Childhood is a time of exploration, activity, and growth. But some children and adolescents may face injuries, physical or cognitive disabilities, or other health conditions that limit their capacity to fully enjoy and participate in everyday activities. Pediatric occupational therapy promotes the well-being and health of children and teens by improving their ability to take part in activities that provide benefit and meaning to their lives.
The “occupation” in occupational therapy doesn’t necessarily refer to the ability to do a job. Rather, it means that occupational therapists help young people accomplish everyday tasks, at home, in school and in their community. Our pediatric occupational therapists will work with you and your child or teen to identify goals that move them toward overcoming social, emotional, and physical challenges. They will help them build confidence in completing daily routines and provide you with the resources and support needed to assist your child in living as independently as possible.
Our occupational therapists will first conduct an assessment to determine what challenges your child or teen is experiencing and the goals they’d like to accomplish. They’ll look closely at common activities to determine if motor, cognitive, sensory processing, social-emotional challenges or other factors are contributing to a functional difficulty. Then, they’ll partner with your family to develop an intervention or treatment plan that may change your child’s day-to-day environment or routine. Interventions might include physical exercises, assistive equipment, or routines that help your child complete and participate in everyday tasks. As your adolescent or child starts to progress, your occupational therapist will monitor their progress over time and adjust their care plan as necessary.
Here are some of the common activities an occupational therapist can help your child perform:
- Complete self-care activities, including bathing, dressing, and self-feeding
- Improve fine motor and visual-perceptual skills, including handwriting, stacking blocks, playing ball, and staying safe on playground equipment
- Play successfully in groups and with age-appropriate toys
- Know how to fit in with friends and pick up on social cues
- Minimize repetitive behaviors or habits
- Control and manage emotions
- Overcome sensory processing challenges and promote sensory integration. Examples of behaviors that may indicate a sensory issue:
- A child who does not eat many foods
- A child who cannot wear socks with seams
- A child who cannot wear clothes with labels
- A child who cannot tolerate loud noises
- Conquer feeding issues, including being a “picky eater,” oral defensiveness, flavor or texture aversion, and lack of focus
If your child is having difficulties with moving, learning, playing, or activities of daily living, we can help. Our occupational therapists provide compassionate, individualized care for each child or teen, so they feel confident and successful in their everyday lives and routines.
