Occupational therapy (OT) assists individuals in achieving greater independence in all areas of life. “Occupations” include any meaningful activity of an individual’s everyday life. An OT’s role is to assist people in performing these activities with the greatest extent of independence possible, which will facilitate satisfying and productive living.
One of the activities that occupational therapists can address to meet children’s needs is working on fine motor skills so that kids can grasp and release toys and develop good handwriting skills. Occupational therapists also address hand-eye coordination to improve play skills, such as hitting a target, batting a ball, or copying from a blackboard.
An occupational therapist can also:
- help children with severe developmental delays learn some basic tasks, such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and feeding themselves
- help children with behavioral disorders learn anger-management techniques (i.e., instead of hitting others or acting out, the children would learn positive ways to deal with anger, such as writing about feelings or participating in a physical activity)
- teach children with physical disabilities the coordination skills required to feed themselves, use a computer, or increase the speed and legibility of their handwriting
- evaluate each child’s needs for specialized equipment, such as wheelchairs, splints, bathing equipment, dressing devices, or communication aids
- work with children who have sensory and attention issues to improve focus and social skills
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Is your child experiencing any of the following?
- Poor fine motor skills
- Immature gross motor skills
- Decreased motor control
- Decreased eye hand coordination
- Overly sensitive to sensory input
- Under responsive to sensory input
- Touches people or objects constantly (seeking sensory input)
- Crashes and/or bangs into people or objects
- Poor attention/difficulty sitting still
- Difficulty calming self
- Difficulty with sleeping
- Difficulty with eating and food choices
- Difficulty with sitting still, attention, and/or behavior
- Emotional reactivity
- Reactive to feel of clothing, baths, haircuts, nail cutting, or tooth brushing
- Limited play skills
- Poor social development
- Limited independence in self care skills
- Difficulty transitioning or accepting change in environment or routine
Any of the above examples could be signs that your child could benefit from an Occupational Therapy evaluation and/or treatment.
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Our Occupational Therapy Program offers services for:
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