This page shows all of the articles that Kim has written on the GriffinOT website. It can sometimes be easier to look at them in individual categories rather than everything together. The categories will be under the title for each article.
What is a pen licence? For those of you who are not familiar with the term ‘pen licence’, pen licences are certificates which give children the permission to write in pen, rather than [...]
Support attention with sensory circuits Sensory circuits have evolved from sensory diets. They are like a gym circuit, but using sensory based activities to support a child’s readiness to learn. You can easily [...]
Behaviour or communication? When I speak about sensory differences, one question that always pops up is whether the behaviours are sensory needs or not. In this article I would like to explore classroom [...]
Teaching interoceptive awareness Interoceptive awareness is the ability to notice the sensory information that the brain receives internally from the body. These messages come from the interoceptive receptors in our body. Kim explains [...]
Sensory strategies are a tool In the sensory world, there are lot of different terms and phrases. It can quickly get confusing, even for trained therapists! The terms also change over time. In [...]
A tale of two touch pathways The terms touch pressure or deep touch pressure are used by therapists to refer to firmer touch. Therapressure brushes or surgical brushes are one way to provide [...]
Scissor skills stages Learning to cut with scissors is more complex than it may initially seem. It requires good postural control, good hand-eye coordination and the ability to use both hands together. In [...]
Making handwriting easier Handwriting is a complex skill, but there are tips which make learning it easier. One of the most helpful things you can do, as a teacher or parent, is to [...]
The importance of pre-writing shapes Pre-writing shapes are the lines and shapes a child needs to be able to draw prior to learning to write. They are the shapes which form letters, such [...]
Handwriting is a complex skill Handwriting is a skill that is taught in every school. There are many approaches to teaching handwriting. Some schools focus on the cursive first approach. Others teach handwriting [...]
Navigating through diagnosis How it feels when your child receives a diagnosis can take you by surprise. It can be a very confusing and overwhelming time. During this time there is no right [...]
A personal story - Tina and Kelly It was not until her daughter Kelly started school, that Tina noticed there was something quite different about the way she interacted with others. Kelly had [...]
Sensory overloaded = too much information Sensory overload is a term which describes the experience an individual with sensory differences may have when they receive too much sensory information. The brain is unable [...]
Sensory diets to support arousal Sensory diets are a structured list of sensory strategies which an individual can use throughout the day to help to support their arousal, attention and focus. They are [...]
Arousal is all about alertness Arousal at its simplest is how awake or alert or how tired you are. It supports attention and focus. There are a number of things which impact an [...]
Lisa's story - Supporting Sensory at School Sensory differences are thought to occur in between 5-16% of the population. This means up to four students in a mainstream classroom may experience sensory differences. [...]
A flexible sensory strategy Movement breaks are a frequently suggested sensory tool to help students increase their attention and readiness for learning. Like all sensory strategies, they should be individualised for each student. [...]
Free sensory diet cards! Welcome to GriffinOT's sensory diet card and movement break page. Here you can download our cards for free to use at home or school. These cards are designed to [...]
Understanding sensory processing or integration Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a term that describes the challenges children (and adults) have when their brains are not interpreting the sensory messages they receive from their [...]
Embedding sensory strategies into classroom Occupational therapists often recommend sensory strategies, or sensory supports, to help to support children who experience sensory differences. This includes children with autism. We explore what sensory processing [...]
Dyspraxia - Let's explore how to help A question Kim is commonly asked is how to help children with dyspraxia. Dyspraxia is a term used to describe the difficulty children and adults have [...]
Ask Kim - Question 1 Vestibular Stimming Ask Kim is a monthly post where occupational therapist Kim Griffin answers a question from our community. This month’s question explores sensory stimming. “How can I [...]
Let's explore sensory regulation Sensory regulation, self-regulation and emotional regulation are terms often used by therapists. They relate to the child's ability to increase and decrease their alertness, or arousal, to match the [...]
What's the benefit of weighted blankets? Weighted blankets and other products come in all different shapes and sizes. Vests, lap pads, shoulder pads, blankets and animal shapes are all readily available for purchase. [...]
