Help! I Have Kids!

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Are you dreading the first day back to school because of the hard transition between summer and school schedules? 

Believe me, I understand! As a mom of 5 and pediatric OT I have had many years to perfect the process of getting out of the door on the first day of school. Each year brings new challenges as my kids change and we just learn to adapt! 

You know your child best, I'm just hear to give you my personal experience and clinical expertise to help you make the best decisions for your household! 

In this episode, we talk about routines, visual schedules, skills your child can master before the start of school, appropriate shoes and backpacks, and tips to make the first day of school easier for everyone in the house! 

Check out our other episodes to prepare you for back to school!

- Backpacks, Routines & School Prep Tips from an OT Mom: https://youtu.be/IKRpDXSF0PY
- Mentally Preparing for Back-to-School With an Anxious Child: https://youtu.be/91YCg8ZMyrg
- Navigating 504 Plans, IEPs, and classroom accommodations: https://youtu.be/OWSLr1kBsN8

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Have you hit an invisible wall with your child’s therapy? If you are a mom navigating the beautiful, exhausting, and sometimes overwhelming world of raising a child with ADHD, autism, a traumatic brain injury (TBI), or stroke recovery, you know what it feels like to plateau. You’ve done the speech therapy, the occupational therapy, the physical therapy—yet you’re left asking, "What now?"

In this deeply personal, solo episode, Pam Marshall speaks directly from her heart to yours. Sharing the hard-won truths she wishes someone had told her years ago, Pam delivers a message of profound hope and a massive breakthrough that quite literally fell into her lap.

Pam is introducing Neuroanimation—a revolutionary, science-backed therapy born out of groundbreaking research by neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins University. By using immersive, high-dose stimulation to spark the brain's natural ability to rewire itself (neuroplasticity), Neuroanimation is helping children and adults break through growth plateaus when traditional methods have stalled.

Even better? Pam is bringing this world-class technology right here to Lexington, Kentucky. If you are ready to stop feeling stuck and want to explore a new path forward for your child, this episode is your invitation. Tune in to hear the science, feel the hope, and find out how you can book a free tour of the new Lexington facility to see the technology in action and get all your questions answered.

Your child's next chapter of growth starts here.

Check out the research and schedule a consult! 

https://www.neuroanimation.com/landing-page-ads-pediatrics-v2/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23970382074&gbraid=0AAAABDlzrDEUtLtr3oOZ550ei4NuDueju&gclid=Cj0KCQjw39zSBhDhARIsANammDs6dGxcqruU_XB-xIZaYmKCSU_D5Jp5Ysfk17iH3kvUkMyCerq3qecaAhrpEALw_wcB

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Play therapy gets thrown around a lot — but most moms have no idea what it actually looks like, or whether it's even an option for their neurodivergent child. In this episode, Pam sits down with Allison, a marriage and family therapist working toward her Registered Play Therapist credential, who's also certified in AutPlay Therapy — a neurodiversity-affirming approach designed specifically for autistic and neurodivergent kids.

Allison breaks down what a real play therapy session looks like, how it's different from talk therapy, how she reads a playroom, and why "meeting the child where they are" — not changing them — is the whole point.

In this episode:
- What play therapy actually is (and isn't)
- Why play is how kids process their world, long before they can talk about it
- What AutPlay Therapy is and how it supports autistic and neurodivergent kids specifically
- What a typical session looks like, and how long treatment usually takes
- How to know therapy is working
- Pam's honest question every mom asks: "Is it really worth it?"
- How to find the right play therapist for your child — and what to ask them

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Don't skip this episode because you hear "break in therapy" and think… "not for us." Stay with us for a minute.

We see you. You're the nurse, the therapist, the caregiver, and the mom — all before lunchtime, most days. You've been white-knuckling it through every session for months, maybe years, and quietly wondering if you have anything left to give. But the second the word "break" comes up, something in you panics. What if my kid loses everything we've worked for? What if we lose our spot? What if I'm the reason they don't progress?

So you keep going. Even when you're running on empty. Even when your kid is tired of it too. Even when some small, quiet part of you just wants permission to stop for a minute.

This week, Pam sits down with Heather Anderson, PTA, who works with some of the most medically complex kids in the field — and she gently dismantles every fear you've been carrying about stepping back.

In this episode:

• Why a therapeutic break almost never means starting from scratch — and what the research actually shows
• What to do (and who to call) if you do see regression, so you're never stuck waiting
• How to ask for a break without losing your therapy spot or your therapist
• The burnout that's just as real for you as it is for your child — and why it matters
• Simple ways to keep the progress going at home, even without a weekly session

You are the nurse, the therapist, the caregiver, and the mom — and you are allowed to rest. Your child is allowed to just be a kid for a season. This episode is the permission slip you didn't know you needed.

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Is your child's behavior actually sensory? Pam sits down with Kelly, OTD from Marshall Pediatric Therapy to break down sensory seeking vs. sensory avoiding, the real link between picky eating and sensory processing, why "shy" kids may actually be overwhelmed, and why summer makes it all worse.

You'll get simple, no-equipment sensory strategies that help your child actually work through their sensory challenges — not just avoid them — plus a clear answer to one of the most common parenting questions: is this sensory or just behavior?

If you have a sensory-seeking child, a picky eater, a shy kid, or a kiddo who melts down every afternoon this summer — this one's for you. 🎙️

💜 New episodes every Wednesday. Share this with a mom who needs it.

