Occupational therapy helps kids learn skills needed to do everything they want or need to do during the day. For kids, their “occupations” are playing, eating, getting dressed, bathing, handwriting, going to daycare/school, and more! Depending on a child’s strengths and needs, OT can address fine motor (small movements) skills, bilateral coordination (using both hands), sensory regulation, emotional regulation, visual skills, and feeding.
Here are just 3 ways your child could benefit from OT:
School Readiness: Cutting with scissors, coloring, and writing your name may seem simple, but these tasks actually require many complex hand skills. To succeed in school, your child must develop hand strength, in-hand manipulation skills, fine motor dexterity, as well as establish hand dominance. OT can target each of these skills to improve ability to participate in classroom activities and enhance learning. Does your child switch between use of their right and left hand? Does your child need extra time to write a sentence or say their hand is tired after coloring?
Visual Perceptual Skills: Visual perceptual skills are foundational to success at school and at home. Your child must be able to recognize patterns, use their visual memory, understand spatial relationships, and more in order to solve puzzles, write their name, read a book, and sort toys or clothing. Is your child able to find a toy or game in a cluttered toy box? Is your child able to recognize their colors, shapes, and letters?
Picky Eating: Although it is common for kids to be “picky eaters” it is important that kids try and eat a variety of foods to meet their nutritional needs. OT can increase the variety and types of foods your child eats through play-based feeding therapy, oral motor training, and use of sensory strategies. Does your child eat at least a few foods from each food group?
Is your child struggling with any of the above areas? Contact us to discuss your child’s fine motor skills, visual skills, sensory regulation, feeding and more! We would love to give you new strategies to increase your kid’s independence in age-appropriate self-care, engagement in play, and school readiness/academic performance!