Occupational Therapy
You might associate occupation with work, but occupation is anything that keeps you busy during the day. Occupational therapy helps you develop the skills you need to live an active and fulfilling life.
Children have occupations, too. They play, learn, and develop new skills, ranging from the fine motor skills needed to write or draw with a pencil or crayon to motor coordination, balance, sensory perception, and social skills.
Occupational therapy for children helps them master the skills necessary to lead an active and fulfilling independent life. Often, when developmental delays or congenital abnormalities are treated with occupational therapy early in life, a child builds a stronger foundation for their continued learning and development throughout life.
What are the signs that my child needs occupational therapy?
Ongoing delays may cause children to miss opportunities for achieving critical functional developmental skills. Missing essential skills may later emerge as difficulties in the school years.
Some of the signs that your child may benefit from occupational therapy include:
- Delayed fine motor skill development
- Clumsy or awkward movements
- Poor handwriting
- Poor concentration and struggles to finish tasks or homework
- Easily frustrated when learning new skills
- Constantly on the go
- Poor behavior control
- Dislikes changes in routine
- Doesn’t like crowds and has trouble making friends
While children with conditions like cerebral palsy and Down syndrome benefit from occupational therapy, children without a genetic abnormality may also experience developmental delays that occupational therapy can address.
What happens during occupational therapy sessions?
Occupational therapy maximizes your child’s performance through sensory-motor play-based intervention, resulting in skill mastery and success in areas such as play, motor skills, coordination, behavioral control, feeding, handwriting, and independence in daily routines.
The team at Little Wonders Pediatric Therapy guides your child through play-based exercises designed to help them develop and master new skills, while they feel like they’re playing. In this supportive environment, your child also develops their cognitive skills, such as attention and memory, as well as the communication skills needed to express frustration and joy. As your child learns, they foster a sense of achievement, and their confidence grows.
Call Little Wonders Pediatric Therapy today to find out how occupational therapy can help your child.
