On The Other Hand Therapy

04/01/2026

03/30/2026

Joy doesn’t always show up in big moments. Sometimes it’s in the small things you almost miss. 🩷

Every month, I’m sharing a reflection prompt for parents raising children with disabilities.

Parenting in this community can be beautiful and complicated. These questions are here to help you notice what’s going well, for your child and for you.

✨ This month’s reflection prompt: What’s one thing your child did this month that made you smile or brought you joy?

Share here if you’d like, or keep it private. There’s no right way to participate.

03/26/2026

Is it bullying … or something else? 🤔
It’s hard to know how to respond when something like this happens to your child.
Not every moment is bullying, and understanding these situations changes how you respond.
I break it down and discuss what to do in Part 3 of my bullying series.
👉 Click on the link in my bio: “understanding bullying in upper limb difference”

03/19/2026

Why it matters when a doll looks like you 🧸
For children with limb differences, seeing themselves reflected in a toy isn’t just “cute” — it’s powerful
It builds belonging, confidence, and these messages:
🩵 “I belong”
🩵 “I matter”
🩵 “I’m not the only one”
🩵 “I make sense in this world just as I am”
These moments with adaptive dolls stay with children for years
I wish 5-year-old me had had this kind of representation
➡️ See the full list of limb-different dolls & toys (updated for 2025!) in my new post
➡️ Link in bio for website blog post with product links
Huge thank you to the families who shared these sweet moments and the companies and individuals who creating these toys & dolls: & & &
Transparency: I do not receive commissions or kick backs for toy recommendations. Occasionally companies send me free products — like , who sent me the Dougie plushie! 🩷
If you’d like more limb difference content, please follow!
Image description: two videos of little boys with dolls that look like them. The text overlay says:
- Representation hits different when it’s YOU
- For children with limb differences… this moment matters even more
- These dolls help children feel seen… and proud of who they are
- More limb different dolls & toys → Link in bio 🩷

03/19/2026

If one hand does most of the work in your daily life …
when it starts to hurt, it can be uncomfortable, frustrating, and even a little scary.
This is often an early sign of over
use, and what you do right away can make a big difference.
Here are three ways to respond early:
☑️ Wear a brace.
A simple wrist or thumb brace can reduce strain during daily activities and act as a reminder to protect your hand.
☑️ Take regular breaks.
Stay ahead of pain by stopping every 25 to 30 minutes whatever activity is irritating your hand.
☑️ Calm inflammation.
Ice for short periods (about 10 minutes) or apply a topical anti-inflammatory cream like Voltaren to settle symptoms early.
These aren’t long-term solutions, but they can help prevent a small issue from becoming a bigger one.
If pain continues or worsens, it’s worth being evaluated by a healthcare professional.
👉 Free upper limb difference overuse syndrome handouts:🔗 link in bio
Follow along for more overuse prevention and upper limb difference information
I am an occupational therapist, not a medical doctor. This is general education, not individualized medical advice. Please consult a healthcare practitioner if you’re unsure what’s best for your body.
Image description: Laura shows 3 strategies for managing hand pain: putting on a splint while typing, setting a timer while typing, and icing her arm using a frozen gel pack.

Thank you to:
🩷 .greentree for videoing 🎥
🩷 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

03/12/2026

Tip #1 of 13: take care of yourself 🩷

Raising a child with an upper limb difference is a long journey. It includes joy, growth, advocacy, appointments, decision-making, and emotional labor.

Sustainable parenting and caregiving requires support, but it doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate.

It can look like:

🩵 one trusted person who listens
🩵 a few quiet minutes to think
🩵 honest conversations about how to share responsibilities
🩵 consistent sleep when possible
🩵 small daily practices that steady your nervous system

Being intentional about incorporating self care and pacing into your daily routines can help for the long haul.

You do not have to carry everything alone or do it perfectly. Save this as a reminder.

👇 read more — link in comment below

Many thanks to:
🩷 intern Ava D. for creating the slides and alt text
🩷 intern Oly for assistance with the website blogpost
🩷 and .greentree for review & comments
🩷 all of the limb difference creators & orgs

03/06/2026

Overuse Prevention Shoulder Reset 🩷
H arms ➡️ overhead
A simple foam-roller stretch to help your shoulders move through a full range of motion while gently opening the chest.
This can be especially helpful for upper limb different adults and children who tend to spend a lot of time reaching, gripping, and working in front of the body 💪
Lying over the roller allows the shoulders to relax into a more open, supported position instead of the forward-rounded posture many of us fall into during daily tasks.

