What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy’s primary goal is to improve a child’s functional performance and to enhance the child’s ability to interact with his/her physical and social environment. Pediatric occupational therapy targets a child’s occupation–which is to develop social, play, self-care, learning & sensory processing skills. This includes, but is not limited to, feeding skills, sensory regulation and modulation, fine-motor skills, self-help skills, pre-writing and writing skills, visual motor/perceptual skills, and motor coordination. Pediatric OT’s are also skilled in modifying or adapting a child’s environment so that the child has the ability to reach his/her full potential.
Common diagnoses treated by a pediatric occupational therapist:
|
Fine & Visual MotorBuilding foundational skills necessary for play, school and life's daily activities. Areas of importance include:
|
Sensory IntegrationSensory Integration is how the nervous system organizes and takes in all the sensations of the environment. Sensory Integration Dysfunction occurs when a child has difficulty interpreting incoming sensations to the vestibular, proprioceptive, and/or tactile systems.
|
Play & Social DevelopmentHelping kids to engage, participate and socialized through play and learning. By enhancing and using the following:
|