Occupational Therapy

Pediatric occupational therapy focuses on helping children develop the skills they need to function effectively in their daily lives. It specifically assists children to grow physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally.

Pediatric occupational therapy aims to enable children to participate in everyday activities or “occupations.” These occupations often include self-care routines like dressing, eating, bathing, and grooming. It also covers school-related tasks like handwriting, typing, and organizational skills.

Furthermore, social and play activities that involve motor coordination, like riding a bike, playing games, or using toys, are also considered under pediatric occupational therapy.

Our therapists work with children who have various needs. Some children may have physical disabilities that affect their motor skills. Others might have cognitive or sensory processing difficulties affecting their ability to perform everyday tasks.

Our pediatric occupational therapists use a variety of methods to facilitate development and overcome challenges. The specific techniques and approaches the therapist uses will depend on the child’s needs.

Pediatric occupational therapists assist children in developing the skills necessary for daily living and playing. They focus on fine motor skills, sensory processing, and self-care activities. Children who benefit from occupational therapy may have conditions such as autism, sensory processing disorders, developmental delays, or physical disabilities. Key areas of focus include:

Fine Motor Skills: 

• Improving hand-eye coordination and the ability to manipulate small objects, which is crucial for tasks like writing, drawing, and using utensils.

Sensory Integration: 

• Helping children process and respond appropriately to sensory information from their environment, including touch, sound, and movement.

Daily Living Skills: 

• Teaching children how to perform everyday tasks such as dressing, grooming, feeding, and hygiene.

Adaptive Strategies: 

• Providing tools and techniques to help children overcome challenges and become more independent in their daily routines.

The need for occupational therapy might not always be apparent, as signs can vary greatly depending on the nature of a child’s specific difficulties. However, here are some common signs that your child might benefit from occupational therapy:

• Delayed Milestones: Your child is not reaching developmental milestones at the expected time (such as sitting, crawling, walking, or talking).
• Difficulty with Fine Motor Skills: They need help with tasks that require precise movements, like using utensils, doing up buttons, holding a pencil, or doing puzzles.
• Difficulty with Gross Motor Skills: They struggle with activities that require whole-body movement, balance, and coordination, like jumping, running, or climbing stairs.
• Sensory Issues: They’re overly sensitive or under-responsive to sensory stimuli such as light, sound, touch, or certain textures in food.
• Difficulty with Self-Care Tasks: They need help dressing, feeding themselves, brushing their teeth, or using the bathroom independently.
• Trouble with Focus and Attention: They have difficulty staying focused on a task or activity for an age-appropriate amount of time or struggle to pay attention in a busy environment like a classroom.
• Difficulty with Social Interactions: They have difficulty making friends, interpreting social cues, or seem to be uninterested in playing with other children.
• Academic Struggles: They find handwriting, reading, or other school-related tasks challenging.
• Behavioral Problems: They often have temper tantrums, seem overly active, or have difficulty adjusting to new situations.

Please note that these signs alone do not diagnose occupational therapy needs. They are potential indicators, and if you notice them consistently, it would be a good idea to consult a professional for further assessment.

The most common conditions our pediatric occupational therapists often treat, include the following

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome
• Sensory Processing Disorder
• Developmental Delays
• Learning Disabilities
• Spina Bifida, Muscular Dystrophy or Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Genetic Disorders
• Prematurity
• Visual and/or Hearing Impairment
• Fine and Gross Motor Delays

If you are concerned about your child don’t hesitate to contact The Pediatric Place and let us help you find the answers you’re looking for!

Occupational therapy (OT) for children is designed to assist them in developing or improving essential skills for daily life, such as fine motor skills, gross motor skills, sensory processing skills, self-care tasks, and social skills. It benefits children with physical, sensory, or cognitive issues that affect their function and independence. Here’s what you can generally expect from a pediatric occupational therapy session:

The first session often starts with a comprehensive evaluation. Our therapist will evaluate your child’s skills and abilities through various standardized tests, observations, and parent reports. They will try to understand your child’s strengths and weaknesses regarding their development, sensory processing, motor skills, self-care abilities, social skills, and any other relevant areas.

Once the assessment is complete, your occupational therapist will work with you and your child to set realistic and achievable goals. These goals could be about improving fine motor skills (like buttoning a shirt or holding a pencil), gross motor skills (like balance or coordination), sensory processing, or social-emotional skills, depending on your child’s needs.

Therapy sessions usually involve various play-based activities to help your child develop or improve specific skills. These activities vary widely, from puzzles and games to improve fine motor skills and problem-solving to physical exercises for improving strength and coordination or sensory activities like playing with different textures or sounds. Occupational therapy often looks like play because play is the primary “job” of a child, and it’s the best way they learn.

Depending on the therapist and the age/needs of the child, parents might be invited to be part of the session, especially toward the end. Home practice is also an essential part of therapy and helps to reinforce the skills learned in therapy sessions.

Remember, every child is unique, and thus, their therapy will be tailored to their specific needs and interests.

As children age, their motor skills begin to develop so they can perform more intricate tasks, such as picking up a spoon and feeding themselves. There are literally hundreds of reasons why some children aren’t able to perform motor skills at a young age. Often, the problem is simply a type of developmental delay, meaning something caused the child to develop his or her senses a little slower than others. Many times they grow out of it and other times therapy will help them through it.

Occupational therapy is a proven way to help children develop their motor skills and sensory awareness. Our certified speech, occupational, and physical therapists work together with you and your child to help him/her develop those skills through activities and exercises. We’ve developed these activities through years of experience and research, but for your child, therapy will just feel like playing. Many children who complete occupational therapy see improvement in motor function.