Sensory Squad O.T.

Focusing on the achievement of health, well-being, and participation in life through engagement in play, social skills, and activities of daily living.

Phone: 208-691-2096
Email: sensorysquadotcda@gmail.com
Address: 2775 N Howards Street Suite C, CDA 83814

Who We Are
What We Do

Samantha Whiting

Pediatric OT

Samantha completed her education at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy in 1993. She is a board-certified Occupational Therapist.Her postgraduate work includes pediatric outpatient therapy, adult outpatient therapy, and adult long-term care therapy. She spent several years specializing in post-traumatic hand therapy. Throughout her career, Samantha has developed an interest in orthopedics and rehabilitation during all stages of life. She has experience treating patients of all levels, from intercollegiate athletes to those with a more sedentary lifestyle and early development. However, Samantha’s passion for working with children has led her in the direction of a pediatric specialty. While Samantha enjoys interacting with the pediatric population, she has an innate ability to connect with adult patients and treat a wide variety of physical ailments.Samantha currently assists with operations at Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Institute, an outpatient adult rehab clinic she owns, along with her husband, Tony. Samantha is an active volunteer on the board of The Crossing, an annual community event. Samantha is the proud mother of 3 children and enjoys Pilates, yoga, dance, baking, biking, running, and spending time with her family and friends.

Philosophy of Treatment

Samantha is focused on providing a highly individualized, multi-faceted, and holistic treatment approach to ensure that each child's needs are met in a playful and inviting therapeutic environment.

Education

Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, June 1993

What We Do

What Is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy is a field that addresses the many aspects of a
person’s everyday life. This may range from the activities they
perform day-to-day (occupations) to the environment in which the
person spends the majority of their time. Pediatric occupational therapy
helps children gain independence while also strengthening the
development of fine motor skills, sensory-motor skills, and visual motor skills that children need to function and socialize. helping children develop the skills they need to grow into functional, independent adults. Physical impairment, injuries, and a host of other issues can hamper a child's ability to perform common tasks or progress normally through the stages of social or cognitive development.

How we do it

We work with the kids by incorporating play into their interventions. This Tactic not only helps motivate children but also helps to reduce potential anxiety they may experience through the process. This can involve games, puzzles, toys, songs, and physical exercises. Through working with pediatric occupational therapists, children are not only enabled to develop critical skills, but they often also build upon their levels of confidence and self-esteem.

Why We Do It

Occupational Therapy is trained to address sensory-processing issues and help equip parents to successfully manage their child's behavioral struggles. While parents may already be aware of sensory triggers, occupational therapists can help clarify the role of sensory processing and provide caretakers with practical advice on how to address it. Trained in primitive reflexes and ILS.

Learn More

Holistic OT

Holistic Occupational Therapy combines OT with complementary and integrative health techniques to begin to help the client on a deeper
level. This involves complementary and alternative medicine practices.These practices will utilize a variety of holistic approaches including
therapeutic yoga, meditation techniques, orthopedic techniques,
restorative treatments, as well as traditional techniques to work with
the person to improve their connections to the mind, body, and spirit. This will then give them empowerment, confidence, and self-awareness.

Benefits and uses of certain Treatments in OT

Benefits of kids yoga:
Improve physical strength, physical, balance, emotional flexibility, increased patience, self-control, self-regulation, positive increases in mood, increased motivation, calm and focus, self-awareness, empathy, resilience, begin realizing that there is alignment in their minds/bodies/emotions, to begin recognizing the ways and times they experience calm and joy, to tap into the ways mind/body/emotion can be impacted by their breath and movement, and to foster resilience and strength. When we teach these things to kids, we see some incredible things begin to emerge--confidence soars, communication is improved, physical strength and emotional flexibility increased, empathy grows, and community flourishes with emphasis on mindful learning, inclusion, and social-emotional development

Benefit of kids mindfulness:
Increased self-control, improved mood, more patience, adaptability, motivation, problem-solving, improved school performance, self- control and self-regulation, ability to develop identity, empathy, confidence, increased call and focus, resilience. We teach "everyday mindfulness" in order for kids to practice incorporating mindfulness into their daily habits and routines. In doing so, kids learn to use mindfulness techniques at home, at school, in relationships, in their communities, and even in play.

The Postural Restoration Institute® (PRI) was established to explore and explain the science of postural adaptations, asymmetrical patterns, and the influence of polyarticular chains of muscles. Our mission is based on the development of an innovative treatment that addresses the primary contributions of postural kinematic movement dysfunction. Restoring Symmetrical Respiration and Movement to Optimize Functional Development and Meaningful Play

Integrated Listening system ILs provides programs that improve cognitive, language, and social abilities. As our brain/body connection becomes more organized, we better process the world around us and become more confident, happy, and engaged. The iLs methodology integrates music, movement, and language exercises for the purpose of improving brain function. iLs programs are designed to be fun and may be used on their own or in conjunction with other methods.We train for brain/body integration through a staged approach, starting with the fundamentals of sensory integration and then extending through more complex cognitive functions, including language, self-expression, and social skills.