Many people think that children don’t need Occupational Therapy, after all, children don’t work right? Wrong! A child’s job is to play as playing is the backbone of how a child learns.
A child’s job is to play as playing is the backbone of how a child learns.
An Occupational Therapist helps a child to participate in everyday activities so that they can learn and interact in their environment. Occupational Therapy works to help children develop their cognitive, physical, sensory and motor skills through play-based activities. Common areas where Occupational Therapists assist children may include:
- Movement and Coordination Skills (e.g. jumping, running, balancing, playing)
- Fine Motor Skills (e.g. handwriting and pencil grip, manipulation, joint stability and scissor skills)
- Self Help Skills (e.g. feeding/picky eating, toileting, dressing)
- Hand eye coordination and visual perception (e.g. copying from the chalkboard, managing puzzels)
- Sensory processing and self-regulation difficulties (e.g. under or over-sensitivity to touch, sounds, movement or textures, over-reaction to events, difficult calming self)
- Cognition (e.g. problem solving, adapting for new skills, following instructions, organization)
- Socialization (e.g. interactions with others, building friendships)