SMART Pediatrics

SMART Pediatrics Smart Pediatrics is a pediatric occupational therapy practice that works with children in the home,

Pediatric occupational therapy clinic specializing in sensory processing disorders and reflex integration techniques

Here’s what we see often in the clinic:👂 Sometimes the ears hear it, but the brain doesn’t register it fast enough🎧 Back...
12/25/2025

Here’s what we see often in the clinic:
👂 Sometimes the ears hear it, but the brain doesn’t register it fast enough
🎧 Background noise can override their ability to filter and shift attention
🧠 Sensory overload can make their nervous system too busy to take in social cues
🎮 Hyperfocus during play or movement can drown out anything that isn’t relevant to them in that moment

Responding to their name is a mix of auditory processing, attention shifting, and feeling regulated enough to notice social input. When any of those pieces are off, you’ll see delays or missed responses.

If this sounds familiar and you want support understanding what’s underneath it, send us a DM.

Some kids grip a pencil so tightly their knuckles turn white. Others hold it with their whole hand. And some switch grip...
12/23/2025

Some kids grip a pencil so tightly their knuckles turn white. Others hold it with their whole hand. And some switch grips every few minutes because nothing feels stable.

Most of the time, it’s not about effort. It’s about the foundation under the grasp.

What we see most often:
✏️ Kids use an immature grip when finger strength is low
✏️ They rely on wrist or whole arm movements because finger control isn’t ready
✏️ Fatigue happens fast when the grasp isn’t efficient
✏️ Writing becomes a chore instead of a functional skill

A more efficient grasp usually comes once the hand has the stability and isolation it needs. Think of it as helping the hand grow into its job.

If this is something your child struggles with, send us a DM, and we can point you in the right direction.

12/22/2025

This activity is called “ball crash and swing coordination,” and it’s a classic in pediatric OT.
The child is riding a bolster swing, building momentum, aiming, and crashing into the therapy ball, all while staying balanced and controlling their body.

What this works on:
✔️ Vestibular processing (movement, balance, body sense)
✔️ Motor planning
✔️ Core strength
✔️ Timing and coordination
✔️ Confidence with movement challenges

When kids can coordinate their bodies in motion, everyday tasks like sports, stairs, playground play, and classroom sitting become easier and more automatic.

And yes… It’s as fun as it looks.

✨ SMART Pediatrics is hiring pediatric OTs and PTs. Message us to learn more.

12/18/2025

What you’re seeing is called the “Tire Tube Swing Crawl,” a classic sensory integration activity in OT.

The child crawls through the suspended inner tubes while holding a prone (belly-down) position.
This challenges core strength, upper body stability, motor planning, and whole-body coordination in a playful way.

Why it matters:

It builds the postural control kids need for sitting, writing, and focusing.

It strengthens the sensory systems that support balance and body awareness.

It promotes problem-solving and confidence as kids figure out how to move through the swinging tubes.

We love using movement like this to help kids feel stronger, safer, and more connected in their own bodies.

SMART Pediatrics is hiring pediatric OTs and PTs.
If you love sensory work, send us a message.

If your child refuses coats, avoids warm baths, or melts down during temperature changes, it might be temperature sensit...
12/16/2025

If your child refuses coats, avoids warm baths, or melts down during temperature changes, it might be temperature sensitivity. Their nervous system can interpret mild warmth or cold as intense, unpredictable, or even painful.

Temperature sensitivity can impact simple routines like getting dressed, bathing, or transitioning outdoors because the sensory input feels overwhelming rather than neutral.

If this sounds familiar, save this post so you can come back to these signs when routines start feeling hard again.

Deep pressure is one of the most reliable ways to help a child’s nervous system slow down and feel organized. When the b...
12/15/2025

Deep pressure is one of the most reliable ways to help a child’s nervous system slow down and feel organized. When the body gets steady, consistent pressure, it sends a simple message to the brain: you’re safe.

Here’s what deep pressure actually supports:
🌟 Regulation
It lowers the “fight or flight” response and helps kids shift into a calmer state.

🌟 Body awareness
Pressure gives clearer input to muscles and joints, making movement feel more predictable.

🌟 Focus and readiness to learn
When the body feels grounded, attention becomes easier to access.

We use deep pressure throughout sensory sessions because it gives the brain exactly what it needs to settle.

Want more educational posts like this? Follow SMART Pediatrics for weekly sensory insight straight from the clinic.

If a child uses their whole hand for every task, it’s usually a sign their system needs more practice with controlled, s...
12/11/2025

If a child uses their whole hand for every task, it’s usually a sign their system needs more practice with controlled, separated movement.

