What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?
Pediatric occupational therapy supports children’s independence by enhancing their development of fine motor, sensory-motor, and visual-motor skills essential for functioning and socialization which enables them to thrive in daily life.
Occupational therapy and speech therapy overlap in many areas, due to how directly connected the different parts of the human body are with one another. Typically, physical therapy treats the lower body, occupational therapy treats the upper body and speech therapy focuses on treating the jaw, lips, throat and tongue. The inter-relatedness of occupational therapy and speech and language skills is a perfect example, as many areas of difficulty addressed by an occupational therapist (OT) relate directly to a child’s speech and language development (play skills, social skills, etc.). The OT and speech-language pathologist (SLP) will often work closely together to focus on maximizing functional progress during therapy, in order to help new skills carry over into a community or school setting.
Why choose OT?
A child’s role in life is to play and interact with other children. Our pediatric occupational therapists evaluate a child’s current skills related to play, school performance, and daily activities and compare them with what is developmentally appropriate for that age group. OTs help children perform daily activities they may find challenging by addressing sensory, social, behavioral, motor, and environmental issues.
What to consider with Pediatric Occupational Therapy
• Is my child struggling with fine motor skills like writing, cutting, or using utensils?
• Does my child have difficulty with self-care tasks like dressing, brushing teeth, or toileting?
• Is my child sensitive to textures, sounds, or other sensory experiences that affect daily activities?
• Does my child have trouble with handwriting, copying from the board, or other school-related tasks?
• Is my child having difficulty with play skills or interacting appropriately with toys and peers?
• Does my child struggle with organization, following multi-step directions, or completing tasks?
• Is my child having trouble sleeping, eating, or managing daily routines?
Who may benefit from OT?
Children may require occupational therapy with or without the presence of a medical condition. Kids with the following medical conditions are considered to be ‘at risk’ for delays in skills impacting participation in home and school environments.
- birth injuries or birth defects
- sensory processing disorders
- traumatic injuries (brain or spinal cord)
- learning problems
- autism/pervasive developmental disorders
- behavioral problems
- developmental delays
- post-surgical hand conditions
- spina bifida
- cerebral palsy and other chronic illnesses
What can be accomplished through OT?
Occupational therapists work with children in the following areas:
- improving fine motor skills so they can grasp and release toys and develop good handwriting skills
- addressing hand-eye coordination to improve kids’ play and school skills (hitting a target, batting a ball, copying from a blackboard, etc.)
- learning basic tasks (such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and feeding themselves)
- maintaining positive behaviors in all environments (e.g., instead of hitting others or acting out, using positive ways to deal with anger, such as writing about feelings or participating in a physical activity.
- evaluating the need for specialized equipment, such as wheelchairs, splints, bathing equipment, dressing devices, or communication aids
- improving attention and social skills to allow development of interpersonal relationships.
Download the Fine Motor Skills Checklist
Wondering if your child’s fine motor development is on track?
Our Fine Motor Skills Checklist is a helpful, easy-to-use guide for parents to identify age-appropriate milestones related to hand strength, coordination, and control. Use this resource to support your child’s growth and know when to seek professional guidance if needed.
Perfect for tracking progress at home and sharing with your child’s therapy team.
