occupational therapy services
skilled therapeutic intervention
what is OT?
giving you the rundown
what is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapist. Sounds a little bit like a job coach, yeah? We promise - it's so much cooler than that!
In this sense, "occupation" refers to the activity that a person engages in to bring meaning, purpose and independence to their life. This might include the activities and instrumental activities of daily living that we engage in (you can find more of that by clicking here), such as eating, bathing and dressing.
When working with kids, OT also focuses on overall milestone acquisition. Kids accomplish skill development through the occupation of play - it's their work. It's how they learn.
While there are several specialities of occupational therapy, pediatric occupational therapy covers a little bit of everything, which is why we love it so much. In addition to our own practice, several skills that are addressed during occupational therapy intervention frequently overlap with other disciplines, such as speech-language therapy or physical therapy.
skills we may address:
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Gross Motor Coordination, Motor Planning + Sequencing
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Balance and Functional Mobility
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Fine Motor Coordination (grasp, object manipulation)
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Perceptual Motor Skills (ball skills, puzzles, scissor skills)
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Sensory Processing Differences
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Self-Care Skills (toileting, dressing, feeding, grooming, bathing)
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Self-Regulation and Coping Skills
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Body Awareness
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Social Skills
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Engagement, Attention and Focus
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Pretend Play and Symbolic Thinking
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Behavioral Challenges
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Range of Motion
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Muscle Tone and Strength
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Problem Solving and Cognition
While a specific diagnosis is not required to qualify for occupational therapy services, we commonly see children with the following diagnoses:
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Sensory Processing Disorder
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ADHD/ADD
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Developmental delays
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Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Physical disabilities
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Ataxia
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Dyspraxia
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Mental and emotional disorders
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Anxiety disorder
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Oppositional Defiant Disorder
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Eating disorders
who would benefit?
Learn a little bit more about what to expect during an occupational therapy session here.