June 2019
Featured Blog Post
How Dangerous is Screen Time for Kids?

Technology has become a big part of our children's lives (and ours). Computers, handheld devices, video games, and smartphones are everywhere, and are often used in educational settings. But many parents have concerns about, and spend hours battling with their children over, screen time - and for good reason.

It's exhausting to continually fight this battle, but stay strong. The dangers are real, and in this month's featured blog post, we explain just how serious these dangers can be.
Check Out Our New Shop!



Our therapists often recommend products to our families to support your children's goals outside of the therapy environment. Kid's Creek has teamed up with Amazon to offer many of these products directly through our website. Visit kidscreektherapy.com/shop to view the available occupational, physical, and speech therapy products.

Have questions? Talk to your child's therapist about specific recommendations for your child.
LAST CHANCE: 2019 Summer Camps & Clubs

Once again, Kid's Creek will offer summer camps! Planned camps and dates are as follows.

Leaders in Training
Two Sessions Offered: June 10-14 and July 8-12
9:30am-1:00pm
Come and be a part of a camp like no other! Develop life skills and leadership skills at our unique and exciting camp! Our LITs will have the opportunity to gain real life experience by learning work skills at our neighborhood Kroger grocery store and work on developing leadership skills and life skills with our Kid's Creek therapists. Social skills/interactions with friends, functional life skills, and a "lunch bunch" are all part of this experience.  Ages 13+. Cost: $350

PROMPT and Play
June 17-21
9:30-11:00am
This intensive group speech therapy camp utilizes the PROMPT facilitation technique. This camp is appropriate for a variety of diagnoses including apraxia, dysarthria and autism spectrum. Children must be minimally able to imitate speech sounds and be able to function with minimum to moderate assistance in a small group setting. Limited to 4 participants per session.  Ages 4-7. Cost: $400

The Friendship Club
A Social Skills Camp
Two Sessions Offered: June 17-21 and July 29- Aug 1
9:30am-12:00pm
In this fun and interactive camp, our friends will learn how to read facial expressions and nonverbal cues, how to recognize social cues about when to join in groups, how to make and keep friends, how to best cooperate and study feelings, and how to express feelings appropriately. Friendship Club friends will also participate in role-playing, games, brainstorming, decision making, activities that promote empathy and self-control, and more. 
Ages 8-11. 
Cost: $300

Food Explorers
A Multi-Disciplinary Sensory Camp for Picky and Problem Eaters
June 24-28
11:00am - 1:00pm
Are you up a creek about what to feed your picky eater? Find help at the Food Explorers Camp!  Using the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding, kids will experience and interact with food together. A fun and playful camp, we make experiencing food a positive interaction! The camp is run by therapists who are trained in The SOS Approach, an evidenced-based program proven to be effective in expanding the food repertoires of picky eaters and problem feeders.  Ages 4-6.  Cost: $400

Sew Much Fun!
July 15-19
9:30am-12:00pm
Come join us for a week of creativity and fun through sewing, art, and math! This camp will engage the mind and reinforce hand-eye coordination through hand sewing. Campers will learn basic hand sewing and art skills to be able to create their own quilt squares while using 4th-6th grade math principles. From there, campers will be guided in ways to create their own hand sewing masterpieces whether pillows, bags, animal friends, or wall hangings. Every camper will leave with something they have created. This camp is not just for girls - boys love the ability to create with their hands, too! Campers will need to have a sense of safety awareness, basic scissor skills, and be trustworthy with a dull needle.  Ages 8-13. Cost: $300

Avengers Super Heroes and Social Skills
July 22-27
9:30am-12:00pm
Calling all super heroes! We are forming an Avengers alliance to explore social skills. Join us as we journey through some amazing sensory and social adventures! An exciting camp experience focusing on sensory processing activities and social skills training.  Ages 8-11.  Cost: $300

Visit our Summer Camps page for more details on camp opportunities for 2019. 
Get to Know You: Victoria Wood

In Get to Know You, we're asking our staff a few questions to give our families a peek into who they are as people, not simply providers. This month's Get to Know You features Occupational Therapist Victoria Wood.

Who is your hero?  My hero would not be one person. No one is that powerful. One of them is my eldest daughter. She rose above the people who said she was too small for kindergarten or too short to play. She became the number one woman's fencing champion in the county her junior and senior year of high school. Her motto was, it's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. She used her bossiness and wild spirit to become a leader.  She has more confidence as an adult than several people combined. There were several rough patches and bumps along the way, but she used these as learning opportunities to become an amazing young woman. She has discovered her gifts, accepts who she is, and has a take it or leave it attitude.

What is your favorite thing about your career? I love teaching a new family about what I do and how I can help them understand their child. That overwhelming moment when they get it, and realize they have finally found someone who can help. I help children who are misunderstood. I teach them to become who they are meant to be. Every day is different.  I don't take no for an answer. Every problem has some sort of solution if I keep trying.

Have you ever had a nickname? What is it? Pixie. My dad has called me this my whole life.  I was a petite little girl like a small Pixie.

What three items would you take with you on a deserted island? Besides the obvious like food and water, which are the easy answers, I would bring a toothbrush (a person needs clean teeth), my husband (I don't think I would last very long alone, my thoughts drive me crazy), and a Kindle with a solar charger (the world will never run out of books to read).

If you had to describe yourself as an animal, which one would it be? A pomeranian. Not just because I love pomeranians. Poms are loyal, playful, silly sometimes, love to cuddle, a little needy, smart enough to make decisions (not just be obedient), curious, like a great nap on the couch, need a little outside time in the sun or a walk, like a ride in the car with the top down or a boat ride, can be independent if they need to be, love an adventure, and have great hair.  Just like me.
Last Chance to Book Intensive Speech Programs for This Summer!

Kid's Creek Therapy is happy to offer Speech Connections, intensive speech therapy programs. Speech Connections programs are available for both current and new patients, and are a good option for families who live too far away from our office to schedule regular appointments. Learn more below and  visit our Intensive Program page  for downloadable brochures as well as information for Traveling Families.

May and June are now fully booked; July 15-19 and July 22-26 are the only remaining available weeks the summer. If these dates don't work for you, we are scheduling now for fall.

Apraxia Intensive Program
Our Apraxia Intensive Program uses evidence-based techniques in an individualized program to elicit correct speech production in children with childhood apraxia of speech. The program  is available in either one- or two-week sessions. All participants will receive a home program and a treatment summary at the completion of the session.

Call us at 770-888-5221 or inquire at the front desk for more information
about our Speech Connections program.

Help Spread the Word About Kid's Creek!
Over the years, many of you have referred friends and family members to Kid's Creek - THANK YOU! We are thrilled that you trust us to treat your children. Would you mind taking a few minutes to support us by leaving a review on one or more of the following sites? 

Click each link to go directly to the Kid's Creek listing!
WE LOVE REFERRALS!

Do you know a child who needs our help? Let their parents know that we offer  FREE CONSULTATIONS and SCREENINGS . Many people are looking for a speech, occupational, or physical therapist for their child, and want to find a place that not only produces results, but values both the child and his/her family.
 
To refer a friend, have them mention your name and we'll take care of the rest. Plus, you will receive a Starbucks gift card for our refer-a-friend award program! 

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The views and advice expressed in articles, videos, and other items shared in this newsletter are not necessarily the views and advice of Kid's Creek or its employees. Kid's Creek is not endorsing or implying agreement with the views or advice contained therein, rather presenting them for the independent analysis and information of its readers.