As April and Autism Awareness Month have come to a close, we’re highlighting the incredible work of MetroEHS Pediatric Therapy in Metro Detroit. With multiple locations and more on the way, MetroEHS is dedicated to helping families with children on the autism spectrum and those needing specialized therapy. Today, we’re focusing on a universal challenge for parents: potty training.
Joining us are Deanna Coker, a board-certified behavioral therapist analyst, and Kelly Johns, the director of physical therapy at MetroEHS. They share valuable insights on potty training, addressing common issues and providing practical solutions.
Recognizing Readiness for Potty Training
Kelly Johns emphasizes that recognizing when your child is ready for potty training is crucial. Key signs include:
- Extended Bladder Control: Holding their bladder overnight or for several consecutive hours.
- Interest in the Potty: Playing with their diaper, showing curiosity about the toilet, or performing a "potty dance."
- Communication: Telling you they need to go or showing signs they’re aware of their bodily functions.
Addressing Potty Training Challenges
Sometimes, despite a parent’s best efforts, potty training can hit a snag. Deanna Coker points out that issues such as regression, frequent nighttime accidents, or persistent constipation might indicate underlying problems like pelvic floor complications.
Assisting with Physiological Challenges
To support children struggling with potty training, Kelly recommends several strategies:
- Blowing Bubbles: This helps relax the pelvic floor. Encourage your child to blow bubbles while sitting on the toilet or during playtime.
- Using a Squatty Potty: This stool ensures a proper 90-degree angle, aiding in effective bowel movements.
- Belly Breathing: Teach your child to focus on their belly rising and falling, which can help with relaxation and control.
Effective Potty Training Methods
Deanna shares essential potty training tips:
Ditch the Diapers: Transition your child to underwear to help them feel the wetness of accidents.
Stay Hydrated: Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids to ensure they need to use the bathroom regularly.
Set a Schedule: Take your child to the potty every 20 minutes initially, allowing them to sit for a few minutes each time.
Positive Reinforcement: Use rewards like a sticker chart to celebrate successes. This visual progress tracker can be highly motivating for children.
Deanna shares a personal anecdote about using a princess-themed sticker chart for her daughter, highlighting how such simple tools can make the process enjoyable and rewarding for children.
MetroEHS Pediatric Therapy provides comprehensive support for various therapy needs, including ABA, speech, occupational, feeding, and physical therapies. With their expanding network of locations, they are readily accessible to families across Metro Detroit.
For more information or to find the nearest MetroEHS location, visit http://metroehs.com
**Thank you, Deanna and Kelly, for sharing your expertise and practical advice.** Potty training can be a daunting task, but with these tips, parents can navigate this essential milestone more effectively.
We love working in Southeastern Michigan as we get to work with hard-working families and amazing businesses like Emagine who intentionally create special experiences for members of the community that can get overlooked.
Join Emagine For A Sensory Friendly Movie!
Sensory Friendly Screenings provide modifications to the theatre atmosphere without modifying the film for those who experience sensory issues.
Sensory Friendly Film Screenings
Select Emagine locations will host a unique, sensory friendly screening twice a month, with specific modifications made to ensure an enjoyable experience for individuals with sensory needs and their supporters. Their sensory friendly programing makes going to the movies a more enjoyable experience for families, children, and teens with sensory needs. All sensory friendly films will be shown in 2D. *Note there are no modifications made to the film.
What does Sensory Friendly mean?
First, it means sensory friendly experience (lights up a bit, sound down a bit). Second, if your child needs to get up, move, dance, sing…No problem. Third, guests are welcome to bring a safe snack for any food allergies or food avoidance/restrictions.
First Showing of the Day. On-Sale dates vary. Check the website or Emagine app for theatres and showtimes.
The Little Mermaid Saturday, June 3, 2023
Elemental Saturday, June 17, 2023
Where
Tickets are available at the box office, online at Emagine-Entertainment.com or through the Emagine App. To purchase tickets and for a full list of showtimes visit Emagine-Entertainment.com On-Sale dates vary. All films, locations, dates, and times are subject to change.
Film Synopsis
The Little Mermaid (Rated PG) The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
Elemental (Rated Pg) Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together.
