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Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists help people of all ages live life.  The term occupation is a broad term, referring to all the things a person does each day.  The goal of occupational therapy is to help people increase participation in chosen occupations. In pediatrics, occupational therapist can help children with all areas of development including physical, sensory, motor, social, emotional, and behavior. Occupational therapists identify barriers to participation in daily life and work with children and families overcome or remove barriers to increase participation.  The occupational therapy process begins with the evaluation.  Therapists then work to develop a treatment plan focused on the needs of the child and family.  Occupational therapists use therapeutic interventions that are child-centered to develop skills.  They believe it is important for the child to experience success within activities, that the therapist facilitates that success through structuring of the environment and activities, and that success in task completion is the highest reward.  

Areas address by pediatric occupational therapists: 

  • Fine motor skills

  • Gross motor skills

  • Sensory integration and sensory processing

  • Visual skills, including ocular motor sills, visual perception, and visual motor skills

  • Social participation

  • Eye-hand coordination 

  • Handwriting

  • Coordination 

  • Balance 

  • Strength and endurance 

  • Activities of daily living (self-care skills)

  • Rest and sleep

  • Instrumental activities of daily living (i.e. meal prep, cleaning up, managing school work, etc.)

  • Cognitive development and executive functioning 

  • Developing leisure activities

  • Developing play skills

  • Improving behaviors 

  • Facilitating adaptive behaviors for successful transitions, participation, and interaction with others

  • Social-emotional skills 

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Some children have formal diagnoses and are referred to occupational therapy by their physician.  Other children have been referred by a teacher due to difficulties in school.  Parents also can make a self-referral for occupational therapy.  If your child is having difficulties performing any daily tasks, occupational therapy may be able to help! Call about our FREE 15 minutes screening to see if occupational therapy can help. 

Some of the diagnoses treatment by occupational therapy 

  • Autism spectrum disorder

  • Sensory processing disorder 

  • Down syndrome 

  • Cerebral palsy

  • Low muscle tone

  • Genetic disorders

  • Developmental delay

  • Brachial plexus injury

  • Post concussion syndrome

  • Dysgraphia 

  • Developmental coordination disorder

  • Post injury or post surgery 

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