Occupational Therapy
Are you a pediatrician? Please see our page on When to Refer to Pediatric Occupational Therapy!
Fine motor skills refer to finger dexterity, hand strength, fine manual control, and immature grasp. Poor fine motor skills can impact manipulating small objects (buttons, toys), handwriting, using utensils (fork, spoon).
Children and adults with fine motor challenges may have illegible handwriting, write slowly, or may avoid toys with small pieces.
Children and adults with fine motor challenges may have illegible handwriting, write slowly, or may avoid toys with small pieces.
Motor planning skills encompass visualizing, sequencing, and executing a plan.
Children and adults with motor planning challenges may stick to one familiar game, appear fearful to try something new, or have trouble learning a new skill.
Children and adults with motor planning challenges may stick to one familiar game, appear fearful to try something new, or have trouble learning a new skill.
Sensory integration therapy works to address sensory processing disorders and challenges by exposing children to sensory stimuli in a structured, therapeutic, and repetitive way. Sensory processing disorders impacts a person's ability to manage sensory stimuli Challenges in this area can impact attention, regulation, and can impact learning. These children may be over- or under-responsive to visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular, and/or proprioceptive stimuli.
Children and adults with sensory processing disorders or challenges with sensory stimuli may have reactions to loud noises, bright lights, seams on socks, or hold objects too tight.
Children and adults with sensory processing disorders or challenges with sensory stimuli may have reactions to loud noises, bright lights, seams on socks, or hold objects too tight.
Self-Care refers to independently completing the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), tasks that are done every day, such as getting dressed, brushing teething, tying shoes, playing with toys, etc.
Challenges in this area may leave children and adults more dependent on a caregiver or parent to complete these tasks.
Challenges in this area may leave children and adults more dependent on a caregiver or parent to complete these tasks.
Cognitive skills include executive functioning skills, such as working memory, planning, organization, and sustaining attention.
Children and adults with cognition challenges may have trouble remembering their letters, shapes, and numbers, sustaining attention to an activity, or organizing their ideas.
Children and adults with cognition challenges may have trouble remembering their letters, shapes, and numbers, sustaining attention to an activity, or organizing their ideas.
Visual processing includes visual motor integration skills and visual perceptual skills, including: hand-eye coordination, copying.
Children and adults with visual motor challenges may have a hard time copying from the board onto their paper or telling the difference between two objects.
Children and adults with visual motor challenges may have a hard time copying from the board onto their paper or telling the difference between two objects.
Emotional regulation involves recognizing emotions and developing strategies to help return to a regulated state.
Children and adults with emotional regulation challenges may move from one emotion to another very quickly, or may require assistance to calm after having big feelings.
Children and adults with emotional regulation challenges may move from one emotion to another very quickly, or may require assistance to calm after having big feelings.
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