The primary goal of occupational therapy for children is to enable people to participate in occupations (activities) that give meaning and purpose to their lives.
Occupational therapy for children helps children to achieve the skills needed to participate in everyday activities and in age appropriate play as Play is the occupation for the child. Occupational Therapy focuses on children achieving independence while enhancing their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.
Occupational therapy focuses on the development of life skills that enable children to function appropriately within their environment. For children, these activities may include using their hands for play, dressing, feeding, toileting, bathing, following routines and moving around their homes, communities, preschools, daycares, schools etc.
A child who is 3 year old, if unable to do age appropriate activities like:
unable to catch or kick a ball,
not able to jump,
not able to play as his peers.
not able to eat by himself
Inability to perform these activities affects the ability to play and interact with his
peers. Assessment is done to check the gross motor skills, motor planning, fine
motor skills, eye hand coordination, ability to focus and pay attention to perform
the particular tasks.
Therapy sessions are individually tailored to specific needs of the child.
Occupational Therapy targets the development in the areas of:
• Sensory Processing Skills • Motor Planning skills • Fine Motor Skills        a) Grasping skills        b) Object manipulation • ADLs (activities of daily living)        a) Feeding        b) Dressing        c) Bathing        d) Toileting        e) Grooming • Visual Perceptual Skills • Visual-Motor Skills: coordination of eyes and hands for:        a) Writing        b) Throwing        c) Catching        d) Using both hands together • Upper Body Strength and Endurance • Splinting and Positioning
Common conditions/Diagnosis needed Occupational Therapy:
• Development delay • Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) • Sensory processing disorders • Cerebral Palsy • Down syndrome • Muscular dystrophies • Neuromotor conditions • Brachial plexus injury • Hand function disorders • Feeding/ eating disorders
For children with autism, Occupational Therapy is often sensory-based and helps them integrate their sensory systems within the environment. Therapy works on initiating and sustaining purposeful play and interacting with others.
Children with autism may not have major physical disabilities, but many are struggling with specific challenges including:
Low motor tone (weak muscles) ,
Sensory dysfunction (too much or too little response to touch, movement, sound, light, smell, or taste) ,
Difficulty with motor planning (lack of coordination),
Lack of imitative skills that help typically developing children learn play skills and skills of daily living,
Lack of social skills that help typically developing children learn how to engage in physical activities in a group setting .,
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