What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a health profession that is concerned with people, their activities, and the environments they must function in. OT approaches treatment by using purposeful, goal directed activity to bring about functional independence in a person’s daily occupations such as self-care, educational, recreational, or work activities. While occupational therapists may work with persons of any age, Pediatric Occupational Therapy specifically focuses on the skills required for the activities and roles appropriate for children from birth to age 18, such as play, self-care, educational and learning activities, and pre-vocational skills. Pediatric Occupational Therapists use developmentally appropriate activities in treatment.

Play is a primary occupation of a young child. All children learn and develop essential motor and thinking skills through play activities. Early childhood is a critical time for the development of skills that will lay the foundation for higher academic learning. But not all children develop the same way. Some may need extra help with coordination, sensory processing, eating, playing, dressing and other skill areas necessary for success at school and in life.

A Pediatric Occupational Therapist is a specialist who is an expert in the normal development process. The therapist can identify and measure through observation and testing where a child falls in his cognitive and motor skill levels. When development appears below age expectations, or if a child has a specific disability, the pediatric occupational therapist designs a therapeutic program of play activities to help support the developmental process and help a child reach critical milestones.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy is fun! Therapists use child-directed themes or activities to create a just-right challenge to further a child’s skill development. Activities are carefully selected to balance what the child has mastered while incorporating work on the areas that may be more challenging for the child. To an outside observer Therapy may appear like simply play, but the child is actually working very hard under the therapist’s guidance while having fun. The goals of Therapy are to improve the sensory and motor abilities needed for functional participation in all aspects of a child’s life. With OT, children can learn creative ways to live with a disability or developmental delay so they may reach their maximum potential.

What kinds of kids can benefit from Pediatric OT?

For most children, the development process follows a predictable path and occurs naturally. But for some others a delay or interruption of the developmental process can occur. A problem in development can happen for an assortment of reasons. Some examples are a physical or learning disability, a developmental disorder such as Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, a genetic condition such as Down Syndrome, a brain injury, premature birth, or a medical condition. Sometimes children experience general developmental delays that do not appear to result from any known factor. Pediatric occupational therapists are accustomed to working with children with a wide variety of challenges. Because pediatric occupational therapists understand the development process and are concerned with fostering and supporting it, a diagnosis or specific cause is not essential for treatment. Pediatric Occupational Therapy can help whenever there is a problem that is preventing functional participation in any normal activity of childhood.

If my child needs therapy does this mean he will have less potential than his peers?

In most instances, this is not the case at all. Pediatric Occupational Therapists understand that not all children learn and process information in the same way. Some children are visual learners, others auditory learners and still others may learn best through touch and movement. Therapy can help identify and apply a child’s strengths to help support weaker skill areas. Therapists are very skilled in helping children adapt to challenges by using a multi-sensory approach to learning and skill development.

It is when developmental problems are left unaddressed that a child becomes at risk for many emotional, social, and educational problems. Without help, some children may act out, withdraw from peers, be perceived as lazy or difficult, or become disruptive at home and school. Because of the frustration of being different, self-esteem often becomes damaged and the risk for academic failure is increased, even though the child may be extremely bright.

Of course some children who experience developmental problems do have intellectual and or physical limitations. This may be due to the nature of certain birth anomalies or injuries. However, all children have potential to learn, and proper Therapy is important in helping them achieve their highest functional level.

Can developmental problems be corrected?

The good news is that many children do catch up to their peers when developmental problems are recognized and addressed in early childhood. Early childhood is the best time to start intervention because of the risk of future academic and behavioral problems associated with developmental delays. Pediatric Occupational Therapy can play a valuable role in helping a child to catch up.

In some cases, developmental problems may persist or be part of a life long disability. Early childhood is still the best time to get help. Pediatric Occupational Therapy can help to minimize problems associated with developmental delay. The nervous system is most changeable in early childhood and Therapy can help to bring about positive changes in motor and cognitive skills.

While the brain development process is unique for each child, there are measurable milestones that can determine if the child is developing typically. If you have noticed a child that seems different from other children or has more difficulty than peers in many typical childhood activities, perhaps it is time to consider an evaluation by a professional who understands child development— a Pediatric Occupational Therapist.