Occupational therapy for children can play an important part of a child’s development. It focuses on the activities that are required to do tasks and participate in daily life. The therapist will provide treatment for sensory and motor skills, self-help, play, social skills, school readiness, fine motor skills, and cognitive development.
Signs your child may need pediatric occupational therapy:
1- If your child avoids certain textures or surfaces, they may have a sensory processing disorder. The pediatric occupational therapist will help the child overcome this with certain activities while making it fun and not scary. It is amazing to watch a professional help a child overcome sensory issues that you thought were never possible as a parent.
2-If they do not use both hands together when playing or pretending to cook, they may need assistance developing their fine motor skills. This can be due to a number of reasons. However, with the right pediatric occupational therapist, you will see improvements, sometimes right away. Your OT might also make some suggestions on ways that you can work on this at home.
3- If your child has difficulty dressing themselves or tying their own shoelaces, then it is time to speak to your OT about your concerns. Getting oneself dressed can show the signs that the fine motor skills are needing a little improvement. However, in due time you will have a child that will master these skills one at a time. Try not to do it for them, as you are not helping them to learn. While this is hard for some parents as you are in a hurry, taking the time to let them do it themselves is critical.
OT isn’t something that will help a child overnight. It will take time and practice. However, pediatric occupational therapists have the skills to make this a fun learning experience at the same time. There will be times that the child will become frustrated and need a break and that’s okay too. We work with patients to build up their comfort level and help them achieve their goals in a positive manner.