WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

Occupational Therapy helps children who are experiencing difficulties interacting in their daily environment and with peers. Activities, techniques, and environmental modifications, as well as sensory tools are utilized to facilitate and maximize performance and participation. The Occupational Therapist (OT) and child work together to achieve independence in all aspects of the child’s life.  OTs use their expertise to help children gain the functional skills they need for independence in play, learning, motor skill development, self care, and socialization in their home, school, and community environments.

 

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD NEEDS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

Children might need occupational therapy if:

• They seem to have weak hands and/or get tired easily while doing fine motor tasks. 

• They have difficulty with learning gross motor tasks such as riding a bike, skipping, or hopping.

• They have trouble with colouring or writing including not being able to develop and maintain a good pencil grasp, have difficulty learning to print letters and numbers, and have trouble with size and spacing of their letters.

• They have challenges learning new motor tasks (e.g. tying shoelaces, using a combination lock) and following multi-step activities.

• They are overly sensitive or emotional to sensory stimulation including touch, textures, tastes, sound, and movement.

• They are under-responsive with decreased reactions to movement, touch, sound, or have unusually low emotional responses. 

• They avoid playground activities.

• They have trouble learning how to dress themselves. 

• They have difficulty transitioning from one task to another or following routines.

• They are overly active, unable to slow down.

• They have difficulty paying attention to or following instructions

• They have difficulties with toileting

• They have difficulty with "growing up" and maturity