Occupational Therapists, otherwise known as OT’s, are professionals that provide physical rehabilitation. Occupational therapists support a child’s needs to overcome motor coordination, handwriting and sensory difficulties to name a few.
Assessment and treatment are required as a result of illness, injury or circumstance, or a child limited in their ability to undertake the activities of everyday life.
If you are worried about your child’s sensory integration, visual perception, information processing and motor coordination occupational therapy may be able to help.
An occupational therapist that specializes in children in a paediatric occupational therapist.
An occupational therapist helps regain lost functions, develop their abilities and social skills, and maintain and promote independence. They will be able to do this by conducting tests which will assess their functional, emotional, psychological, developmental and physical capabilities. From there they will plan and direct specific therapeutic programs. Activities are chosen accordingly to assist to gain or regain skills and will monitor the progress.
An occupational therapist assists children with disabilities to integrate into education programs in schools.
If a child displays learning challenges or has a identified additional need such as Autism, ADHD, Global Developmental Delay, Dyspraxia or Specific Learning Difficulties.
If a child has physical, sensory, or cognitive disability.
If they seem overly sensitive or emotional to sensory stimulation including touch, textures, tastes, sound, and movement.
When a child is having difficulty performing everyday activities like dressing, tying shoes, feeding themselves, paying attention, writing, drawing, or colouring in the lines.
If a child seems to have weak hands and/or get tired easily while doing fine motor tasks.
If they have difficulty with learning gross motor tasks such as riding a bike, skipping, or hopping.
They are under responsive with decreased reactions to movement, touch, sound, or have unusually low emotional responses.
If they have trouble with writing including pushing too hard or not hard enough, not being able to develop and maintain a good grasp on the pencil and having trouble with size and spacing of their letters.
They have difficulty with coordinating the muscles that control their eyes for good vision.
If you have concerns, see your child’s Dr or paediatrician.