OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Occupational therapy is concerned with a child’s ability to participate in desired daily life activities. Occupational Therapists use their unique expertise to help children prepare for and perform important learning and developmental activities for children with and without disabilities. Occupational Therapy addresses the “occupations” of life. A child’s “occupations” may include playing age appropriately, participating in social groups or school activities, completing age-appropriate self-care routines, participating in extracurricular activities, and being a part of the family unit. Being able to participate “age appropriately” may be difficult for children with or without a disability.

An Occupational Therapist will evaluate what is limiting a child from participating in age-appropriate tasks and work with the child to overcome these difficulties during individual treatment or group sessions. Occupational therapy is concerned with a child’s ability to participate in desired daily life activities. Occupational Therapists use their unique expertise to help children prepare for and perform important learning and developmental activities. Occupational Therapists support the achievement of developmental and learning milestones for children with and without disabilities. OT’s facilitate social skill development, motor development, emergent literacy, and the development of adaptive and self-care skills, all to improve success and self-esteem in daily life activities.

Occupational Therapist May Treat

• ADD / ADHD
• Auditory Processing Issues
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• Autism
• Apraxa
• Cerebral Palsy
• Chromosomal Anomalies
• Coordination Difficulties
• Developmental Delays
• Down Syndrome
• Feeding Disorders
• Fine Motor Delays
• Handwriting Difficulties
• Hypotonia
• Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)
• Sensory Integrative Dysfunctions

Occupational Therapy also addresses Sensory Integration. Sensory Integration is our ability to take in information through our senses (touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing), organize and interpret that information, and make a meaningful response. For most people, this process is automatic but many children with developmental delays have sensory issues. Sensory drives the motor output so it is important to address both -sensory based therapies which involve activities that help to organize the sensory system. These include tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory and visual. Such activities include swings, balls, sensory feeling toys

Some Red Flags for Sensory Processing Dysfunction

• Difficulty tolerating touch or certain clothing
• Difficulty with eating a variety of foods
• Difficulty with interacting appropriately with peers
• Clumsy with movement
• Chews Clothing (sleeves or buttons)
• Does not want to participate in game/ parties/ or activities with peers
• Unable to adapt to change or transitions