What is occupational Therapy?

A child’s life is made up of “occupations”. These occupations may include playing, learning, and socializing. Occupational therapists work with children and their families to help them succeed in these occupations. They do so by leading fun and functional treatment activities to promote success and independence in daily life.

What skills do Occupational Therapists support?

Occupational Therapists support a variety of developmental skill areas:

  • Daily Living Skills (ADLs/ Self-care)

  • Fine Motor Skills (hand strength, grasp development, in-hand manipulation, crossing midline, bilateral coordination, and unilateral coordination)

  • Visual Motor Skills (eyes and hands working together for drawing, writing, and manipulating objects)

  • Visual Perceptual Skills (interpreting visual information for reading, writing, completing puzzles, cutting, drawing, and completing math problems)

  • Sensory Processing Skills (the ability to take in, process, and respond to sensory information about the environment and from within one's own body)

  • Self-Regulation/ Emotional Regulation (the ability to manage/ control emotions, thought process, behavior, and feelings)

  • Assistive Technology (the use of technology to increase success in terms of written/ spoken communication, to support organization skills, etc.)


How will occupational therapy help my Child?

Occupational therapists might:

  • Help children improve their fine motor skills so they can grasp/ manipulate toys, self-care items, and writing utensils

  • Help children improve their hand-eye coordination skills to produce legible writing, copy from the board, hit a target, catch a ball

  • Help children learn basic tasks (bathing, brushing, feeding, dressing, etc.)

  • Help children manage emotions (i.e. self-regulation strategies)

  • Help children develop appropriate bilateral coordination to type and write at an age-appropriate rate/ level

  • Help children with sensory/ attentional concerns improve focus, emotional regulation, and social skills

  • Evaluate children’s need for specialized/ adaptive equipment (i.e. splints, bathing equipment, dressing devices, etc). .