In addition to Sensory Friendly Movies
Join Emagine Entertainment For A Variety Of Specialty Screenings
Providing Open Caption, Sensory Friendly, Dementia Friendly, Breakfast & a Movie, and Lunch & a Movie Screenings
Join Emagine Entertainment this June as they host a variety of specialty screenings for their guests. Each month guests can watch some of the newest film releases with an enhanced experience. Open Caption screenings provide subtitles for those with hearing impairments. Sensory Friendly Screenings provide modifications to the theatre atmosphere without modifying the film for those who experience sensory issues. Dementia Friendly screenings provide exclusively selected classic movies and musicals and encourage audience participation while providing guests with special door-to-door service. The Breakfast and a Movie and Lunch and a Movie allow guests to enjoy a full meal and concessions while they enjoy their film.
Open Caption Film Screenings
Select Emagine locations will host Open Caption showings of some of the newest film releases on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons all month long. Guests who experience hearing impairments will be able to enjoy the movie-going experience with audio subtitles displayed on the big screen for all to see. All open caption movies are shown in 2D. *Note: there are no modifications made to the film.
Locations: (Michigan) Novi, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Hartland, Woodhaven, Quality 10 Powered by Emagine, (Minnesota) Eagan, Lakeville, Monticello, Rogers, White Bear, Willow Creek, (Wisconsin) Geneva Lakes, (Illinois) Frankfort, (Indiana) Noblesville, Portage
Films: On-Sale dates vary. Check the website or Emagine app for theatres and showtimes.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Sunday, June 4, 2023 Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts Sunday, June 11, 2023 Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Elemental Sunday, June 18, 2023 Wednesday, June 21, 2023
The Flash Sunday, June 25, 2023 Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Dementia Friendly Screening
Dementia Friendly Screenings include exclusively selected classic movies and musicals presented in a unique setting with softer sound and ambient lighting. Guests are able to interact during the presentation and encouraged to talk back, clap, tap their feet, sway, sing along and get up and dance. Emagine works with Dementia Friendly Saline to provide guests with a special door-to-door experience guided by a team of dementia friendly “Purple Angels.” These staff and volunteers act as guides for the guests beginning the moment they arrive until the moment they leave. More information can be found on Emagine’s website. Tickets can be purchaseddirectly through Dementia Friendly Saline.
Location: Emagine Saline
Films: Showings are the second Wednesday of each month.
Meet Me In St. Louis Wednesday, June 14, 2023 Pre-Show Mingling: 1:15-2:00PM Film Begins: 2:00PM
Breakfast And A Movie Screening
Each month, Emagine hosts a Breakfast and a Movie showing, at select theatres, of one of the newest family-film releases. Tickets are $24 each and include a full breakfast buffet, a 44oz. popcorn, and a 21oz fountain drink as well as a ticket to the showing.
Location: Emagine Royal Oak, Emagine Palladium, Emagine Canton
Film: On-Sale dates vary. Check the website or Emagine app for more information.
The Little Mermaid* Sunday, May 28, 2023
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Sunday, June 4, 2023
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Sunday, June 4, 2023
Senior Lunch And A Movie Screening
Each month, Emagine Royal Oak hosts a special Senior Citizen Lunch and a Movie. Tickets are $24 each and include a full lunch buffet, a 44oz. popcorn and a 21oz. fountain drink as well as a ticket to the showing. This offer is valid for guests aged 55 and up.
Location: Emagine Royal Oak
Film: On-Sale dates vary. Check the website or Emagine app for more information.
About My Father Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Where: Tickets are available at the box office, online at Emagine-Entertainment.com or through the Emagine App.
Film Synopsis
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Rated P) Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.
Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts (Rated P-13) Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new breed of Transformer – the Maximals – to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons. Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and starring Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, the film arrives in theatres June 9, 2023.
The Flash (Rated P-13) Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
He Little Mermaid (Rated PG) The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
Elemental (Rated PG) Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together.
About My Father (Rated PG-13) The hottest comic in America, Sebastian Maniscalco joins forces with legendary Italian-American and two-time Oscar® winner, Robert De Niro (Best Actor, Raging Bull, 1980), in the new comedy ABOUT MY FATHER. The film centers around Sebastian (Maniscalco) who is encouraged by his fiancée (Leslie Bibb) to bring his immigrant, hairdresser father, Salvo (De Niro), to a weekend get-together with her super-rich and exceedingly eccentric family (Kim Cattrall, Anders Holm, Brett Dier, David Rasche). The weekend develops into what can only be described as a culture clash, leaving Sebastian and Salvo to discover that the great thing about family is everything about family.
