Occupational therapy is a health service provided to patients with physical, mental, or emotional problems. Adults and pediatric patients alike can receive occupational therapy. For children, occupational therapy is usually delivered through fun exercises and activities to engage and interest them.

WHY WOULD CHILDREN NEED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

Children born with defects or injuries or those with learning problems and developmental issues that affect them physically, emotionally, and socially can benefit from occupational therapy. Children with chronic illnesses, such as cerebral palsy, those with life-threatening diseases, like cancer, and those with mental and behavioral problems as well as orthopedic injuries can also benefit from occupational therapy.

HOW OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY HELPS

Occupational therapy helps kids depending on where their difficulties lay due to conditional barriers. Occupational therapy will help them adjust to daily life activities, such as bathing, dressing, brushing, and eating and develop the important skills they need, such as how to hold a pencil and write, which is necessary to complete assignments and advance in school. A child can also learn how to focus their attention and manage emotions from an occupational therapist. Lastly, occupational therapy can help kids gain confidence through accomplishments and independence from their caregivers.

DOES YOUR CHILD NEED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

If your child has difficulty with day-to-day activities due to a neurobiological or developmental disorder or condition, they may benefit from occupational therapy.

Talk to an occupational therapist if your child is experiencing any of the following:

Developmental delays (not reaching developmental milestones in walking, play, and learning)
Difficulty with fine and gross motor skills (holding a pen or pencil)
Delayed oral and sensory skills (drooling or difficulty chewing and drinking)
Difficulty with visual processing (when copying letters and writing)
Issues with sensory processing (overly sensitive to sights and sounds or is easily distracted)
Difficulty with social interactions (delayed speech or difficulty engaging even with family)
Learning challenges (unable to focus and easily distracted in school or writing numbers and letters in reverse)
Difficulty with play (needs adult guidance to start playing or does not share and take turns while playing with others)

Occupational therapy programs for children are highly customized to meet the unique needs of the child. No two kids are alike. Therefore, occupational therapists create programs of activities and exercise specific to each child. Your child will enjoy them and eventually improve in areas where they are challenged.