How can an occupational therapist help my child?

Play Development, Daily Tasks & More

For most of your child’s life their job has been simple: grow and learn as much as possible!

Playing with toys, running around outside, and interacting with others have all had a hand in your child’s growth so far, helping them develop cognitively, socially, emotionally, and even physically. 

But if you’ve noticed that your kid is having issues during playtime, trouble completing age-appropriate activities, or missing milestones, then they may benefit from seeing an occupational therapist.

If you’re wondering how an occupational therapist can help your child, then read on to discover ten of the main ways occupational therapy can benefit children.

What Is an Occupational Therapist?

An occupational therapist (OT) is someone who helps individuals learn how to accomplish everyday tasks and participate in daily interactions. 

From brushing their teeth to learning how to take turns sharing with others, occupational therapists can help people of all ages learn how to succeed in various areas of their lives. In general, an OT’s main goal during treatment is to better their patient’s overall health and well-being while helping them gain independence and confidence. 

When it comes to pediatric occupational therapy, therapists will work with each child to identify any limitations or delays and utilize interactive activities that will help them practice and succeed in everyday life events and activities.

Signs Your Child Should See an Occupational Therapist

Children who are neurodiverse have been diagnosed with a disability of some kind such as down syndrome, or cerebral palsy often benefit from occupational therapy. At therapy, they’ll work to get better at activities they may have difficulties with.

OT is not just for those with specific diagnoses, occupational therapy may be needed if your child struggles to do basic tasks (i.e., combing their hair, tying their shoes, etc.) or struggles to navigate the complexities of social settings (i.e., at school, during playtime, or at the store).

The best way to monitor for any developmental delays or other limitations is to watch your child and see how they interact with the world around them. If your child relates to any of the following, an OT may be able to help:

• Avoiding certain textures or surfaces
• Trouble tying their shoelaces or dressing themselves
• Not good at self-calming
• Avoiding eye contact or trouble picking up on social cues
• Trouble interacting or playing with other kids their age
• Issues balancing, running, or jumping
• Trouble holding a pencil or other objects

You know your child the best. If you’re noticing that they’re struggling during playtime, interactions with others, or are missing critical developmental milestones, it’s important to schedule a visit with your pediatrician. 

If any disorders, delays, or other issues are present, then the quicker they’re identified, the quicker treatment can begin.

How Can an Occupational Therapist Help My Child?

Occupational therapists can help children develop important skills and improve functions needed in their daily lives. From learning how to play with others to dressing themself, here are some of the ways an occupational therapist can help your child:

1. Play Development

Play has been an important part of your child’s life so far. Now that they’re in school, it’s even more important that they learn how to play well with others, helping them form valuable social and communication skills. 

To promote healthy play development, occupational therapists will utilize various activities to encourage interaction with their surroundings and others, helping them develop socially, cognitively, and even physically as they build motor skills.

2. Become More Independent

Children need their parents. But as they age and mature, they must learn how to do basic tasks on their own. If your kid is struggling in any area of their life, it can hinder their independence and hurt their confidence in the process. Occupational therapy can help your child learn how to succeed in activities that they may struggle with and give them the independence they seek.

3. School Performance & Learning

Every child is unique and a learning style that may work well for one child, may not work well for another. From the playground to the classroom, an occupational therapist can help equip your child with skills, resources, and learning techniques that help them learn and improve their overall school performance.

4. Help With Motor Skills

Some children struggle to accomplish tasks due to physical limitations. An OT will work with your child to improve their fine and gross motor skills to accomplish tasks that they struggle with: walking, holding objects, jumping, balancing, and more.

5. Sensory Processing Difficulties or Differences

Does your child dislike certain textures or surfaces? Sensory processing disorders can interfere with a child’s daily life and make daily activities more difficult than others, such as getting dressed. An OT can help your child become more comfortable with different textures and teach them coping skills to put them at ease.

6. Learn Self-Regulation and Coping Skills

If your child struggles to express themselves in a healthy way or practice self-calming, OTs can help them learn self-regulation and other healthy coping skills for a variety of feelings and situations.

7. Improve Executive Functioning Skills

Executive functioning skills can include memory, organization, planning, time management, attention, and other skills used in daily life. During therapy sessions, your child’s OT may incorporate activities that address these skills, helping your child implement them into their daily life and gain more independence.  

8. Help Their Future

Life changes and new experiences are inevitable, but having access to useful resources and techniques to help make these changes easier can help your kid prepare for their future better. Whether that’s learning how they should behave as a first-time middle schooler or knowing how to cope in high-stress situations, occupational therapy can teach your kid valuable skills they can use for life. 

9. Gain Confidence & Boost Self-Esteem

Many patients who attend occupational therapy for one reason or another are looking to improve certain areas of their lives. With the right treatment, patients can start to see improvement and gain newfound confidence. It may take time, but once your child begins to accomplish more and more tasks that were once difficult, you’ll notice a boost in their self-esteem.

How Does Occupational Therapy Work?

Occupational therapy is a proven way to help individuals succeed in their day-to-day lives and may be just what your kid needs to thrive.

Entrusting your child’s health and well-being with someone new can be scary. Best rest assured that great occupational therapy can be easy to find and a low-stress process. Here’s a basic overview of how occupational therapy works:

• STEP 1: Find a trusted occupational therapist near you.

• STEP 2: Evaluation
  • During the evaluation session, your therapist will spend their time getting to know your child, listen to your concerns, and identify any areas that your child needs help in.

• STEP 3: Develop a Plan
  • The OT will work with you to devise a plan based on their professional opinion and your child’s goals. They may give you helpful resources and information you can use to educate yourself on your child’s delay or disorder and will answer any questions that you may have.

• STEP 4: First Session
  • During the first session, the OT will hit the ground running. Your child will participate in a variety of hands-on activities designed to help them reach their goals. From activities meant to help play development, social development, physical development, and more, your child’s therapist will create a session catered to your child’s needs.

• STEP 5: Practice, practice, practice
  • Learning new skills takes time–and lots of practice. Don’t stress if your child isn’t seeing results right away. Stay patient and supportive, helping out with any at-home exercises. How long your child meets with an occupational therapist varies and depends on a variety of factors. But if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask your child’s therapist! After all, they’re here to help.

Want to learn more about how occupational therapy works? Check out this article!

How Can I Find an Occupational Therapist?

Finding the best therapist for your child doesn’t have to be overwhelming. At Coral Care, we strive to make top-tier pediatric care accessible and affordable.  

Learn more about how we’ll help you find a trusted provider in your area, and how you can set up your first in-home session!