Like us adults, our little ones need massages as well – and not just for pampering! An infant massage is a process of rubbing an infant’s muscles and stroking the body in a manner specifically designed to keep babies relaxed and healthy.  Similar in the way a regular massage provides pain relief for our bodies, it does the same for our babies and much more. In fact, infant massages have been around since ancient times, primarily in Asian and Pacific Island cultures, and it has been long believed that this method is known to be healing in both physical and...

EI Spotlight Stephanie is one of our amazing EI’s that’s been with the company for almost a year and she’s truly committed in making sure that each child get the services they need and deserve. Stephanie always rises to the occasion and makes sure she completes any task given no matter how challenging it may be. She loves her job and the families she serves, and it shows. She also makes family training fun for both the child and parent and we love that great rapport!! Thank you Stephanie for being such an asset to our team!! EIS- DeShae Child...

Observing our children as they grow will always be exciting and fascinating. Seeing them move, grow, discover, and develop new skills will always be a milestone worth celebrating. As soon as they are born, there are fine motor skills that we have to keep in check to see if they are on the right track. Fine motor skills refer to the movements children make with the small muscles of the hands. It may also involve other movements in other small muscles. And the development of these fine motor skills is necessary and vital to our children’s wellbeing, and in mapping...

EI Spotlight About play has truly helped my family in many ways I could have never imagined. Before receiving help Kendrick, was very shallow and shy especially when it came to speak or even showing emotions for that matter. After joining with a wonderful family here at About Play, Kendrick shows interest in other children, he’s very fluent with speaking and the most amazing part of it all he’s not shy anymore and I owe it all to our wonderful EI, Jonte’. Thank you Jonte’ for being such an asset to our team!! Child Spotlight “Jordan meets his goals each...

During the early years of your child’s life, there are many signs that indicate growth and development such as taking the first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye-bye”. Each child is unique in developing at their own pace, so there’s no exact indication when a child will acquire a given skill.  However, other infants and toddlers meet these developmental milestones more slowly than anticipated. This is called a developmental delay. Developmental delay is typically no cause for an alarm but an ongoing interruption or multiple delays can be a sign of later challenges in their life. It...

Early intervention is a foundational tool for better living. Through it, toddlers can learn, refine and improve their developmental skills all round and hopefully mitigate the risks of disability. It is through the help of EI specialists that this is made possible. With a team of knowledgeable experts in place, treatment can occur constructively. Finding the right team, however, can be tasking especially if your child has a rare set of needs.  We understand how frustrating this can be for parents and have therefore devised a more reliable treatment plan. At About Play, we focus on evaluating the needs of...

EI Spotlight Our EI spotlight this week is Destany! Destiny loves building relationships with kids and their families. We’re so thankful you’re on our team, Destany!! Thank you Destany for being such an asset to our team!! Child Spotlight “Caitlyn is enthusiastic and excited about ANYTHING that I bring her/show her and she’s always 110% attentive & engaged during FT where mom is also great support. Caitlyn has an energetic personality, she loves to talk and have conversations with you and her speech has improved tremendously, along with her self-help skills. She’s very independent and always takes the initiative to...

It is important to keep track of how your baby develops right from the start. The small movements, actions, and speech progressions all determine whether or not your child is growing appropriately. Fair enough, other milestones may be hit slower but all the same, the important thing is to confirm a healthy trend. By the first half, your child typically should be apt in certain physical, mental, and communication skills. It shows in how they behave and act around people or even when alone. There should be cause for alarm when you notice predominant inactiveness all round. That said, here...

The term Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) may bring many things to mind, but what exactly is an IFSP? When a child is 0-3 years old and found eligible for early intervention services, a team of professionals and parents meet together to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan. The IFSP is both the process of making the plan and the actual document. This written plan describes what the child’s current situation is, what services will be provided to the child and their family, who will provide the services, and where the services will be provided. But how do you start...

Children are naturally expected to hit crucial developmental milestones as they develop. This includes significant progress in language and speech, cognitive ability, and motor skills. Unfortunately, not every child grows at the expected pace, and hence developmental interruptions could potentially become a stumbling block. Luckily, EI programs have become a refuge for families with unique needs. One of the most effective methodologies includes playful learning which in turn has born tangible results. Here is why this approach proves reliable. Enhances a plethora of skills- play is child-centered and for this reason, a lot of life skills are gained along the...

It is always a great joy to see your child opportunely develop and achieve various milestones. But sometimes, children find it difficult or take longer to appropriately comprehend basic human behaviors such as talking, moving around, socializing with others, growing in height or weight, and the like.  If you have noticed a lag in any of these, it’s normal to feel worried — but there’s no need to be. With adequate early intervention treatment, your child can catch up in no time! One of the best places to seek such services is at About Play – an organization that focuses...

Holistic development occurs in multiple stages. Naturally, children are expected to progress sequentially as they grow older. For some, this process occurs within the required time frame while for others certain hurdles emerge along the way.  According to Jean Piaget, developmental milestones are characterized by four key stages: the motor stage, cognitive development, language and speech, and finally the operational stage. Each of these is interdependent.  Before your little one can upgrade to motor responses, for example, there must be some degree of brain maturity.  When it comes to hearing and speech, the same principle applies. Without proper hearing, a...