Sensory chew toys - which one to choose? Choosing sensory chew toys for children can be a daunting task. There are so many different ones available! They come in different shapes, different textures, [...]
Supporting each other at home This post has been written for parents who are homeschooling their children. Many of these will be helpful for children who don’t have any diagnosis as they relate [...]
Pros and cons of pencil grasps For children who have an immature pencil grasp, there are many pencil grips available to help. In this post I will use the term ‘grip’ to refer [...]
Pencil grasp is a complicated affair The way a child holds onto their pencil is often a focus of assessment in the early years. A mature pencil grasp supports pencil skill maturity and [...]
A tale of two theories The terms 'Sensory Integration' (SI) and 'Sensory Processing' to refer to the same theory. They are sometimes used interchangeably, however there are subtle differences. This article will help [...]
Sensory processing and autism Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or sensory issues describes the challenges children (and adults) have when their brains interpret the sensory messages they receive differently. Their brains might find some [...]
There's more to handwriting than meets the eye Handwriting is an incredibly complex skill. Before children can hold a pencil, they need to be able to sit up and move their arm independently [...]
Helping with cutting skills Using scissors successfully to cut is an important is a rite of passage for any child. Especially those who have ‘accidentally’ cut off a chunk of their hair, or [...]
The festive season is on us The holiday period, including Christmas, is loaded with additional sensory information. There are new lights, sounds and smells. You go on extra visits to family and friends. [...]
Embedding OT supports into your classroom When I first graduated, quite some time ago now, I was frustrated at what I interpreted as a lack of support from educators in following through with [...]
Let's explore why kids chew on clothing When a parent or teacher sees their child chewing on clothing or other items it can raise questions. Some children chew on other items like toys, [...]
Let's explore oral sensory seeking Oral sensory seeking, where a child continues to put things in their mouth after the age of two, is commonly reported alongside sensory issues, autism, developmental delays and [...]
The benefits of heavy work Heavy work is a commonly used term, but not everyone knows what it actually refers to! This post aims to give you a better understand of what it [...]
Dyspraxia - Let's explore the signs and symptoms The term 'dyspraxic' originates from the latin ‘dus’ ‘praxis’ meaning difficulty with action. It is used to describe the sensory processing difficulty children and adults [...]
Dyspraxia Explained - Let's explore some common myths Dyspraxia is a term that describes the sensory processing difficulty children and adults have when they struggle to plan and organise their movements. The term [...]
Let's explore auditory sensitivity and overload Auditory sensitivity is sometimes also called auditory hypersensitivity or hypersensitivity to sound. Autistic individuals and those that with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) commonly report auditory sensitivity. This sensitivity [...]
Hearing is an essential sense! Our hearing sense, or auditory sense, is a sense everyone has typically heard of. It responds to noises in the environment. These noises, or sound waves, travel through [...]
Tactile defensiveness and touch sensory sensitivity Touch sensitivity is commonly reported by children or adults who experience sensory processing differences . Sensory integration trained occupational therapists would usually call this tactile sensory issue [...]
Sensory processing and the touch sense Our touch, or tactile sense, is a sense that most people are reasonably familiar with. It is one of the five senses you would have been taught [...]
The signs of sensory processing differences In this article Kim describes some common signs of sensory issues. You might see the behaviours if your child has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). She explores common [...]
Using sensory seating in the classroom Occupational therapists sometimes suggest sensory seating for children who are constantly fidgeting in their seat. There is a wide variety of different types of alternate seating on [...]
Proprioception - our sixth sense Proprioception is the awareness of how our muscles are moving. It is essential to help the brain to know where the body and limbs are in space. It [...]
Its supports much more than balance! The vestibular sense is often called the sense of balance. However, there is much more to the story. In this post you will discover that the vestibular [...]
There's a wobble cushion in my classroom! You will often see wobble cushions or sensory cushions in classrooms at school. One example is the sensory wedge-shaped cushion called a Move and Sit cushion [...]
Why might you use a fidget toy in the classroom? Sensory fidget toys (also known as sensory fiddle toys) are commonly recommended by occupational therapists or tried out by teachers for children who [...]