Pediatric Occupational Therapy for Kids

Occupational therapy helps children with motor, cognitive, physical, and speech delays to develop their skills. It also focuses on how kids carry out daily tasks. Pediatric occupational therapists work in various settings like homes, schools or other health care facilities.

Pediatric occupational therapists work to improve the function and independence of children and teens with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. They provide therapeutic interventions that help develop their fine motor skills, cognition, language skills, and more.

Pediatric occupational therapists are experts in analyzing and designing activities to help children of all ages and with all types of needs. They can work in a variety of settings, including schools, homes, or other health care facilities.

Who benefits from Pediatric OT?

Pediatric occupational therapy is very beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays of varying degrees in all domains of development. Occupational therapy can also help kids who are recovering from a brain injury or stroke. There are many reasons why your child might need a little help, even if they had a normal birth and don’t seem to have any developmental problems. Oftentimes, there might be just one small area that, for whatever reason, the child doesn’t seem to be up to speed with their peers. If you see this in your child ask your pediatrician what you should do about it.

Pediatric occupational therapists work with children from the time they are born to the time they are adults. The skill sets they work with include feeding oneself, dressing oneself, using the bathroom independently, and walking without assistance.

OT can Improve your child’s everyday life.

Occupational therapy for kids is a type of treatment that focuses on how kids carry out activities in their everyday lives. With occupational therapy, the therapist will work with the child to help them develop important skills and improve their function. It may also involve exercises and equipment to do tasks at home, like brushing teeth or washing dishes.

The pediatric occupational therapist will ask questions about how the child is doing in school and what they enjoy doing outside of school. This information will help them determine what goals to set for the child.

Occupational therapy for children is essential for children who have motor skills delays, sensory processing disorders, or coordination issues. The first step to identifying if your child needs help in this area is to watch them during the day and see how they interact with the world around them.

Occupational Therapy for children

Occupational therapy for children is an important part of a child’s development. It focuses on the activities that are required to do tasks and participate in daily life. The therapist will provide treatment for sensory and motor skills, self-help, play, social skills, school readiness, fine motor skills, and cognitive development.

Pediatric occupational therapy is needed when getting oneself dressed cannot be done. Pediatric occupational therapy helps children with disabilities, developmental delays, and other conditions to participate in activities of daily living.

Occupational therapy for kids helps children develop the skills and abilities they need to participate in all aspects of a normal life. Through these activities, children can learn things like self-care skills.  They also learn to prepare a snack, act appropriately at school or in social situations, and more.

Furthermore, occupational therapy is often recommended for people who have difficulties with such tasks as dressing, feeding themselves, or using the toilet independently.

5 signs your child may need pediatric occupational therapy:

1- If your child avoids certain textures or surfaces, they may have a sensory processing disorder. The pediatric occupational therapist will help the child overcome this with certain activities while making it fun and not scary. It is amazing to watch a professional help a child overcome sensory issues that you thought were never possible as a parent.

2-If they do not use both hands together when playing or pretending to cook, they may need assistance developing their fine motor skills. This can be due to a number of reasons. However, with the right pediatric occupational therapist, you will see improvements, sometimes right away. Your pediatrician might also make some suggestions on ways that you can work on this at home.

3- If your child has difficulty dressing themselves or tying their own shoelaces, then it is time to speak to your pediatrician about your options. Getting oneself dressed can show the signs that the fine motor skills are needing a little improvement. However, in due time you will have a child that will master these skills one at a time. Try not to do it for them, as you are not helping them to learn.  While this is hard for some parents as you are in a hurry, taking the time to let them do it themselves is critical. 

OT isn’t something that will help a child overnight. It will take time and practice. However, pediatric occupational therapists have the skills to make this a fun learning experience at the same time. There will be times that the child will become frustrated and need a break and that’s okay too. We work with patients to build up their comfort level and help them achieve their goals in a positive manner.

Looking further into signs your child might need Occupational Therapy

4- If they are not good at self-calming methods like deep breathing or gazing up at a lighted ceiling fan, then it may be time for some OT assistance. When children have a hard time calming themselves, they can seem out of control and impossible. However, this is a skill that can help the entire family have a better life overall. Everyone will benefit from the help that this child will get during occupational therapy for children.

5-Avoiding eye contact is another tall tale sign that your child might need pediatric occupational therapy. Eye contact is not the only way you can tell signs of autism. But it is a vital and important sign that you should not dismiss. So if your child avoids eye contact, it’s time to have them assessed by a pediatric occupational therapist.

Occupational Therapy for Kids

Pediatric occupational therapy helps children in a variety of ways. Should you feel that your child is behind developmentally, you should speak to your pediatrician for advice. Many times our patients come as referrals from the local pediatricians.  Their doctors believe the patients have a need for our pediatric occupational therapy services.

If you have concerns about your child’s development or want to prepare for the future, then pediatric occupational therapy might be something you should consider. It can help increase the skills they need to succeed in their job and in school later on in life.