Common Areas of Focus in Occupational Therapy

Our occupational therapy services focus on the following key areas:

• Primitive Reflex Integration: Primitive reflexes are automatic movements that are typically present at birth (think about how a gagging or jerking your hand away from a hot surface is reflexive—not a voluntary movement). Most of these reflexes (except for some “safety” reflexes like the ones just mentioned) should become more volitional or intentional as a child grows. When that doesn’t happen, we say those reflexes aren’t “integrated. By not integrating properly, these retained reflexes can interfere with a child’s development. OT can help integrate these reflexes, allowing for smoother coordination and better overall motor control.

• Emotional Regulation: Children may experience difficulty managing their emotions, especially in stressful situations. This may look like a child being difficult to calm or comfort, having frequent meltdowns or outbursts during the day, or generally having “big emotions.” OT supports children in recognizing and managing their emotions, improving their ability to cope with stress, and promoting self-regulation through regulating the nervous system and teaching regulation strategies.

• Fine Motor Skills: Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the hands and fingers and are essential for tasks like writing, drawing, buttoning clothes, and feeding. By identifying the root cause of your child’s fine motor issues, we can individualize a treatment plan to work from the ground up to = develop the strength, coordination, and precision required for these activities.

• Sensory Processing: Our bodies have more than the 5 senses we all learned in school! There are actually 8 sensory systems: vision, hearing, tactile/touch, taste, smell, proprioception, interoception, and vestibular. We all have a sensory threshold where our body likes us to live—somewhere in the middle. Some little bodies (and even adult bodies) process sensory information differently. Kids can process sensory information as “too much” (hypersensitivity) or as “too little” (hyposensitivity). An OT learns your child’s sensory needs and teaches you and your child how to manage those sensory needs, as well as regulate the body to better process sensory input.

• School Readiness: As children approach school age, OT can support the development of skills needed for success in the classroom including attention, handwriting, and organizational skills. We work on sensory processing, coordination, and other foundational skills to help children feel prepared for the school environment.

• Visual Motor: Visual motor skills involve the coordination between what a child sees and how they respond with their hands. These skills are crucial for tasks like writing, drawing, catching a ball, or using scissors. Visual motor strategies focus on improving this coordination by helping children process visual information and translate it into accurate motor responses. By using targeted exercises and activities, we help children strengthen their visual perception, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor control, making everyday tasks more manageable and enhancing their ability to succeed in both academic and recreational activities.

Signs That Your Child May Benefit from Occupational Therapy

Children may benefit from OT if they show signs of challenges in the following areas:

• Difficulty with fine motor tasks such as drawing, writing, or using utensils.

• Delayed development of gross motor skills, balance, or coordination.

• Trouble with self-regulation, emotional outbursts, or difficulty managing transitions.

• Struggles with school “behaviors” including sitting still, following instructions, or organizing materials.

• Issues with coordination or using different sides of the body efficiently or effectively.

• Difficulty with hand eye coordination or processing visual information.

• High levels of anxiety or uncertainty.

• Sensitivity to certain sensory input such as loud sounds, bright lights, or certain textures.

• Seems to be seek out sensory input more than other kids their age.

• Tends need a greater amount of sensory input to engage with others or their environment.

Benefits of Occupational Therapy

Engaging in occupational therapy can lead to numerous benefits for children, such as:

• Improved fine motor skills, leading to better handwriting, drawing, and daily task performance.

• Increased emotional regulation and coping skills, reducing stress and anxiety.

• Enhanced coordination and balance, improving overall motor control.

• Greater independence in daily activities, such as dressing, feeding, and self-care tasks.

• Better preparedness for school, including the development of essential academic and social skills.

Getting Started with Occupational Therapy

If you notice that your child is struggling with any of the areas mentioned above, occupational therapy may be a helpful option. Our occupational therapists will review your child’s history and your concerns, then choose the most appropriate assessments to identify your child’s specific needs. They will then create an individualized treatment plan to support both you and your child. Throughout the process, we work closely with parents so they feel confident in supporting their kids at home.

Get in touch if you’d like to schedule an OT evaluation with one of our occupational therapists!