ASHA 2021 marked Therapro’s first return to large scale conferences since the start of the COVID pandemic. There were some major differences between ASHA 2021 and conferences of the past but the one thing that remained the same was all of the great professionals who came to visit the Therapro booth! One question always asked is “what are the favorite products this year?”. In case you were not able to attend ASHA 2021 in person,  we summed up the top conference favorites for you! 

• Big Feeling Pineapple.  This one sold out on day one! Conference goers compared Big Feeling Pineapple to “Mr. Potato Head” because the expressions were interchangeable similar to Mr. Potato head pieces.  Conference goers loved the smaller size and soft but firm feel.  They also loved that there were two sides allowing for endless uses like matching expressions, using it as a prop while reading stories, and as a jumping off point for discussing feelings.  
• Balloon Car Racers: Another sell out! A comment often heard about Balloon Car Racers was that they were a great tool for working on oral motor strength.  Another highlight was that there were two to a pack allowing for peer interaction. 
• Lion In My Way. This one is an oldie but still very much a goodie. Lion in my way is a conference staple and no matter how many we bring, we never have enough! Conference goers often remarked about the way Lion In My way approaches collaborative problem solving. It was also noted to be a great tool for tapping into imagination and flexible thinking.  
• NOVENOPS. Another conference staple and another one that never fails to disappoint!  A huge draw of NOVENOPS has always been its compact size especially for professionals who travel from building to building or even room to room.  Conference goers appreciated the many opportunities for ‘WH’ questions that NOVENOPS offers. 
• Choose your Chew Handy Guide: Our handy guide isn’t really a product but the many copies of our Choose Your Chew Handy Guide that we brought were gone before we knew it! Therapro is known for the many varieties of chews that we offer but selecting the right chew can be daunting. Conference goers appreciated the ease that our handy guide made in the selection process.  
• Feeling Heads: Not only were these a hit but they also got a good laugh from many conference goers! They remarked that not only were they soft but also the perfect size for little hands.  Conference goers had so many great ideas for ways to use these heads including as props while reading stories, as a tool for discussing emotions, and as a communication aid when words are not available.
• Smart Games:   The Snow White Game, Three Little Pigs Game, and Little Red Riding Hood Game all made their conference debut at ASHA 2021 and all were a big hit.  In the age of COVID, conference goers appreciated that the pieces were made of easy to clean plastic.  They also remarked that these games were a great way to target early executive function and language skills in a fun way.  
• Wind-Ups.  No conference would be complete without some fun windups! As many conference goers noted, wind-ups are a big motivator and a great way to target language areas like asking for help and asking for more.  
• Spark Cards. With so many options to choose from, Spark Cards were very popular.  Conference goers appreciated the wide variety from complex cards to simpler versions as well as options for larger cards that could be used on the floor.  Another big draw was that these cards are dry erase marker friendly, making it easy to emphasize key areas.  

It was great to meet  everyone at ASHA 2021, thank you all for sharing your great ideas. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again at ASHA 2022!

Bhanu Raghavan, MS, OTR/L & Ginger McDonald, OTR/L
Therapro Authors

Sometimes OTs only consider conferences aimed at OTs for their CEUs, but there are other (and sometimes cheaper) ways to get your CEUS, and learn something new and different at the same time. In November 2018 we were invited to participate in OCALICON, the annual conference in Columbus OH, sponsored by OCALI (Ohio Center for Autism & Low Incidence).  OCALI is a wonderful organization whose mission is to inspire change and promote access to opportunities for people with disabilities.  OCALICON is directed towards parents, physicians, educators, therapists, administrators and other professionals working with children and young adults with disabilities especially autism.  The conference is a dynamic and inspiring milieu that attracts attendees from all over the United States and even the world. 

We had the pleasure of meeting this year’s keynote speaker- Christopher Gillberg, MD, PhD of the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre at the Sahlgrenska Academy.  Dr. Gillburg holds professorships at universities and hospitals in Sweden, Japan, the United Kingdom and Paris.  His keynote speech was highly compelling.   

Dr. Gillberg’s address was titled AUTISM AND ESSENCE, NEURODIVERSITY AND AUTISM: THE ESSENCE OF ESSENCE.  ESSENCE is an acronym coined by Dr. Gillberg that stands for Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examination.  The ESSENCE diagnoses include the ADHDs, Language Impairment Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Autism/ASD, Tic Disorders/OCD, Selective Mutism and Reactive Attachment Disorder. Dr. Gillberg maintains that autism always coexists with one or more of the ESSENSE conditions.  His major point is that pediatric practitioners should screen for these comorbidities early on or they may be missed.  Dr. Gillberg asserted that correct diagnosis followed with early intervention leads to success.  Lack of intervention results in negative outcomes including academic failure, social exclusion, substance use, psychiatric disorders, empathy problems, antisocial lifestyle and criminality later in life.

We were pleased to have 150+ people attend our presentation on Self-Care with Flair! Our audience consisted of educators, parents, social workers and OT/PT/SLP.  The session was well received. We especially appreciated the parents who shared their children’s self-care challenges & successes with the group.

One of our favorite sessions was called Strategy Smackdown.  This was a total audience participation session, where attendees shared their favorite resources/strategies/evidence. A summary was shared with all participants. OCALICON was a marvelously inclusive, collaborative experience that school-based practitioners could consider for CEUs from a different than the usual perspective.

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Bhanu Raghavan, MS, OTR/L

A graduate of Indiana University and The Ohio State University, Bhanu has over 25 years of experience in pediatrics. She is certified in pediatric NDT and the READY Approach (Bonnie Hanschu) for Sensory Integration Disorders. Frequently, she presents workshops on topics related to self-care independence, sensory processing disorders and fine motor/handwriting skill development to therapists, teachers and parents/caregivers. She works at Centerville City schools, OH. She is a firm believer of the following Confucian principle: “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.”

Ginger McDonald, OTR/L

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Ginger has practiced Occupational Therapy for over 30 years. She is certified in SCSIT. With an eclectic background of working in hospitals, schools and geriatric settings, Ginger believes in promoting self-care independence at all levels. While working with Bhanu in the Centerville City Schools, they conceived the idea for Self-Care with Flair!