A+ Handwriting Occupational Therapy is the name of the private practice of Marla Scaglione, MS, OTR/L, whose goal is to help students improve their handwriting ability for success in schoolwork activities and prepare them for life. In traditional school settings, there is less focus on proper handwriting technique nor the underlying motor and sensory skills required for success. Children develop foundational skills for handwriting during their formative years as they play and explore while engaging their sensory awareness, gross motor skills, and fine motor abilities. Many children develop improper handwriting postures, which are reinforced over time, and can create muscle fatigue, unnatural stress on finger joints, illegible handwriting, frustration, and even an unwillingness to perform writing activities. Research-based Occupational Therapy (OT) interventions can be an important component in the process of reversing or preventing handwriting difficulties. As an Occupational Therapist, I will perform an Evaluation and then with the parent’s collaboration, create a Plan of Treatment to improve UNDERLYING problem areas, including Visual Motor Integration, Fine and Gross Motor Skills, Visual Perception, Sensory Processing, Primitive Reflex Integration, and Pencil Grasp patterns necessary for handwriting via a multisensory holistic approach.
I am a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist, with a specialty and training in handwriting remediation for school aged children, grades Pre-K through 12th grade. I have over 28 years of experience working with OT clients of all ages in physical rehabilitation settings, but since I became a parent 21 years ago, I have focused my interest and training in the area of Pediatric OT, specifically handwriting, sensory processing, nervous system calming, and primitive reflex integration techniques.
Often, before a child is able to participate in the complex skill of handwriting, there are various modalities to help children calm & regulate themselves for improved self-control, focus, and sensory processing. I am a certified iLS Practitioner, and trained in clinical use of the iLS Focus System and the SSP protocol for students with more challenging auditory processing, anxiety, emotional regulation, and behavioral issues. I am also a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS) and an experienced trauma-informed clinician.
What is iLS? Check it out, here: https://integratedlistening.com/the-science-of-how-ils-works/how-ils-influences-attention-regulation/
What is SSP? https://integratedlistening.com/ssp-safe-sound-protocol/
I am passionate about helping kids discover their unique God-given talents while growing their self-confidence and ability to be successful in the sensory world we live in.
When not working, I try to keep a healthy life balance by spending time with my family, biking, cooking, and beaching in sunny Florida.
I am licensed in Florida and Virginia, and work with clients in my office in Lutz, FL, on the A+ Therapy Bus onsite at schools, and via teletherapy for all other locations in FL and VA. Please call or email me to schedule an OT Evaluation. 813-245-3671
Here is a list of areas in which I can help your child:
+ Develop a solid foundation for your preschooler’s fine motor development for handwriting readiness
+ Help your child to integrate underlying sensory-motor abilities and promote primitive reflex maturity to address barriers to academic and social success
+ Learn or re-learn legible handwriting of numbers and symbols for school success
+ Improve your child’s reading ability by enhancing the brain-based foundational skills which support letter & word decoding, reduced letter reversals, and improved reading comprehension
+ Improve your child’s brain-body connections, which includes the brain-to-hand language skill of writing and composing coherent ideas
+ Determine if your child would benefit from use of adaptive writing tools or techniques
+ Empower your child’s self confidence by improving functional skills necessary for life
Yours in Handwriting Excellence,
Marla Scaglione, MS, OTR/L
Marla has been a great fit for our daughter Leah. She goes out of her way to find activities that both challenge and engage Leah. We are seeing our daughter have more interest in her handwriting at home and her grip is improving. Marla is very knowledgable and is always giving me suggestions for little tips and tricks to do at home. Marla is kind and caring, yet makes Leah work hard – exactly what she needs!
Just a note to say my son, a high school senior, is one of Marla’s students for handwriting. He has had many therapies over the years and he has progressed further under Marla’s direction than any other therapist. I was afraid his handwriting was irreparable by the time he reached high school but I was wrong. Miss Marla has given us hope!