What is Occupational Therapy for Kids?

It's the word "occupation" that is confusing, isn't it? Most people think of occupation as synonymous with job or profession, but really an occupation is any activity or role in life that defines a person. We all have many occupations that we engage in at different times and in different locations in our lives. An adult might identify as a parent, an engineer, a cyclist, a musician, a videogamer. Children have a variety of roles including being a student, son/daughter, player (with toys, or sports), artist, friend.

Occupational therapy is primarily concerned with the motor, sensory and behavioral foundations of gross motor control, fine motor expression and visual perceptual development necessary for skill development. A pediatric OT looks for the underlying causes for difficulties your child may be having, taking into consideration the neurobiological basis of learning and development. We help children master the skills necessary for "activities of daily living" at home and in school.

Sometimes the underlying reason for a child's struggle with a certain skill may be surprising. For example a child who struggles with handwriting might actually have poor balance and postural control and therefore has difficulty sitting securely in his chair and controlling his arm for writing. Another child may be hyper-sensitive to sound and touch so that she is bothered by noises around her and the feeling of uncomfortable clothing and cannot attend in class. A third child may struggle to tie his shoes because he cannot coordinate using his two hands together.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy sessions are generally play-based, designed to engage children while working on areas of challenge. Some of the games and activities use equipment that is specific to the OT clinic, but many can be carried over into the home or school setting.