))
Welcome to Ideas at Play, the go-to podcast for busy pediatric occupational therapy professionals! Whether you're in school-based settings, early intervention, or outpatient practice, we bring you evidence-based strategies, practical tips, and engaging discussions to support your OT practice with children, teens, and young adults. Each episode features: A deep dive into recent pediatric OT research and how to apply it. "Nailed It or Failed It," where we share what’s working—and what isn’t—in ...
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 13 The Ultimate Evidence Guide: What 52 Pediatric OT Interventions & 90 Years of Research Reveal
39:47
39:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:47
Tired of Googling for interventions that actually work? We dive into the mother of all systematic reviews covering 129 studies and 52 occupational therapy interventions across nine decades of pediatric OT research. Discover which interventions landed in the green zone (do these!), which fell into the red (avoid!), and why parent collaboration and o…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 12 Shooting for Better Sleep: How Playing Basketball Improves Sleep & Executive Function
38:24
38:24
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:24
Could better sleep for autistic children be as simple as shooting some hoops? In this episode, occupational therapists, Michele Alaniz and Lacy Wright, dive into fascinating research showing how a structured basketball intervention significantly improves sleep quality and executive function in children with autism. Learn how this intervention incre…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 11 Handwriting & OT: Guiding Principles for Today and the Future (with AI)
40:36
40:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:36
Up to 10% of children have difficulty with handwriting, yet only 12% of teachers feel adequately trained to teach it. This week, we break down the six evidence-based principles (plus one essential bonus) that should guide all handwriting instruction and occupational therapy intervention. We examine why focusing on the occupation of writing outperfo…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 10 Tubes & Tables: Supporting Mealtime with Medically Fragile Kids (special guest episode)
54:16
54:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:16
What happens when a child isn't able eat? In this milestone 10th episode, Michele and Lacy explore the complex world of pediatric occupational therapy and feeding with medically fragile children and our guest, Yovana Harris, BA, COTA/L. She shares both "Nailed It" and "Failed It" experiences, explains her “just give them the food” feeding philosoph…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 9 VR and Pediatric Brain Injury (3 Takeaways to Apply Across OT Settings)
38:53
38:53
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:53
Ever wonder how virtual reality could change your pediatric occupational therapy practice? Michele and Lacy dive into a randomized control trial where VR helped kids with brain injuries make progress in just four weeks of OT intervention! Hear about 3 game-changing elements occupational therapists can implement: instant feedback, kids actually want…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 8 Ayres SI in Brazil: 3 Tools to Boost Your OT Practice
36:59
36:59
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:59
Did you know that up to 16% of children have sensory processing challenges that impact their daily lives? In this evidence-packed episode, pediatric occupational therapists Michele and Lacy break down a groundbreaking randomized control trial from Brazil on Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI) that every peds OT needs to know about. Discover three pract…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 7 Parent-Powered Potty Training: The 4-Step Coaching Model in Telehealth
34:50
34:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:50
Forget everything you thought you knew about toilet training—this evidence-based pediatric occupational therapy approach is changing the game. In this episode, we dive into a hybrid telehealth intervention that transformed toilet training success rates through occupation-based coaching strategies that every peds OT should know. Learn the 4-step fra…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 6 The Surprising #1 Reason OT Students Fail Fieldwork (And How You Can Help)
36:54
36:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:54
Struggling OT Fieldwork students? The shocking truth is that occupational therapy knowledge isn't what makes or breaks fieldwork success—it's professional behaviors! Join pediatric occupational therapists, Michele and Lacy, as they unpack evidence-based strategies for fieldwork in this must-listen episode. From communication skills to time manageme…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 5 Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3: Top School-Based OT Interventions That Work
30:41
30:41
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:41
Overwhelmed by your school-based OT caseload? Join Drs. Michele Alaniz and Lacy Wright as they discuss three decades of research into actionable, tiered interventions that deliver measurable results. Learn why the most successful school-based OTs are shifting from traditional pull-out services to classroom-embedded support, dramatically reducing wa…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 4 Beyond the Messy Desk: Assessing Executive Function in Adolescents
31:55
31:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:55
Think a messy backpack or desk is just carelessness? We don’t think so. This episode cracks open the complex world of executive function in school, showing therapists how the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity assessment can unlock insights into how adolescents may be struggling to think, plan, organize, and navigate their world. Plus - Lacy and Mic…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 3 Scoring Success: Quality Sports Participation for Kids with Autism
35:13
35:13
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:13
How can we make sports truly meaningful for children with autism? In this episode, pediatric OTs Dr. Michele Alaniz and Dr. Lacy Wright break down a comprehensive framework for quality participation in sports. Explore research-backed strategies for creating the perfect balance of challenge, autonomy, and social connection in sports programs. The ho…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 2 Play that Works: Engaging & Effective OT Motor Interventions for Kids with CP
29:28
29:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
29:28
What if you could help children with cerebral palsy make significant motor gains with half the therapy hours while keeping both parents and kids engaged? Pediatric occupational therapists Dr. Michele Alaniz and Dr. Lacy Wright dive into the OT research comparing constraint-induced movement therapy and bimanual intensive training, revealing which ap…
…
continue reading
1
Ep. 1 Play With Purpose: An OT Motor Skill Intervention for Autism
18:50
18:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:50
Did you know that over 80% of children with autism are at risk for motor impairment (Bhat, 2022)? Today, we're diving into new research that's changing how we approach motor development in autism. You'll learn five evidence-based steps you can implement immediately in your practice, including a surprising twist on video modeling that goes beyond ju…
…
continue reading
Welcome to Ideas at Play, your go to podcast for practical and engaging insights into pediatric occupational therapy. We're your hosts, Michele Alaniz, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, and Lacy Wright OTD, OTR/L, BCP - two OTs with a passion for breaking down research and helping you apply it to your practice in meaningful ways. Every episode will take you through…
…
continue reading