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New Mamas! Before you spend thousands on beautiful nurseries and plastic baby gear, listen to this episode! Pediatric Occupational Therapists Pam and Kelly discuss how modern "baby containers" might be contributing to tight neck muscles and flat heads in newborns. Learn how to trust your mom gut, get easy home exercise tips (HEPs), and find out why a simple laundry basket might be your new secret weapon for healthy infant development. 🍼💪

If any of this sounded a little too familiar today, don't panic—just reach out! Connect with us at Marshall Pediatric Therapy to chat with a pediatric therapist who can answer your questions and give you the tools you need. We’re here to help your family thrive!

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If you’ve ever wondered, "Can my child with autism actually do virtual therapy?" you are not alone. It’s one of the biggest questions parents ask when considering telehealth.

In this episode of Help! I Have Kids, guest host and speech-language pathologist Beth Blankenship teams up with special guest Liz, a mom to two sons with autism, to look at virtual therapy from both sides of the screen. Liz shares her honest journey from being a total telehealth skeptic to watching virtual sessions become a major contributing factor to her son's progress.

Together, they dive into why telehealth at Marshall Pediatric Therapy is a total game-changer. Beth breaks down how virtual therapy allows families to completely skip long clinic waitlists, avoid the stress of missed appointments, and use the comfort of home to unlock big breakthroughs.

Tune in to find out how virtual therapy can deliver the exact same high-quality care as an in-person clinic, right from your living room!

Join Our Community!
You don’t have to figure this out alone! Join our Help I Have Kids Facebook Community to connect with other moms, ask questions, and get expert insights in a supportive space. Subscribe to the podcast, follow us on YouTube at @HelpIHaveKidsPodcast, and share this episode with a friend who needs a little less stress in her life. We’re all in this together!

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Does opening a medical bill give you an immediate pit in your stomach? 💸

It shouldn’t have to. For many parents, navigating health insurance feels like a second full-time job—one that's confusing, stressful, and full of hidden rules. But here is the secret: Knowledge is your best defense. When you understand how your plan works, you can stop worrying about "surprise bills" and start focusing on your child’s progress.

In this episode, host Pam Marshall sits down with Kathleen, a Patient Account Specialist at Marshall Pediatric Therapy, to demystify the world of healthcare billing. Whether you are wondering why your bill changed in January or what to do when a claim gets denied, Kathleen is here to give you the "detective tools" every mom needs.

In this episode, we’re breaking down:
- The January Shift: Why your benefits might change even if your ID card stays the same.
- The "Receipt" for Your Calls: Why you must ask for a Reference Number every time you call insurance (and how it holds them accountable!).
- Diagnosis Pointers: The technical reason your claim might be stuck and how specificity saves you money.
- The 3-Step Plan for Bills: What to do when a confusing bill arrives at your door.
- Provider vs. Payer: Understanding the partnership between your therapist and your insurance company.

Don't let "insurance exhaustion" stand in the way of your child’s care. You are the leader of your child’s team, and today, we’re helping you lead with confidence!

Join Our Community!
You don’t have to figure this out alone! Join our Help I Have Kids Facebook Community to connect with other moms, ask questions, and get expert insights in a supportive space. Subscribe to the podcast, follow us on YouTube at @HelpIHaveKidsPodcast, and share this episode with a friend who needs a little less stress in her life. We’re all in this together!

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“Mommy, it feels like I have bumblebees in my head.” 🐝

In this powerful and moving episode, host Pam Marshall (Pediatric OT) sits down with Sarah and Carolyn, two moms who are navigating the beautiful, "spicy," and often complex world of parenting neurodivergent children while being neurodivergent themselves. We’re diving deep into the advocacy it takes to trust your "mom gut" when professionals say "she’ll grow out of it," the relief of finally finding a name for why your child feels different, and how to find grace for yourself when the household motor just won't stop running.

As a special tribute for Mother’s Day, Sarah and Carolyn also share heartwarming stories of their own mothers. This episode is a masterclass in parenting with empathy, setting boundaries for self-care (like the "20-minute rule"), and learning to dance through the meltdowns. Whether you are navigating a new autism diagnosis, struggling with emotional regulation at home, or realizing your own neurodiversity as an adult, this conversation will equip you to be the confident leader of your child’s medical team.

Join Our Community! Don't navigate this journey alone! We want to hear your "Help!" moments and your wins. Subscribe to the podcast, join our community of Courageous Mommas on social media at @HelpIHaveKidsPodcast, and visit our website for practical freebies and therapist-approved resources. You’re doing a great job, Mom—let’s do this together!

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In this important episode, licensed therapist Heather Whitis returns to help us navigate one of the most difficult topics a parent can face—teen depression and suicidal thoughts. If your teen seems withdrawn, hopeless, unusually quiet, or like they've just lost interest in things they used to love, this episode will help you recognize and respond appropriately. 

Heather brings her expertise as both a therapist and a mom to offer honest, grounded guidance on how depression differs from typical teenage moodiness, how to recognize warning signs of suicidal thinking, and how to respond in a way that keeps the door open instead of pushing your teen further away. She also walks through how to have the hard conversations—calmly, clearly, and with compassion—even when you're scared.

This episode will remind you that asking the hard questions doesn't plant dangerous ideas—it shows your teen they're not alone, and that you're a safe place to land.

This is part 3 of our teen mental health series:
Part 1: How to Know When Your Teen is Struggling  
Part 2: Understanding Anxiety in Teens  
Part 3: Recognizing and Responding to Depression & Suicidal Thoughts

✨ Follow us on all socials and join your mom community!
 https://linktr.ee/helpihavekidspodcast

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