Sensory Therapy Place · Pediatric OT Resources
Blog
Pediatric OT-written guides on sensory processing, primitive reflex integration, and the movement-rich home — by Earl Mamaril, MS, OTR/L, and the Sensory Therapy Place clinical team.
Understanding Autism Levels 1–3, "Profound Autism," and What Often Comes With the Diagnosis
A parent's guide to the DSM-5 autism severity levels, why there's no 'Level 4,' what profound autism actually means, the conditions that often travel alongside au...
Read article →
Sensory Tool Myths (And the Real Talk About Parenting Today)
Common myths about sensory tools, debunked — and why having one more tool in your back pocket isn't a shortcut, it's support.
Read article →
How to Calm My Child: A No-Tool-First Checklist
Before any product: what actually helps a child's nervous system settle, starting with connection — and when adding a deep pressure tool can help further.
Read article →Why Is My Child Such a Picky Eater? A Pediatric OT's Guide to Sensory-Based Food Selectivity
Picky eating explained by a pediatric OT: what's a normal developmental phase, what's sensory-based food selectivity, how it differs from ARFID, and what actually...
Read article →
Why ARFID Research Is Behind — And What It's Missing About the Nervous System
A clinical opinion piece on why ARFID research still leans almost entirely on behavior — and what it misses about the nervous system, feeding reflexes, today's fo...
Read article →
My Child Screams During Baths and Haircuts: Understanding Tactile Defensiveness
If ordinary touch sets off a meltdown, your child is not overreacting - their tactile system is registering it as far more intense than it is. Here is what helps.
Read article →
What Is Heavy Work? The OT Secret to Calmer, More Regulated Kids
Heavy work isn't extra structure — it's medicine for a dysregulated nervous system. Here's why deep pressure works, and exactly which weighted products, crash pad...
Read article →
Why Does My Child Chew Everything? An OT's Guide to Oral Sensory Seeking
Chewing on collars, sleeves, pencils and hair is not a bad habit - it is a proprioceptive need. Here is what is happening and how to redirect it safely.
Read article →
Primitive Reflexes 101: The Hidden Root of Toe-Walking, Clumsiness and Meltdowns
Why toe-walking, clumsiness, poor handwriting, and even meltdowns can trace back to primitive reflexes that never fully integrated - and what parents can do about...
Read article →The Complete Guide to Sensory Processing in Kids (Winnie Dunn Framework)
What sensory processing actually means, why some kids seek input while others avoid it, and how to figure out where your child fits.
Read article →Navigating Maine's Special Education Evaluations: Deadlines, the IEP Process, and How Private OT Can Help
A parent's guide to Maine's IEP evaluation deadlines, the 3 steps to qualify for an IEP, and how a private OT evaluation can get your child support while you wait...
Read article →
How Do You Test for Primitive Reflexes? A Pediatric OT Explains 8 Key Reflexes
When a child struggles with transitions, emotional regulation, clumsiness, or focus, it is easy to read it as behavior. A pediatric OT looks deeper — at the centr...
Read article →