Everything You Need to Know About Occupational Therapy for Children

Worker giving occupational therapy for children

Are you seeking OT for your child? Or are you new to term occupational therapy? Then, you have made the right stop.

Occupational therapy, also known as OT, is a health care profession. It helps people of all ages recover from physical, sensory, and cognitive problems. 

Occupational therapy for children helps young ones regain independence in all aspects of their lives. OT is better given to children, and it benefits them more. If you know one who needs this treatment remedy, we think you should recommend it early to them.

Who needs OT?

Occupational therapy for children is given to kids with:

  • Mental health and behavioural problems
  • Development disorders like Autism.
  • Learning problems
  • Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
  • Cancer
  • Chronic diseases 
  • Traumatic Problems
  • Congenital disabilities and birth injury
  • Sensory Processing disorders
  • Post-surgical conditions
  • Burns

How Does Occupational Therapy for children work?

This remedy is targeted at each child’s needs. Occupational therapy for children starts by looking out for the child’s strengths and difficulties. OT then presents skills and activities that will help improve your child.

Such skills include:

    1. Gross motor skills: These activities focus on the large muscles of the body that are key for  general body movements, such as walking, sitting, catching a ball, and jumping 
    2. Fine motor skills: It works on smaller muscles of your kid, for example, hand muscles and eyes. Handwriting, handling of paintbrushes, and dressing are some activities under this skill.
  • Tool use: Kids learn how to utilize basic tools like toothbrushes, cutlery, writing materials for self-care, play, and handwriting skills.
  • Perception of images: Occupational therapy for children helps improve their visual understanding. Kids get involved with activities like reading a book, completing a puzzle, and identifying letters, numbers, and characters in general.
  • Sensory Processing: Involves the processes through which the body reacts to information for the surrounding environment. Children that need OT might have over or under sensitivity to some sensations. Occupational therapy for children helps them maintain a calm state under these sensations.

Locating Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists are licensed professionals that have undergone a 4-year degree program in a related field. Also, the professional should possess a master’s degree in an accredited OT program. You will see some changes in your kid after these pros have handled them.

You can get Occupational therapy for children in the following places: Hospitals, Schools, pediatrics clinics, Mental health centres, and Rehabilitation facilities. 

If you are confused about getting one, you could ask a doctor or health centre for referrals. Also, speaking to the guidance counsellor of your ward’s school can be very helpful.

Occupational therapy for children doesn’t have a time range. Children’s recovery speed varies individually. Your kid could get their remedy in a month or two. Sometimes it could take a few years.

Following instructions and working hard help speed up the remedy process. In the end, these extra efforts will pay off. The most crucial step is to get your child to start. Some of the activities might look strange, but they are purposeful.