Save this post if you want quick, realistic strategies to build stronger hands.

When a child spins, their brain is gathering input about balance, direction, and movement. For kids who seek it constant...
12/10/2025

When a child spins, their brain is gathering input about balance, direction, and movement. For kids who seek it constantly, it’s often their way of organizing their body so they can focus, feel grounded, or stay regulated.

What spinning can tell us:
🌀 Their vestibular system may be seeking stronger input
⚖️ They might need support with balance or postural control
👀 Spinning influences visual tracking, reading readiness, and coordination
🧠 Movement can help settle or activate their nervous system, depending on what they need

Save this post so you can come back to it the next time your child spins and you’re wondering what their body might be asking for.

12/08/2025

This little one is doing a rock wall climb on an unstable surface… and her body is getting way more out of it than just “play.”

She’s standing on a therapy dome while climbing the wall, which means her vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual systems all have to work at the same time. That combo is what helps kids build the balance and body awareness they need for everyday tasks.

Here’s what this kind of activity boosts:
🧠 Vestibular development: The uneven surface makes the brain practice staying upright and organized.
💪 Core + postural strength: Holding herself steady while reaching for holds fires up deep core muscles.
👀 Visual tracking + coordination: Eyes, hands, and feet learn to work as a team.
🚲 Higher-level motor skills: The same foundation kids need for biking, navigating stairs, and sitting upright at a desk.

When climbing feels like play, it’s actually building the systems that support focus, endurance, and confidence.

We’re also hiring pediatric OTs and PTs who love this kind of purposeful, playful work. Reach out if you’d love to join a team that values sensory motor foundations as much as we do.

Some kids touch everything and everyone around them… and it’s not defiance.It’s often their sensory system asking for ex...
12/04/2025

Some kids touch everything and everyone around them… and it’s not defiance.
It’s often their sensory system asking for extra input.

For many children, keeping their hands to themselves is hard because:
👋 Their body craves touch or pressure to feel grounded
🧠 Their impulse control isn’t developed enough to pause the action
⚡ They use touch to make sense of where they are in space
🌪️ Their nervous system is “always on,” searching for input to stay organized

When we look through a sensory lens, those grabby hands start to make a lot more sense.

OTs support this by building body awareness, strengthening regulation skills, and giving kids sensory tools that meet their needs in safer, more functional ways.

Some kids look unsteady during simple movements… and it’s not because they’re clumsy.It might be their TLR still running...
12/03/2025

Some kids look unsteady during simple movements… and it’s not because they’re clumsy.
It might be their TLR still running the show.

The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) is a primitive reflex that helps babies learn how to move against gravity. But if it stays active past infancy, it can make everyday tasks way harder than they should be.

You might see:
✨ Difficulty sitting upright without slouching
✨ Getting tired quickly during schoolwork
✨ Poor balance or trouble learning new motor skills

Here’s the connection:
When the TLR doesn’t fully integrate, the brain has to work overtime just to manage basic movement. That means less energy left for attention, learning, emotional regulation, and confidence.

OTs look at this reflex so we can support the child’s whole system, not just the skill they’re struggling with on the surface.

Tell us below what movement is hardest right now so we can share tips in future posts.

12/02/2025

What you’re seeing here is a classic OT balance-and-coordination exercise using a BOSU ball.

This activity is called BOSU Ball Balance Training, and it’s one of the most effective ways to strengthen a child’s vestibular system, core stability, and motor planning all at once.

In the video, the child is:

🟦 Standing on a BOSU ball
This unstable surface challenges their balance, strengthens core muscles, and helps the brain learn how to adjust to shifting movement.

🔵 Catching and tossing a large therapy ball
This adds upper-body coordination, timing, visual tracking, and bilateral integration.

What this activity supports:

✨ Vestibular system
Helps kids feel more grounded, confident, and organized during movement.

💪 Core strength + postural control
Essential for sitting upright at school, handwriting, reading, and fine motor tasks.

👀 Hand-eye coordination
Builds the ability to follow moving objects, track lines of text, and react with accuracy.

🧠 Motor planning
Teaches the brain to think, adjust, and act quickly during a dynamic task.

Activities like this look simple, but they build powerful brain-body connections that support smoother movement, better focus, and more confidence in everyday tasks.

And if you’re an OT or PT who loves this kind of work, we’re hiring! Reach out to learn more about joining the SMART Pediatrics team.

Address

1200 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT
06905

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

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