Tag Archives: therapist resources

Explore curated resources for therapists, including intervention tools, educational materials, assessment supports, and treatment strategies. Designed for therapists and educators, these resources help professionals plan effective sessions, support diverse client needs, and stay current with best practices in therapeutic and educational settings.

Advanced Treatment Strategies for Youth with Complex Behavior

Events & Conferences, Sensory, Social Emotional Learning, Therapist Resources, , , , ,
Speaker John Pagano, PhD, OTR/L who present Advanced Treatment Strategies for Youth with Complex Behavioral Challenges

On November 16, John Pagano, PhD, OTR/L presented his Therapro Saturday Seminar, Advanced Treatment Strategies for Youth with Complex Behavioral Challenges, to a captivated audience. The energy in the room was palpable throughout the two hour talk. Dr. Pagano ‘s passion was evident as he discussed assessing and treating children and adolescents who have complex behavioral disorders. He shared clinical examples and anecdotes to highlight his talk, peppered with humor. Leading the audience through many experiential activities provided them with examples of practical tools to use with individuals and groups.

John is an occupational therapist who practices at an adolescent psychiatric hospital and school. He is a certified instructor of Positive Behavioral Support and Movement Based Learning Strategies. His years of experience include working in various settings including adolescent juvenile detention, psychiatric hospital, adolescent group home, and in special needs, regular education and preschool classrooms. He is the author of the recently published book, FAB: Functionally Alert Behavior Strategies: Integrated Behavioral, Developmental, Sensory, Mindfulness & Massage Treatment.

John discussed the importance of setting functional behavioral goals when providing OT, PT, and Speech/Language therapies for students with complex behavioral disorders. He frequently reiterated the value of a team approach, including ABA specialists, to working with this population.

FAB Strategies® are Dr. Pagano’s evidence-based, practical strategies that use “clinical reasoning based on current clinical research and neurology to develop the individualized strategies needed to address complex behavioral challenges.” John reviewed Sensory Processing Disorders, how they interact, and how to treat them using sensory based interventions. In his discussion of Sensory Modulation Disorders, John stated that his research and experience have shown that the olfactory sense is a powerful teaching tool for those with ASD and for those who have experienced trauma. He has found that pairing a scent is very effective for achieving the desired Quiet Alert state of arousal. He advocated using materials like Scented Dough and scented markers as treatment materials.

John disclosed that research supports that mindfulness strategies are an effective and powerful treatment methodology for improving special needs students’ behavior and executive functioning. John led the group in breathing and movement activities that he uses with his students that also increase body awareness. John taught the group a number of quick, easy, and practical strategies to circumvent problem behaviors. For example, his FAB Turtle Strategy involves 4 steps: 1) Notice environmental & body triggers – STOP 2) Go to the sensory coping area 3) Do your individual coping strategy 4) Later problem solve with help. Fidgets like Loopeez, Boinks, Panic Pete, and Theraband were mentioned as some of John’s favorites for calming.

Dr. Pagano is a dynamic presenter who generously shared resources and evidence-based, practical treatment strategies for working with children and adolescents who have complex behavioral challenges. He integrates all that he has learned in his years of experience with current research so adeptly!! Attendees left this seminar with ideas they could put to use immediately in their practice.

Take a look at some of the overwhelmingly positive comments from those who attended John’s seminar:

“I left full of simple/functional strategies to try with my students, all ages. John is simply AMAZING!!!” – Christie H, Speech/Language Pathologist

“John is an excellent speaker who was very helpful, evidence based, and offered suggestions for treatment.” – Renee S., Physical Therapist

“Offered many resources & activities that can be used immediately in my practice & therapy.” – Rose O, Occupational Therapist

“John’s sense of humor made this important topic fun. Many teachers & therapists are struggling in the classroom. These are strategies that can be implemented Monday. In addition, his strategies come from evidence based research of strategies/techniques that help our students make progress.” – Jennifer H, Occupational Therapist

Thank you, John!

Filomena Connor, OT, MS, OTR
November 16, 2019

Clinical Tools for Treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Recap

Speech & Language, ,
Lisa Mitchell, M.S., CCC-SLP is an expert in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) and recently shared clinical tools for treating CAS

October’s Saturday Seminar speaker, Lisa Mitchell, M.S., CCC-SLP is an expert in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). She is a pediatric speech language pathologist, Clinical Director and co-owner of Clearly Speaking, a private practice in Hampton Falls, Dover and Londonderry, NH. Lisa has been recognized for extensive training and expertise in CAS by Apraxia-Kids.

On October 26th, Lisa shared her passion with attendees who are speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, OT students, and teachers, with her presentation entitled Armed and Ready for Monday Morning! 26+ Valuable Clinical Tools for Treating CAS (Childhood Apraxia of Speech) from A-Z. She organized her talk in a unique way that highlighted “Tips and Strategies for Treating CAS” in an A through Z format. She discussed some of her favorite publications including those by Pam Marshalla, such as Successful R Therapy, and Apraxia Uncovered.

