Grainne Warren (Dip Play Therapy NUIG) joined our Sensational Kids family in Clonakilty in March. She has over 16 years experience working as a special needs assistant in primary school and is passionate about supporting children in reaching their full potential. Play therapy is an effective and suitable intervention for children aged 3 and above who are experiencing a wide variety of social, emotional and behavioural problems. It is an extremely useful way to help children recover and heal from stressful and traumatic experiences. Play therapy provides a safe, confidential and caring environment which allows a child to play with as few limits as possible, but as many as deemed necessary to enable them to express themselves safely and understand their feelings (of sadness, anger, frustration) without the need for an explanation. The child makes all their decisions in the playroom and the therapist follows their lead. In doing this, […]
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We are really looking forward to welcoming back the wonderful Occupational Therapist Tracy Stackhouse from the USA to host this fantastic Workshop in Ireland this week, The SpIRiT© of Pediatric OT: The SpIRiT (Sensory processing/Integration Reasoning interactive Tool) is a mindful clinical reasoning tool for ensuring best practice in pediatric occupational therapy. The core of the SpIRiT model is derived from the theory and practice of sensory integration, as originated by A. Jean Ayres (now referred to as Ayres’ Sensory Integration, or ASI©). The model is elaborated by current work connecting basic sensory integrative processes to neural plasticity through the mechanism of evincing an adaptive response. In this model, the basic sensory processing is the lowest, bottom up influence over the neural networks that support adaptive functioning. The SpIRiT© model includes a framework for looking at sensory integrative processes with the neural processes that use the sensation for organization […]
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Jamie’s Story – “We have our boy back” My son Jamie first came to Sensational Kids nearly one year ago and what a year it has been. We first came as Jamie was having horrible thoughts and wanted to hurt himself, pulling terrible tantrums, and as an eight-year-old, they were very hard to handle. When I rang Sensational Kids to explain my case I was at my last wits. I got in touch with Yvonne and she has been like an angel ever since. They saw how much Jamie needed guidance. We were in for our first visit the next week and since then he has been going from strength to strength, from a child that wouldn’t go into school, and hated everyone around him and himself. Jamie has been doing play therapy with Yvonne. He loves it and can’t wait to come in. Yvonne has been talking to Jamie […]
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We are delighted to welcome John Doyle to the Sensational Kids team from mid May 2019. He will carry out psychological assessments at our Munster base at the West Cork Technology Park, Clonakilty, Co. Cork. He will be available on Saturdays from 9am-4.30pm, commencing on 18th May and operate on a bi-monthly basis. Booking early is recommended to secure a timely appointment. John (MA Educational Psychology) has been working as a senior psychologist since 1995 and brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge. His area of expertise lies in child assessments, direct support to children and adolescents and mentoring staff within the residential child care services. Furthermore, John has been periodically involved in mentoring students and providing supervision to undergraduate and postgraduate students of psychology, both as an employee of organisations and in private practice. An educational psychological assessment may be necessary if your child is having difficulties […]
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On a rather blustery and cold Saturday (6th April), the Tidy Towns along with key sponsors Supervalu, local politicians and the wider Clonakilty community gathered at the newly completed sensory garden, which has been positioned on the grounds of the Model Railway village and overlooks Clonakilty Bay. We were delighted to go along to the official opening and see such a fantastic resource unveiled. The garden is another example of how accepting the town is of people with autism and indeed additional needs in general. The Clonakilty Autism Friendly Town committee , after several group meetings and long discussions, gave the go ahead and work went underway in January of this year and the true essence of community in Clonakilty was clear in the huge amount of work that went in to this amazing project in just a few short months. Clonakilty Mayor Gretta O’ Donovan said that she […]
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On Thursday 28th and Friday 29th March, 25 enthusiastic individuals congregated at the The Solas Bhride Centre, Kildare Town eagerly ready to undertake the Therapeutic Listening course. It was a two-day workshop presented by US based Occupational Therapist and founder of Vital Links, Sheila Frick. With over three decades of hands on experience, Sheila’s background of working with her own caseload inspire the topics that she brings to her workshop. Her passion is helping children and their families, particularly with ‘sensory processing dysfunction, sensory integration and auditory interventions’. Therapeutic listening appears to be especially useful for occupational therapists working with clients with sensory processing disorders. What is so interesting about the approach is that it does not require a certain sequence or formula to follow, the sessions are very much geared towards the goals and needs of the particular child using it. Therefore, it is very much up to the therapist to […]
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These tools are designed for clients who have completed Jaw Grading Bite Blocks and Progressive Jaw Closure Tubes activities.
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“Hippotherapy is utterly amazing, transforming and an untapped resource that these special children deserve……….crave and need very much” Here at Sensational Kids, some of our specially trained occupational therapists have been incorporating hippotherapy into their occupational therapy sessions with incredible feedback: Our little girl is thriving due to the extra dimension that Sensational Kids have introduced for children with special needs. Our little girl has developed a rapport with a horse that delights her while she is doing occupational therapy. Her confidence, and her attention span in school is soaring, now she is doing things that she would never do. The relationship that she has developed with the horse, her Occupational Therapist has reached stratospheric heights and added a new dimension to untapped potential. I can only thank Sensational Kids from the bottom of my heart. I feel very positive and happy about her future. I know […]
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Scoop up some cool treats with this all-inclusive, 28-piece pretend play ice cream counter!
This sturdy wooden tabletop counter holds eight wooden scoops of different-flavoured ice cream, six assorted toppings, two cones, a plastic cup, an ice cream scooper, tongs, and a wooden spoon. The scooper fits into a hole on top of the scoops to lift, stack, and release. Take orders on the reusable menu card, pay with play money, and serve up delicious fun!
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