Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Your child’s occupations are the activities and tasks they do every day. Some children struggle to handle some of these tasks due to developmental delays, disabilities, or sensory processing disorders. Pediatric occupational therapy can identify your child’s abilities and limitations and address these with proven treatment methods. Your child will love working on their skills in a motivating and supportive environment where therapy feels as fun as playtime.
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Pediatric occupational therapy is a specialized treatment for children who struggle to handle daily tasks due to a developmental delay or disability. Your child will work with an occupational therapist (OT) on different activities and exercises that can help them improve areas of their development that are necessary for their independence.
Why Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy helps with many areas of development such as:
- Fine motor skills – the small movements needed to tie shoes, write, self-feed, etc.
- Cognitive skills – the ability to pay attention, understand others, learn, remember information, solve problems, and other thinking skills.
- Social and emotional skills – needed to understand social cues and rules, good manners, how to play well with other children, and how to cope with feelings like sadness or anger in healthy ways.
- Sensory processing skills – the ability to manage physical and emotional responses to sensory input, such as loud noises, itchy clothes, new foods, etc.
Children with a disability or an occupational delay may struggle with one or more of these areas. This can lead to trouble taking care of their own needs, doing well in school, and making friends. Early intervention is key to ensuring your child can grow, learn, and handle their needs independently.
What Are the Benefits of Occupational Therapy?
When your child participates in routine occupational therapy sessions, they can experience a ton of great benefits such as improved self-confidence, better ability to socialize with other children, improved academic performance, stronger ability to participate in their own self-care, improved focus, attention, and other thinking skills, and increased independence.
How Can I Tell if My Child Needs Occupational Therapy
Often, the most common sign that a child needs occupational therapy is behavioral struggles. If you find yourself frequently wondering why your child is acting a certain way, it could indicate a need for occupational therapy. Some other common signs of an occupational delay include:
- Has trouble getting dressed, especially if clothes have buttons, zippers, or laces
- Not playing with other children, or only playing with younger children
- Frequently bumps into objects, trips, or has accidents
- Seems unaffected by extreme sensations, such as temperature, spice, or pain
- Doesn’t understand relationships or social cues
- Can’t feed themselves during mealtimes
- Poor handwriting, coloring, or scissor-cutting skills
- Struggles to follow multi-step directions or routines
- Has trouble handling their emotions when sad or angry
- Has trouble managing their behavior (frequent outbursts, tantrums, etc.)
- Not climbing, crawling, or walking by the expected age
- Avoids certain sensations such as temperature, texture, sound, etc.
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Contact Us for More Information
Do you have any questions about our therapy services? Give us a call today at (936) 293-8800 or fill out the form below. Our staff will be happy to get you the answers you’re looking for.