”My favorite thing is when a parent sends me a video or a picture, a little update on how their child is doing. It makes me feel so good knowing that to the parent and child, I really made a difference.”

Kathryn Azzara MS, CCC-SLPGoldstar Therapist

What are some signs that my child may need occupational therapy?

What skills are taught in occupational therapy?

How can occupational therapy benefit my child?

What are the signs that my child may need occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy helps your child learn to carry out daily activities by developing their sensory integration and fine motor skills. From early milestones like reaching and grasping to “big kid” skills like self-feeding, dressing, and teeth brushing, occupational therapy can make a vast difference in how your child engages with the world and develops independence and self-confidence.

Your child may benefit from occupational therapy if he or she is delayed or struggling in any of the following areas:

Fine motor skills:

Fine motor skills are small movements made with fingers, toes, and wrists like stacking blocks, grasping a crayon or holding a spoon. If your child is struggling with fine motor skills, they may have difficulty with:

  • Manipulating toys and puzzles
  • Self-feeding
  • Using scissors
  • Using zippers, and buttons
  • Coloring, drawing, tracing, prewriting shapes
  • Avoiding tasks and games that require fine motor skills
  • Using both hands during play

Self-care:

Occupational therapists facilitate self care, promoting a child’s self confidence and independence within their everyday routines and activities. A child who is struggling with self-care may be having difficulties with the following:

  • Self feeding
  • Dressing
  • Body awareness
  • Regulating their emotions
  • Transitioning between activities
  • Following routines

Social interaction:

Social interaction skills are skills that help us have relationships and understand those around us. They help us bond with caregivers and peers in our lives. Your child may have delayed social skills if they show some of the following things:

  • Difficulty interacting socially and engaging with family and peers
  • Difficulty adapting to new environments
  • Delayed language skills
  • Overly focused on one subject (e.g., space, universe, dinosaurs, trains)
  • Can’t cope in the pre-school environment

Play skills:

Play skills are skills that can help a child make sense of the world around them. A child can gain self-confidence, learn problem solving, and develop social skills through play. Your child may be developmentally delayed if they show one of the following symptoms:

  • Needs adult guidance to initiate play
  • Difficulty with imitative play
  • Wanders aimlessly without purposeful play
  • Moves quickly from one activity to the next
  • Does not explore toys appropriately
  • Participates in repetitive play for hours (e.g., lining up toys)
  • Does not join in with peers/siblings when playing
  • Does not understand concepts of sharing and turn-taking

Remember that all children are different and develop these skill sets at their own pace. However, if you think your child may be struggling with adopting some of the skill areas above, you can contact an occupational therapist.

Sensory processing:

Sensory processing is making sense of information that we receive through our senses, like touch, taste, sight, sound, movement and smell. A child may be over-sensitive or under-reactive to things around them and show the following symptoms:

  • Overly sensitive or heightened reactivity to sound, touch, or movement
  • Under-responsive to certain sensations (e.g., high pain tolerance, doesn’t notice cuts/bruises)
  • Constantly moving, jumping, crashing, bumping
  • Easily distracted by visual or auditory stimuli
  • Emotionally reactive
  • Difficulty coping with change
  • Inability to calm self when upset
  • Picky eater
  • Difficulty with balance

How can occupational therapy benefit my child?

Occupational therapy can help maximize the skills needed for various occupations such as playtime, mealtime, bathtime, socializing, or any other activity your child enjoys. The therapist provides your child and your family with the tools to strengthen the necessary abilities for the following:

  • Problem solving
  • Social skills and participation
  • Organization
  • Independence in self-feeding
  • Spatial awareness
  • Self-advocacy
  • Sensory integration
  • Motor coordination
  • Managing emotions
  • Creating meaningful relationships
  • Promoting healthy sleep/nap schedules
  • Increasing ease in transitions
  • Promoting safe transportation
  • Facilitating participation in community activities.

We help your child learn to carry out daily activities by developing their sensory integration and fine motor skills. From early milestones like reaching and grasping to “big kid” skills like self-feeding, dressing, and teeth brushing, occupational therapy can make a vast difference in how your child engages with the world and develops independence and self-confidence.

Our expert therapists also work collaboratively with your child’s Early Intervention team to evaluate a child’s needs for specialized equipment and/or communication aids to unlock independence in play, learning, and communication.

Schedule an evaluation