EI Spotlight Rose Nelson has left a lasting impression with Beau and his family. He is so excited to see her that when he knows she is visiting he waits by the door and says “Rose? Rose? Where are you?” Their relationship and connection are what #AboutPlay is all about. They are so happy to have her! Congratulations, Rose!! Thank you Rose for being such an asset to our team!! Child Spotlight “In the past year Jokubashas grown so much from not speaking and acting shy to speaking in complete sentences in Lithuanian,(his family’s native tongue), and in English. Hehas...

What happens in a child’s life and who they interact with plays a crucial role in determining who they grow up to become. Make a positive impact on them by starting early; it is easier to instill vital life lessons and disciplines while they are still young compared to when they’re older. Not sure what you should be focusing on? Not to worry — we made a list of 5 focus areas to help you raise healthy, developed children. 1. Emotional Matters Do you validate your child’s emotions and opinions? If you watch crime documentaries, most criminals trace their sadistic...

Coming to terms with the reality that your child might require early intervention may be a bitter pill to swallow- so bitter that many parents tend to wait too long with the hope that somehow things will take a turn for the better. The truth is that not all developmental delays necessitate early intervention treatment. Some infants naturally hit their milestones slower than their counterparts. That is why an early intervention assessment is done, to determine who is eligible for therapy. Usually, this process is carried out by a team of therapists each specializing in different life skill areas that...

If you are reading this article, chances are, you are a parent/carer of a child or children who have developmental delays.  We understand how difficult it might be for you to support a child with developmental delays, especially if you lack the necessary resources, and if you are untrained to provide the right cognitive stimuli your child needs. After all, early intervention is the best way to improve the outcomes of your child when it comes to their mental, neurological, and behavioral faculties.  Most children only require basic learning modifications to address their particular needs, and with a nudge from...

EI Spotlight Chelsea has almost been with About Play for a year now and is doing a wonderful job! She gets services started in a timely manner and is a strong advocate for the kids and families she serves. Chelsea makes family training fun for both the child and parent! Chelsea has great rapport with all her families!  Congratulations, Chelsea!! Thank you Chelsea for being such an asset to our team!! Child Spotlight “In the past 6 months Amelia has gone from no expressive language to repeating new words, labeling colors, shapes and letters and spontaneously communicating her needs with us....

About Play firmly believes that every child is unique and each one moves through life at varying rates. If you have observed children or if you have children of your own, you know that their temperaments differ from each other. One might be shy and feel things at a deeper level, while others might be more outgoing and expressive of their thoughts and feelings.  Even though variation exists when it comes to achieving developmental milestones, the sequence is predictable. You, as a parent, know your child best and the following key features will guide you in determining whether your child’s...

We celebrate accomplishments as they happen and flood social media with picture posts, excited phone calls to family and friends describing every tiny detail of the event. And if it were our child’s developmental milestones – the first smile, the first word uttered, the first step – our delight multiplies a hundredfold. But what if those developmental milestones are just too slow in happening? Some of us would begin to quietly worry. Some would even hit the panic button. Some would silently draw comparisons to other kids. And what if they are delayed, or not quite what you expected them...

It can be overwhelming, even daunting to loving parents who are faced with the decision whether to avail of early intervention programs or not for their child. There must be a hundred questions, worries that flash inside any parent’s mind. Questions like: What should I expect? Will my child be okay? Will it be the best course of action? Will my child be better? These are some of the common questions and concerns that About Play hopes to answer… There have been many therapies that have evolved over the years that were created to better the lives of children with...

EI Spotlight Meet one of our EIs, Monica Arroyo! Monica serves families in Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties.  Monica has been with About Play for almost a year and a half and we are so lucky to have her on our team. She loves her job and the families she serves, and it shows. We appreciate her hard work and dedication!  Congratulations, Monica!! Child Spotlight “I’ve worked with James a little over a year and have greatly enjoyed seeing the progress he has made. He is independently using full sentences and is able to label many shapes, animals, and numbers. James’s...

From the very moment that babies come into this world, they begin to learn. Each new experience offers a child with some insight and helps develop their instinct, behavior, and attitude. From birth up until five years of age, it is critical to hone the child’s brain to set them up for success.  However, there are circumstances wherein extra help and resources are needed to help a child blossom in terms of social skills, cognitive abilities, and emotional intelligence. For children with developmental delays and disabilities, it can be quite challenging to acquire necessary life skills and achieve milestones.  Fortunately,...

The formative years in a child’s life is between zero to eight years of age. This is the period when vital cognitive, emotional, and social advancement occurs. Physiologically speaking, this stage stimulates the development of your child’s brain and nervous system. As a parent or a primary caregiver, it pays to be cognizant of your environment and how you deal with the child at this stage. Even simple things such as patterns of behavior and your responses to certain situations can have a lasting impact on a child’s cognitive, social, communication, and even physical development. The very first person to...

EI Spotlight Destany is an outgoing EI that enjoys working with and engaging her families by bringing fun activities to her sessions or providing them with resources to participate in activities in the community. Destany is excellent at building relationships and her families love to see her come to their home! Thank you for all of your hard work, Destany! Child Spotlight “Grant was born as a premie and he and his family joined the About Play Family when he was four months old. I’m grateful that his family chose me to work with them. Grant has made great progress...

EI Spotlight “I’d like to nominate Marjetta! She came into our life in a time when we were so lost and feeling helpless with our son’s diagnosis, unsure of how we, as his parents, could help. Not only did she guide us into better communication with our little man, but she helped him find his voice and never gave up…even on the days he wasn’t himself. He would always look forward to our Monday sessions with her and has come so far not only through play, but through guidance that I feel only someone with great patience and an amazing...