You may think occupational therapy is only for adults. Children, after all, do not have occupations. Children’s jobs are to learn and play! Helping Hands will design a comprehensive pediatric OT program tailored to your child. Our goal is to develop and restore as much function and independence (self-esteem and sense of accomplishment) as possible. Our occupational therapists can evaluate skills for play activities, school performance and activities of daily living then compare them to what is developmentally appropriate for an age group. Occupational therapists often use self-care and recreational activities to increase independent function.
Examples of Pediatric Occupational Therapy include:
- help with fine motor skills so they can grasp and release toys and develop good handwriting skills
- address hand–eye coordination to improve play skills (hitting a target, batting a ball, copying from a blackboard, etc.)
- help kids with developmental delays perform daily tasks more independently (toileting, bathing, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, feeding themselves, etc.)
- work with kids who have sensory and attention issues to improve focus and social skills
- help those with behavioral disorders learn anger-management techniques (i.e., instead of hitting others or acting out, using positive ways to deal with anger, such as writing about feelings or participating in a physical activity)
- teach kids with physical disabilities the coordination skills needed to feed themselves, use a computer, or increase the speed and legibility of their handwriting
- evaluate a child’s need for specialized equipment, such as wheelchairs, splints, bathing equipment, dressing devices, or communication aids
Occupational therapy services benefit children with:
- Birth injuries or birth defects
- Sensory processing disorders
- Traumatic injuries (brain or spinal cord)
- Learning problems
- Autism/pervasive developmental disorders
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
- Mental health or behavioral problems
- Broken bones or other orthopedic injuries
- Developmental delays
- Post-surgical conditions
- Burns
- Spina bifida
- Traumatic amputations
- Cancer
- Hand injuries
- Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, and other chronic illnesses