Help Your Kids Shine with Amy Wheadon

How are your kids dealing with the forced isolation and loss of routine from COVID? What can you do to help them not just cope but thrive? What signs will tell you that your child is struggling? On this week's Get Your FILL - Financial Independence & Long Life podcast, Dr. Amy Wheadon answers these questions and more.   

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About Dr. Amy Wheadon, OTD, OTR/L, CPT, Y.E.S.  

Occupational Therapist, Certified Personal Trainer , Youth Exercise Specialist  

KidSHINE Owner & Founder  

Amy's website

Amy's books

FB Pages: Kidshine, King's Day Out

Instagram Handle: @kidshine.ot and @kingsdayout

Amy is a pediatric occupational therapist who has worked with preschool and elementary aged children for over 20 years.  Amy just completed her Post Professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from NEIT in Rhode Island in March 2020.  Amy is a board certified occupational therapist who is licensed in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and she is an AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association) member. Amy has worked as a licensed and registered OT in public schools, private schools, client’s homes, and private outpatient clinics.  Over the years, Amy has performed consultations to private schools and parents/ parent groups, has organized and run parent and teacher workshops and has participated in a grant to train kindergarten teachers to re-infuse core strength and developmental foundational skills back into kindergarten curriculums.   Amy has also administered tele-health occupational therapy services to clients overseas. Recently, Amy conducted and completed doctoral level research on measuring the efficacy of the KidSHINE Bootcamp Program that she designed.  Significant results of Amy's research indicated that intense physical exercise, when implemented as part of a specific structured program can improve self regulation in children with sensory processing challenges.  

Amy’s extensive clinical experience includes working with children with developmental disorders, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Executive Functioning Disorder, as well as generalized core weakness, upper body and hand weakness, difficulty with balance, poor motor planning, decreased spatial awareness, difficulty with fine motor dexterity, decreased visual motor integration skills, poor perceptual skills, poor organizational skills and difficulty with social skills, peer interaction and structured play skills.  Amy has been trained in and has experience using specific intervention techniques such as brushing protocols, the ALERT Program, the Astronaut Program and Handwriting Without Tears.  Amy also has experience using ILS ( Integrated Listening Systems) and The Listening Program. Amy founded and developed the KidSHINE Boot Camp Program in 2015.  In the past 5 years, Amy has developed a protocol and manual and trained staff therapists on program implementation for different age groups and ability levels in multiple clinics.  Amy is also certified as a personal trainer and youth exercise specialist.  In her spare time, Amy is a distance runner (who has run 5 marathons and multiple shorter distance races) and a strength and conditioning enthusiast.  She has a passion for exercise and understands the importance of fitness, health and staying active as part of daily life.  Amy is also a mother of 3 children, including two "tweens" and one teenager.