Amy Catalfamo OTR/L
Owner & Occupational Therapist
The trick is to provide our children with opportunities for success and support from the ones closest to them. Sounds easy right?! Here’s the thing, sensory processing dysfunction does not occur within a confined space or a therapy clinic. It happens during family gatherings, at the grocery store, in the classroom, in the car etc.
Sensory processing dysfunction happens anywhere and everywhere, and our children cannot predict (and the majority of times neither can adults) when their sensory dysfunction will happen. Through my own experiences as a mom, combined with my professional experience working with children and families; I have found that parents and families need more support and more resources to empower them to support their child’s sensory needs in these real life everyday situations. It’s easy to provide tips and suggestions when your child is in a calm and regulated state. However, when a sensory meltdown occurs it can be hard to stick to those suggestions and skilled techniques especially when you are at an extended family gathering or out and about in the neighborhood with outside opinions and eyes watching your every move.
It is my clinical and personal opinion that all children can benefit from multi-sensory play experiences. Every child and person engages in sensory processing. It is the true foundation of all higher level learning and thinking. Without sensory processing occurring properly, our children are in a constant state of heightened arousal, thereby inhibiting their ability to fully engage and interact with the world around them. All children need to exercise their sensory system and their sensory processing skills for proper development to occur. For children who may have a sensory processing dysfunction these sensory experiences are even more imperative to their development and regulation. It is my goal with this private pediatric practice to share information with caregivers, parents, therapists, teachers, and early childhood professionals regarding the sensory needs and the development of young children. I want to provide you with the knowledge to empower you as parents and professionals to tackle these sensory processing challenges in real life scenarios. Together I want to create an environment where we can all support every child’s individuals needs and inspire our little one’s to reach their fullest potential and live their best life.
My name is Amy Catalfamo, MS, OTR/L. I am first and foremost a mother to three beautiful children; an 8 year old and 6 year old boy, and a 4 year old girl. I am also a practicing Pediatric Occupational Therapist. As a professional and a mother, I have a particular interest in sensory processing and how it affects the development and function of young children. I have seen firsthand with my own children, as well as the children I work with just how much sensory processing can affect your day to day routine, your child’s participation and tolerance of activities, your relationship with your child, the family dynamic within your household, and your child’s overall well being and happiness. I am a firm believer that all children have the innate potential to be happy and thriving regardless of what challenges they may be faced with.
Experience
My journey working with children began very early for me. My mother owned and operated a Group Family Day Care while I was growing up, so I was always around other children from a very early age. As I got older, I continued to enjoy the interactions with our youngest population. I am always fascinated by their creativity, happiness, and imagination. I became very interested in child development and knew that I wanted to work with young children as a professional. I just didn’t know in what realm yet. I had the amazing opportunity to shadow and follow several Occupational Therapists working in the pediatric setting. It was at this point that I knew that I wanted to be an Occupational Therapist. My education began at Russell Sage College, where I received my BA in Psychology with particular interest in child development. I went on to receive my MS in Occupational Therapy at Sage Graduate School in 2011.
Throughout my education, I maintained my relationship and work with young children acting as a Child Care Assistant at a Day Care Center. I was able to directly link what I was learning in the classroom to my hands on experience with young children, and see how it applies to a group setting with multiple children as well. I spent five amazing years fulfilling this role as a Child Care Assistant. I have also had clinical experiences throughout my education working hands on in a variety of settings with young children including: school based practice, acute care, and residential placements.
Upon graduating with my degrees, I fell into working with the adult and geriatric population due to job availability. I enjoyed my job, however, I felt as though something was missing from my work. I knew that I needed to get back to working with young children. After three years of working with the adult and geriatric population; I gave birth to my first child. Becoming a parent was the most wonderful and shocking experience of my life. I quickly learned that everything I thought I knew about children was vastly different when living in it day in and day out. I ended up doing all the things that I swore I would never do as a parent. My thoughts and perceptions about parenting and child development quickly changed and I adapted to my new reality of parenthood. I knew at this point that I needed to get back into my true passion: Pediatrics. I was given the opportunity to work at an Early Intervention Agency upon returning from my maternity leave and I have not looked back since. The thing that was missing, that thing that made me get up and want to leave my family in the morning is there. Don’t get me wrong, I miss my kids and at times I have mom guilt for working, but I love what I do. I love connecting with families and working with children to meet those little milestones. I since left this Early Intervention Agency which gave me my start and passion for pediatrics. I now own and operate a private community based pediatric practice serving children and their families. I have extensive experience and training with sensory processing, trauma informed practice and reflex integration. I also have extensive training on feeding therapy; specifically the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol, the SOS Approach to Feeding, and a Pediatric Feeding Intensive Mentorship Program with specific focus on the Birth-5 age range.
I like to consider myself a therapist, a friend, a teacher, a cheerleader, an advocate, and a coach. I get the luxury of playing all of these roles in my career and it’s amazing to see children reach their fullest potential. The excitement that comes from children and families when developmental milestones are met, or sensory processing happens flawlessly is the best reward. I will admit, by no means do I know it all and by no means do I have it all together 100% of the time, but I am growing and figuring it all out as I go. My role as a mother and therapist, as well as my understanding and knowledge of sensory processing, is ever evolving and changing. I would like to share with you my experience on the things that have gone right and worked for my own family and many of the families that I have had the wonderful pleasure of working with.