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What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy can be described as the therapeutic use of activities to facilitate children’s overall development, and independence in all aspects of life to enhance their quality of life. Occupational Therapy is both an art and a science. It is an art because it involves a skilled therapist who incorporates critical thinking to adapt tasks and activities to enhance a child’s occupational performance. Occupational Therapy is a scientific strategy as it uses evidence-based approaches during assessments and treatments.
Who might need Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy help kids and teens who have:
Developmental Delays
Kids having delays in Physical, cognitive and emotional development including the ones with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, or sensory processing issues can reap great benefits from Occupational Therapy.
Physical Disabilities
Kids and teens having physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or spina bifida are often in need of occupational therapy that helps their motor skills improve and increase their independence.
Learning Disabilities
Kids and teens having learning-based challenges such as dyslexia or dysgraphia can reap benefits from occupational therapythat will help them with their fine motor skills, handwriting, and organisational abilities.
Emotional and Behavioural Issues
Kids and Teens with emotional and behavioural challenges such as anxiety, depression, or oppositional defiant disorders can reap great benefits from occupational therapy.
Occupational Therapy focuses on facilitating the following areas:
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Motor skills: Fine and gross motor (movement) skills such as posture, gait, balance, coordination, and body schema
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Dyspraxia and Motor Planning abilities
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Handwriting and Pre-writing Skills
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Behaviour issues (often tied to difficulties with sensory or emotional regulation in general). OTs work closely with speech and language therapists who deal with the communication aspect of behavioural challenges.
02
Activities of daily living like toileting and feeding
04
Visual Perception and Spatial Orientation
06
Sensory and Emotional Regulation
08
Cognition (attention, executive functions)
Benefits of Occupational Therapy:
An Occupational therapist focuses on assessing the different abilities of children in school, home, and outdoor environments and aims to support them to realize their full potential and overcome any challenges. These challenges can occur in any of the following areas namely:
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Handwriting
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Motor coordination
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Praxis
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Activities of daily living
What does an Occupational Therapist do?
Occupational therapists implement a top-down approach during sessions or a dynamic approach as it is more evidence-based and includes an outcome-based approach. The top-down approach assesses the child’s occupational performance along with their role participation. Various other therapy approaches are implemented to maximize function. The occupational therapist takes into account the ‘whole’ child which includes all aspects of the child’s cognitive, social-emotional, psychological, and physical makeup.
What an initial Occupational Therapy assessment would look like?
An initial session would comprise a screener incorporating a play-based approach to understand your child’s abilities and difficulties. Most assessments will take place in our fully equipped sensory integration gym. The assessment can comprise of using various standardized tests, which will then be summarized into a report if needed. This report stands as the baseline for the intervention process. This report can also be used for obtaining education accommodations.
