Babies Can Follow Complex Social Situations

More Evidence That Musical Training Protects the Brain

[Source:  Science Daily]

Scientists have found some of the strongest evidence yet that musical training in younger years can prevent the decay in speech listening skills in later life.

 According to a new Canadian study led by the Rotman Research Institute (RRI) at Baycrest Health Sciences, older adults who had musical training in their youth were 20% faster in identifying speech sounds than their non-musician peers on speech identification tests, a benefit that has already been observed in young people with musical training.

The findings are published in The Journal of Neuroscience.

EC Programs Significantly Lower Special Ed Placements  

[Source: Science Daily]

Access to state-supported early childhood programs significantly reduces the likelihood that children will be placed in special education in the third grade, academically benefiting students and resulting in considerable cost savings to school districts, according to new research published today in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association. 

Preschool Anxiety Changes the Brain

[Source:  Yale Daily News] 

Anxiety disorders observed in preschoolers - including social phobia, separation anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder - can lead to physiological changes in brain development, a new study from the Yale Child Study Center shows.
 

The researchers imaged the brains of children with and without preschool anxiety disorders. They found that in those who had an anxiety disorder, the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, two regions whose "cross-talk" is important in modulating anxiety, effectively talked less to each other in a phenomenon known as weaker functional connectivity. They also found that different anxiety disorders led to different connectivity patterns.

Language Study Offers New Twist on Mind 

New research from Northeastern professor of psychology Iris Berent and her colleagues indicates that language and motor systems are intricately linked-though not in the way that has been widely believed.

New Findings on How the Brain Ignores Distractions

[Source:  Medical News Today] 

When we concentrate on something, we also engage in the unsung, parallel act of purposefully ignoring other things. A new study describes how the brain may achieve such "optimal inattention." With this knowledge, scientists at Brown University hope they can harness our power to ignore - for instance, to reduce pain.

To study how the brain purposefully ignores sensory stimuli, researchers looked at brainwaves connecting the somatosensory cortex (hSI) to the right inferior frontal cortex (IFC). White regions were experimental controls. 

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Hot Jobs:  Two OT Positions in San Antonio, TX  

Placement of the Week:  Autism OT in Chicago  

Congratulations to Madalyn E., of Illinois on her placement at PediaStaff's outpatient client in Greater Chicago.   Madalyn will be serving children aged 2-22 with multiple diagnosis, primarily on the autism spectrum.  Therapy will focus around sensory integration, social skills and life skills.
 

Congrats, Madalyn!

Hot Job:  Bilingual Pediatric Home Health SLP Job - Dallas, TX  

Here's an outstanding opportunity for a Spanish speaking Speech-Language Pathologist.  We have an immediate opening for a bilingual therapist to work with children in a home health setting.  The caseload is 30-35 patients located in south Dallas.  Great pay and benefits are part of the compensation package including medical, dental, vision, and even company car options! CF candidates are welcome to apply, too.  Candidate must posses or be eligible for a Texas Speech and Hearing Association state license, MUST be bilingual and able to read, write and speak both Spanish and English fluently.  No assistants at this time, please. 

Seasonal Activity of the Week:  Valentine's Day Lego Challenge  

OT Product Review of the Week  Adapting With Sugru  

Have you heard of Sugru? It is an Occupational Therapist's dream come true - really it is. These are the things that we dream about. Sugru is a mold-able rubber that dries in 24hrs, and is then very strong.

It sticks to practically everything while you are molding it, so it is great for adapting things or attaching adaptations on to another item. It is dishwasher safe, so it could be used to adapt the handles of 

Resource of the Week: Free Online Course on 'Learning Differences'

Activity of Week:  Step By Step Directions for Mini Snowman Scene  

[Source:  Your Therapy Source]
 

After seeing this artist trading card idea at Art Projects for Kids (excellent website by the way), I thought this would make a wonderful craft projects for children who can benefit from practicing fine motor skills, scissor skills, sequencing, visual motor skills and creativity

.

You can download the one page step by step directions from the Mini Snowman Scene at: