I get asked this question a lot and in addition, a few others. What is a fidget, what is it used for, and what are the best ones?

First of all, lets talk about what a fidget is. A fidget is a 'toy' used to effectively help in self-regulation. They can be used in a classroom, at home during homework, during a lecture, etc. Fidgets and sensory balls can be used for calming and alerting, promoting focus and concentration, decrease stress, increase tactile awareness of fingers/hands through the proprioceptive/joint sensors input, and as a way to strengthen hands and warm up fingers before writing activities or fine motor ones. 

However, there are not just fidgets out there for hands. As you can see there are fidgets for feet and legs and for balance and concentration.

Now, you may be wondering what self-regulation is . . .

Self-regulation is the ability to self monitor and control our own behaviors, emotions, and thoughts while altering them as needed for the given situation we find ourselves in.

So, for a kid in a classroom that would be sitting quietly at their desk working on the assignment at hand. Some fidgets in this situation might be a therapy ball to sit on which keeps them alert, for others it might be a hand fidget to fiddle with while they are writing, or if its a sit and listening to the teacher for a period of time task, it might be a piece of theraband or a noodle on a piece of theraband to allow their legs to fiddle with. In other words, still keeping them quietly occupied for learning and listening hence, assisting is self-regulation and a more successful outcome.

Sure wish they had these when I was in school! =)
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Primitive reflexes have been a topic of significant interest among health professionals. Primitive reflexes are building blocks for balance, posture, and overall regulation of arousal and affect. Reflexes are an important part of typical development. They allow us to generate the necessary muscle tone to protect ourselves, to orient to our environment, and to come up against gravity. They are given to us as a preservation of our very selves.

Sometimes the integration of these primitive reflexes gets interrupted and they are then considered retained reflexes. Retention of primitive reflexes can be caused by a variety of factors. The birth process is a key factor in the integration of these reflexes. So in some cases, if there is a traumatic birth or c-section, it may lead to retained reflexes. Some additional causes may be falls, traumas, lack of tummy time, delayed or skipped creeping or crawling, chronic ear infections, or head trauma.

Below is a list of primitive reflexes and what can happen if they are retained.

If you believe your child is delayed from retained reflexes, talk to an Occupational Therapist who can help.