Author Archives: Nicola Schaan
Developmental Coordination Disorder
What is DCD? Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a motor skills disorder that affects five to six percent of all school-aged children. The ratio of boys to girls varies from 2:1 to 5:1, depending on the group studied. DCD occurs when a delay in the development of motor skills, or difficulty coordinating movements, results in …
Navigating Relationships
Friendships Understanding values, building relationships, and understanding sexuality Https://cdss.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Mind-and-Mody-Package.pdf Sexuality and dating
Sleep
Free webinars on sleep, intended for neurodivergent children:
Screen time for pre-teens and teens
Not all screen time is created equal! Some screen time is used for connection, creation, and learning new things. Other times it can be used as a distraction instead of processing emotions, become addictive, or be chosen over in person opportunities. Open communication and a willingness to learn are the best resources to help parents …
Personal Space
Learning about personal space is an important life skill for safety and comfort. For younger learners: *these books/programs are teaching kids neurotypical norms, so while they can be a useful tool please keep that in mind and balance it with neuroaffirming approaches For older learners you might lean into the ‘why’ behind personal space. You …
Cooking and Occupational Therapy
The life skill of cooking is a frequent goal of my sessions. Here is a bit about my occupational therapy approach to cooking that make it different from a traditional cooking class. Below is the Canadian Model of Occupational Participation: Egan M, Restall G. (2022). The Canadian Model of Occupational Participation. In M. Egan & …
Safety Planning
Regulation Curve CLBC Documentation DisDAT __ Safety planning strategies by OT Nicola Schaan for neurodivergent folks: Tools, resources, and regulation insights to help build safety, self-advocacy, and well-being.
Neurodiversity and Regulation – Summer planning (interoception/thermoregulation)
Summer and getting outside is awesome! A little planning can go a long way in setting up an outing for success. This Some neurodivergent people have a harder time knowing if they are too hot or too cold. This is because of differences in how their brains sense and understand body signals—this is called “interoception.” …
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General Resources
General Resources Autism specific learning Sexual health Clinical practice guidelines Free courses ADHD: https://healthymindslearning.ca/rollingwith-adhd/