Meet Me In St. Louis St. Louis 1903. The well-off Smith family has four beautiful daughters, including Esther and little Tootie. 17-year-old Esther has fallen in love with the boy next door who has just moved in, John. He however barely notices her at first. The family is shocked when Mr. Smith reveals that he has been transferred to a nice position in New York, which means that the family has to leave St. Louis and the St. Louis Fair.
Are you concerned about your child’s toe walking habits? Toe walking, a common concern for parents, can sometimes be associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Understanding the connection between toe walking and autism is crucial for early intervention and support.
What is Toe Walking?
Toe walking refers to a walking pattern where a person walks on their toes or the balls of their feet without their heels touching the ground. While occasional toe walking in toddlers is common, persistent toe walking beyond the age of two may indicate an underlying issue.
The Connection with Autism
Toe walking is often observed in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While not all toe walkers have autism, studies suggest that many children with ASD exhibit toe walking behavior. Children with Autism often have higher sensory seeking behaviors, and being up on their toes gives them deep sensory input through their feet and in their contracted calf muscles. This connection can lead to more targeted interventions and support from therapists and parents.
How Can a MetroEHS Physical Therapist Help?
Physical therapy plays a crucial role in addressing toe walking in children, especially those with autism. A skilled physical therapist can:
Assess the Underlying Causes: A physical therapist will conduct a comprehensive evaluation to identify any underlying factors contributing to toe walking, such as muscle tightness, sensory issues, muscle weakness, or lack of range of motion.
Develop Individualized Treatment Plans: Based on the assessment, the physical therapist will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your child’s needs. This plan may include stretching exercises, strengthening activities, balance training, or different sensory inputs.
Educate and Empower Families: MetroEHS Physical Therapists work closely with families to educate them about toe walking and provide strategies for home exercises and activities to support their child’s progress.
Toe-walking can impact your child long-term if left untreated:
Toe walking will impact your child’s overall body positioning, posture, and muscles. With toe walking, because of these impacts, it will also change the load of the body’s joints and likely cause chronic pain as the individual ages. It is common for toe walkers to lose range of motion in their ankles, preventing them from being able to reach their heels to the ground and causing their Achilles tendon to shorten. In more severe cases, if the Achilles tendon shortens too much, the only way to regain that length is with a surgical lengthening.
Take the First Step Towards Support
If you’re concerned about your child’s toe walking or suspect they may have autism, early intervention is key. Schedule an evaluation with a qualified physical therapist who specializes in pediatric care. Together, we can help your child take confident steps towards improved mobility and independence.
Did you know your child’s brain has a superpower? That’s right — it’s called neuroplasticity, and it’s basically the brain’s way of saying, “Hey, I can grow, change, and level up — just give me a reason!”
In the world of pediatric therapy, neuroplasticity is our superhero ally. It means that with the right kind of training and enough repetition, a child’s brain can form new pathways, build stronger connections, and unlock abilities they never thought possible. And guess what fuels this superpower?
Intensive Intervention!
Due to a child’s neuroplasticity, MetroEHS ensnares this rapid growth acceleration by declaring Intensive Intervention as the most effective strategy in revealing the SUPER in every child. We’re talking 5 sessions a week, not because we’re trying to break a record — but because that’s how we build real, lasting change.
Think of it like superhero training camp. If your goal is to fly, shoot webs, or develop super speed, do you practice once a week and hope for the best? Nope! You train every day, building your skills and flexing those brain muscles!
Here’s why 5x a week is a power move:
More reps = stronger brain connections
Faster progress = more confidence
Consistent practice = real-world impactSo, when a child engages in therapy intensively and regularly, they’re not just “working hard” — they’re giving their brain the super fuel it needs to thrive. Whether it’s building communication skills, mastering motor movements, or learning how to regulate emotions, frequent sessions give the brain the boost it needs to rewire and rise to its fullest potential.“With great [brain] power comes great responsibility!” And we believe in giving kids every opportunity to grow into their best, brightest, most confident superhero selves. Ready to suit up and supercharge those neural pathways? Let’s go!
