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What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapists work with children and their families, caregivers, and teachers to promote active participation in activities or occupations that are meaningful to them. Occupation refers to activities that support the health, well-being, and development of an individual (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2014). For children and youth, occupations are activities that enable them to learn and develop life skills (e.g., preschool and school activities), be creative and/ or derive enjoyment (e.g., play), and thrive (e.g., selfcare and relationships with others) as both a means and an end. Occupational therapists collaborate with parents/caregivers and other professionals to identify and meet the needs of children experiencing delays or challenges in development; identifying and modifying or compensating for barriers that interfere with, restrict, or inhibit functional performance; teaching and modeling skills and strategies to children, their families, and other adults in their environments to extend therapeutic intervention to all aspects of daily life tasks; and adapting activities, materials, and environmental conditions so children can participate under different conditions and in various settings (e.g., home, school, sports, community programs).
Developmental Needs
The primary occupations of infants, toddlers, and young children are playing, learning, and interacting with caregivers and, eventually, their peers. Occupational therapy address developmental milestones such as (but not limited to), facilitating movement to sit, crawl, or walk independently; learning to pay attention and follow simple instructions; developing the ability to eat, drink, wash, and dress independently; learning to cope with disappointment or failure; reducing extraneous environmental stimuli, such as noise for a child who is easily distracted; building skills for sharing, taking turns, and playing with peers; using toys and materials in both traditional and creative ways; and participating in age appropriate daily routines. The primary occupations of older children and teens are integrating educational instruction in and outside of school, forming and maintaining productive friendships, and beginning the transition to work and more independent, higher education.
A sensory integrative approach is often used when treating a child with motor planning difficulties. Children rely on adequately interpreting sensory information from the tactile, proprioceptive, vestibular, visual, and auditory systems, in order to develop body awareness. Children with motor planning difficulties often have a poor body scheme. By providing your child with sensory information to help organize the information he receives from his environment, he can develop a better body scheme and his motor planning can improve as a result.
Educational Needs
Occupational therapy practitioners work with students in preschool, and elementary, middle, and high school to support successful learning, appropriate behavior, and participation in daily routines and activities. They help support children as they transition throughout the school environments, such as from preschool to kindergarten, from elementary to middle school, and from high school to college and adult life.
Injury Related Needs
When a child experiences a serious illness or injury, medically based or rehabilitative occupational therapy services may be provided. These services are developmentally appropriate and may emphasize physical skills to increase movement, strength, and/or coordination; and adaptive skills or equipment to address deficits in cognitive and executive function, sensory processing, visual motor and perception, and the ability to form appropriate social and interpersonal relationships, with a goal of improving the child’s functional performance and independence.
Emotional-Behavioral Needs
Occupational therapists have training in psycho-social and mental health conditions and are well suited to address children’s emotional and behavioral needs as they relate to everyday activities and social interactions. For example, occupational therapists help children develop the ability to cope with challenges, and to use calming strategies to deal with frustration, defuse anger, and manage impulsivity in order to succeed at individual tasks and collaborative interactions at home, at school, and in the community. As children grow older, skills for success in independent living become essential.
Our Approach at Speech and Motion Therapy
At Speech and Motion Therapy, our therapists use a multi-sensory approach to provide your child with sensory and motor experiences to help improve his responses to sensory input, his body awareness, and fine and gross motor skills. By providing him with a sensory-rich experience in a friendly, safe, and fun environment, your child’s motor planning can be greatly improved. Our trained occupational therapists also provide you with strategies to use in the home and school environments, so you can be an active participant in your child’s success.