Occupational Therapy
What is OT?
Occupational therapy helps children gain independence while also strengthening the development of fine motor skills, sensory-motor skills, and visual-motor skills that children need to function and socialize. A child’s main job is playing and learning, and occupational therapists can evaluate kids’ skills for playing, school performance, and daily activities and compare them with what is developmentally appropriate for that age group.
Occupational Therapists:
- Help kids work on fine motor skills so they can grasp and release toys and develop good handwriting skills
- Address hand-eye coordination to improve kids’ play and school skills (hitting a target, batting a ball, copying from a blackboard, etc.)
- Help kids with behavioral disorders maintain positive behaviors in all environments (e.g., instead of hitting others or acting out, using positive
Ways to deal with anger, such as writing about feelings or participating in 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
- Work with kids who have sensory and attention issues to improve focus and social skills
Who May Benefit From Occupational Therapy
Kids with certain medical conditions may benefit. Some conditions are as follows:
- Sensory processing disorders
- Learning problems
- Autism/pervasive developmental disorders
- Mental health or behavioral problems
- Developmental delays
- Multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and other chronic illnesses