Occupational Therapy

Pediatric Occupational Therapy also referred to as OT, is a specialized area of therapy which focuses on helping children develop the skills they need to participate in desired daily life activities. Occupational Therapists use their unique expertise to help children with and without disabilities prepare for and perform important age-appropriate activities.  OT’s address the “occupations” of life in various setting including home, school and recreation.

An Occupational Therapist will evaluate what is limiting the child from participating in age-appropriate activities and work with the child to overcome these difficulties during individual treatment session.  Occupational Therapists will evaluate the child’s ability to participate in desired daily life activities, by assessing age-appropriate activities of daily living skills, fine motor, visual motor and visual perceptual skills, sensory processing, motor planning, social skills, play skills, and the need for adaptive equipment.  Once the evaluation is complete, the OT will discuss the findings with the family.  At that time, an individualized therapy plan is created based on the child’s specific needs, strengths and challenges.

Occupational therapists are particularly skilled in designing and implementing accommodations and modifications to help children increase success in their daily lives, whether at home, in school, or in the community. Additionally, OTs play a key role in training parents, caregivers, and teachers about the development of children with diverse learning needs.