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...
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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 →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...
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Your Child's Nervous System Is More Than 'Fight or Flight': Understanding Safety, Stress, and Healing
Your child's behavior is not always "just behavior." Often it is the nervous system trying to protect itself. Learn how the ventral vagal, sympathetic, and dorsal...
Read article →Why Does My Child Hide From Crowds, Refuse Hugs, or Crash Into Everything? Your Child's Sensory Profile Explained
Winnie Dunn's 4 Sensory Quadrants explain why one child crashes into walls while another covers their ears at the grocery store. Earl Mamaril walks parents throug...
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Leucovorin (Folinic Acid) and Autism: What Parents Need to Know
A pediatric OT's evidence-informed guide to leucovorin (folinic acid) and autism — why it's being studied, how it may work in the brain through folate metabolism,...
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Why Does My Child Flap Their Hands or Rock? A Pediatric OT Explains Stimming
Your child isn't misbehaving when they flap, rock, or hum. They're regulating. Pediatric OT Earl Mamaril explains what stimming actually is, when to support it, w...
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Are Weighted Blankets Safe and Effective for Children's Sleep? A Pediatric OT Explains the Science
A pediatric OT's evidence-based guide to weighted blankets for children's sleep — what the research actually shows for ADHD and autism, how deep pressure works th...
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Why Your Child Can't Write Without Turning Their Head: The Retained ATNR Reflex Explained
Head turning during writing. Skipping lines while reading. No clear hand dominance past age 6. These aren't ADHD — they're often a retained ATNR reflex sabotaging...
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Occupational Therapy for Autism — How OT Supports Sensory Processing, Behavior & Daily Life
Pediatric OT for autism — how sensory integration, primitive reflex integration, and brain-boosting movement support autistic children. From Earl Mamaril, MS, OTR...
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