring. Studies show that children with developmental disorders are much more likely to develop oral health problems. This can be due to a variety of different things like failure to brush properly, poor diet, and even from chewing on harmful objects.
First, help your child find the right toothbrush for them. They will need one with soft bristles and one that is the right size for their mouth. Many children on the autism spectrum also benefit from visual schedules and timers so that they know how to brush their teeth and how long. As we said above, find them a fun song to listen to and make teeth time a fun time! If your child likes to chew on chewy tubes or any type of sensory object, do your research on the product first. Make sure you are properly cleaning it and choosing products that will not harm your child’s teeth in any way. Be sure to ask your Occupational Therapists and dentist for recommendations!
Quick Tips
If you didn’t want to read all of that, please just remember these few quick tips:
-Brush your teeth two times a day (after breakfast and before bed)
-Feed your child healthy foods and drink more water
-Help your child floss
-Visit your dentist twice a year
Happy Children’s Dental Health Month! Be sure to talk to your children about how to properly brush their teeth and the importance. They will thank you when they are older!
We want to give a special shout-out and Thank You to Dr. Rozas’ office in Coppell and Dr. Preece, Church, & Associates in Fort Worth/Keller for coming out to visit our offices! You guys rock!!
-The PediaPlex Family
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