Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy For You?
What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy and how can it help?
Education is the first step to understanding and treatment.
Through education you can understand your child's challenges and how OT can help you. Your OT will educate you on appropriate goals for your child and why the therapist is doing what she is doing. Most importantly, you will learn how you as a parent can integrate exercises and purposeful play into your daily life outside the clinic for continued success in your child’s daily life.
Every child is unique, but
there are consistent patterns and symptoms that can
help you identify if OT has the potential to help.
Challenges with daily living skills:
- Difficulty dressing, eating, washing, using the toilet, sleeping
Difficulties with sensory processing:
- Overly sensitive to sounds, touch/textures, movement or overly seeking movement or touch
Behavioral Issues:
- Rigidity, trouble with transitions, overreactive, tantrums and emotional regulation, distractibility, reluctant to try new situations
Motor planning:
- Limited play options, clumsiness, poor body awareness
Fine or Gross Motor Delays:
- not reaching developmental milestones within the typical period of time, difficulty skipping, running or climbing, difficulty with handwriting, drawing, using utensils
Difficulty with peers:
- Reluctant to initiate or join play, inflexibility, controlling, difficulty reading social cues
Executive functioning:
- Challenges with problem solving, organization, planning, sequencing