🩵 Equipment: foam roller for teens or adults or rolled towel (for children)
🩵 Place the roller or towel under the middle of your chest with arms resting out to the side in an “H” shape
🩵 Slowly slide your arms overhead along the floor, then return to the H position
🩵 Start with 3–5 repetitions and build up to 8–10
🩵 Move slowly and keep the movement comfortable
🩵 Focus on letting the chest stay open and the shoulders relaxed
🩵 No roller? Try the same arm movement standing with your back against a wall
Parents & caregivers: this is an easy one to try with your child!
Playful cues for children:
🩷 “Make a big snow angel!”
🩷 “Open your wings and fly overhead!”
🩷 “Draw a rainbow with your arms!”
🩷 Use their favorite slow music
👉 Follow along for more overuse prevention stretches and upper limb difference information
This is general education, not individualized medical advice. Please check with your/your child’s provider if you’re unsure what’s best for your body.
🩵 Many thanks to Dr. Lee for videoing 🎥
Image description:
Laura lies with a foam roller placed under the middle of her chest. Her arms rest on the floor out to the side in an H shape. She slowly slides her arms overhead along the floor and then returns them to the H position, opening the chest and gently moving the shoulders through their range of motion.

03/04/2026

Bullying is rarely just about unkind words or moments on the playground
For children with hand and arm differences, it can shape how they experience school, friendships, and extracurricular activities
I wrote a two-part reflection on bullying that looks beyond behavior alone and explores the physical and emotional costs that often go unseen
And what caregivers and professionals can do to support our children 🩷
👉 Read both parts of the blog: link here https://ontheotherhand.org/understanding-bullying-exclusion-and-social-systems-part-1/

03/01/2026

Connection builds everything else 🩷

Every month, I’m sharing a reflection prompt for parents raising children with disabilities

Parenting in this community can be beautiful and complicated. These questions are here to help you notice what’s going well, for your child and for you.

✨ This month’s reflection prompt: What’s a moment this month when you felt really connected to your child?

Share here if you’d like, or keep it private. There’s no right way to participate.

Thank you to:
🩵 intern Cali for her contribution to this series
🩵 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

02/25/2026

Raising a child with an upper limb difference comes with joy, questions, and unexpected moments 🩵

Over the next few months, I'll be sharing a series of practical, compassionate parenting and caregiving suggestions for families raising children with upper limb differences

These ideas come from:
🩷 lived experience
🩷 decades of work as a pediatric occupational therapist
🩷 parenting two children into adulthood
🩷 long-term involvement in this community

☑️ This series is meant to be a support, not a checklist
☑️ You do not need to do or know everything at once
☑️ Some ideas may resonate now, others later, and some may not fit your family

Parenting and caregiving a child with an upper limb difference is a long journey. You do not have to walk it alone

Follow along, save what resonates, and share with another parent or caregiver who might need this

Many thanks to:
🩵 intern Ava for creating the slides and alt text
🩵 .greentree and for review & comments
🩵 all of the limb difference creators & orgs

02/19/2026

Well it's 60 degrees here today, but winter isn't over yet, so let's talk about how cold weather can be hard on partial arms and hands:
☑️ Dry air leads to skin cracks
☑️ Cold temperatures can make extremities feel painfully cold 🥶

Some upper limb differences are associated with circulation differences

That helps explain why winter care matters so much

💡These tips are for children and adults, because this is a lifelong experience, not something that disappears with age

What winter strategies help you or your child most? ❄️

👇 Share below so others can learn too

Many thanks to:
🩷 interns Amanda & Cassie for creating the slides!
🩷 the incomparable .greentree for review & comments
🩷 all of the limb difference creators & orgs

02/17/2026

When a child expresses sadness about their limb difference, they are not asking to be convinced otherwise

They are asking to be understood

Many of us were taught to respond quickly with reassurance:
“But your hand/arm is amazing”
“You’re so strong”
“Your difference makes you special”

Those messages are often well-intended

But if reassurance replaces welcome for the hard or messy emotions, children may learn that sadness is uncomfortable for the adults around them

Emotional resilience is built through attunement, not redirection or reassurance

We can celebrate our children and build their pride

AND we can make room for their grief

All of it belongs 🩷

Many thanks to:
🩷 limb different colleague Joss of https://limbdifferencelife.com for reviewing and providing input
🩷 all of the limb difference creators & orgs