Lisa explained that CAS is typically part of a broader diagnosis and is a challenging diagnosis to treat. She discussed the importance of collaboration with others on the team, i.e. OTs, who are working with the student on motor issues. Difficulty with motor planning can lead to errors in speech production. With a motor speech disorder, the student has difficulty achieving smooth movement from one sound to another. So, as the complexity and length of words increase, the student has more difficulty. As we can imagine, the child’s level of frustration increases when they are trying to talk.
Wind-Up Toys for reinforcers. Lisa touched on a controversial area for speech/language pathologists’ treatment – oral motor exercises. She discussed how using exercises not attached to speech for children with CAS, such as blowing whistles, bubbles, etc. will not help a child talk. However, using a whistle to help position the lips for speech is useful if the whistle is removed and the student is then given a syllable to produce using lip rounding.

Lisa is a gifted presenter and her passion for her CAS work is evident! She offered a hefty toolbox of ideas and strategies for treating CAS. With such a varied audience today, her tip that was very powerful and resonated with us all was that team collaboration, including parents, strongly benefits a child with Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Here are some of the appreciative comments from those who attended Lisa’s seminar:

“Very insightful and great ideas for therapy. Enjoyed the insights on co-treating.” – Beth M., COTA/L

“I would recommend this seminar to a colleague. I would like to learn more
about collaboration of OT/PT/SLP – how to work together.” – Maria L., Speech/Language Pathologist

“Easily explained and well thought out.” – Tai M., Occupational Therapy Grad student

“Learned a lot and was easy to understand.” – Anonymous, Occupational Therapy Grad student

Thank you, Lisa!

Filomena Connor, OT, MS, OTR
October 26, 2019

6 FAB Strategies to Improve Pediatric Therapy Behavior

Sensory, , ,

By John Pagano, Ph.D., OTR/L

  1. Increase structure – Especially with students (e.g. sensory seekers) who trash your therapy room getting increasingly dysregulated, increase the structure. One way is by starting the session with all the toys locked up, and listing or assembling pictures of all the activities the client will do in order, before starting the session. Praise the client and check off each activity after they complete it and clean up, then unlock and begin the next activity. Another option for motivating clients when developing the activity list is to alternately have them choose the first activity and the therapist chooses the next one. Groups can also be structured with pictures listing the activities in order, or by having group members draw and review a praxis comic depicting the group activities in sequential order.
  2. Preferred Activities & Choices – Clients will work better if given choices between 2 or more activities, and presented with tasks they like to do. To assure that therapeutic goals are addressed you can present 2 choices addressing the same therapeutic goals (e.g. for deep pressure to reduce arousal offer wheelbarrow walking or wall pushups).
  3. Alternate seated with preferred gross motor tasks – For evaluation and treatment sessions it is often helpful to alternate seated fine motor writing tasks with preferred gross motor activities.
  4. Intersperse Easy – Instead of giving 10 challenging tasks, help improve the client’s motivation and effort in trying challenging new tasks by presenting 5 new tasks (covering all the concepts in the original 10 tasks you were going to teach), and alternating so every other task is something the client likes to do and has mastered, then reinforce him for doing it correctly.
  5. Reduce distractions – Especially in groups or the classroom, minimize problematic sensory distractions to improve attention. Study carols help minimize visual distractions, while noise canceling headphones are useful for auditory distractions. It often helps to give the teacher noise canceling headphones to help a student who has difficulty behaving appropriately due to the loud sound of fire drills.
  6. Increase sensory stimulation of challenging therapy tasks – Particularly for students who are under-responsive it can be helpful to add sensory input that accentuates therapy and academic tasks. This can be done by highlighting important print, plus signs, emphasizing the guide lines of the paper, or simultaneously having the student listen to and read a story.
  7. Getting clinic clients to leave – Many skilled clinic therapists who use sensory integration strategies have a problem getting clients to leave when their session ends. While it’s a compliment showing the client enjoys and can learn better during therapy, it’s a problem because the therapist has another client waiting and aggressive behavior in the clinic is bad for business. Think about this ahead, and if it is a problem structure the last task in a special room with only the door leading outside unlocked. Use this as a last activity room with their parent present (a good place to review home programs), give five and two minute warnings, do deep pressure calming sensory activities, then escort them out and give them a prize if they leave appropriately.
John Pagano PhD OTR/L, presenter for Therapro's webinar 6 FAB Strategies to Improve Pediatric Therapy Behavior

John Pagano, Ph.D., OTR/L is an occupational therapist who developed FAB Strategies® to help students with complex behavioral challenges. He just completed his first book called FAB Functionally Alert Behavior Strategies.  Dr. Pagano has been presenting FAB Strategies® workshops internationally for over twenty years, and is known for his humorous interactive presentations.  

He will be offering a free Therapro webinar on Tuesday, 10/29/19:  Integrating Behavioral, Sensory, & Mindfulness Interventions in your Pediatric Therapy and a seminar at Therapro on Saturday, 11/16/19: Advanced Treatment Strategies for Youth with Complex Behavioral Challenges. For more information about these events, please refer to the Therapro website at www.therapro.com and click on the News & Events tab.