Intro to OT

At its core, pediatric occupational therapy is about helping your child gain independence and reach his or her full potential. Occupational therapists support children by working on self-regulation, executive function, motor skills, and self-care skills. In order for children to engage, learn, and thrive in the world around them, they need a strong base of these foundational skills. These skills help them pay attention, use tools, collaborate with others, and learn at school.

Since occupational therapy encompasses so many different skill sets, many parents have difficulty discerning when their child might require services. Children may benefit from occupational therapy if they have difficulty with any of the skills below.

Self regulation

Frequent or long meltdowns
Big reactions to small issues
Difficulty returning to a calm state after an outburst
Requires extra time and support to transition between tasks

Executive function

Difficulty staying on task
Jumping between activities, difficulty maintaining attention
Requires extra time and support to complete a task (homework, chores)

Fine motor skills

Messy handwriting or reluctant to write
Fumbling with small items (zippers, buttons)
Challenges with typing
Struggles to cut with scissors

Gross motor skills

Frequent falls at the playground
Bumping into objects
Slouching in chair
Limited coordination or balance

Self Care and Independence

Difficulty dressing
Reluctant to use utensils
Requires extra support to complete age-appropriate tasks: chores, self-grooming, etc.

Sensory Processing

Difficulty maintaining a regulated state of arousal in a loud or busy environment
Uncomfortable wearing a variety of clothing (socks, gloves, etc.)
Highly sensitive

Your child may also benefit from occupational therapy services if he or she has any of the following diagnoses: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, Dyspraxia/Developmental Coordination Disorder, Learning Disabilities, cognitive processing challenges, or other diagnoses which impact his or her independence and functioning. Read on to learn how OT can support your child:

ADHD

Occupational therapy can help children with ADHD by:

Incorporating executive function tools to break down tasks, plan, and organize
Developing movement breaks and sensory diets to support attention and regulation
Creating personalized strategies to stay on task
And more!

Autism

Occupational therapy can help children with autism by:

Collaborating with families to determine sensory strategies to support self-regulation
Increasing engagement with activities and the world around them
Educating families on ways to build independence and participation with family routines and out in the community
And more!

Developmental Coordination Disorder

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (formerly known as dyspraxia) may appear “clumsy” or have difficulty learning new motor skills (tying shoes, participating in sports, dressing independently). OT can help children with DCD by:

Teaching new motor plans, such as tying shoes
Educating families on strategies to support motor learning

Sensory Processing / Self Regulation

OT can help children with sensory processing or self-regulation challenges by:

Developing preventive strategies to encourage self-regulation and avoid meltdowns
Developing responsive strategies to support re-regulation after a meltdown
Educating families on co-regulation strategies

Sensory Processing

DCD

Autism

ADHD