Over the course of therapy we have notice an improved ability to manage new foods and responsiveness to techniques that were introduced by our OT Flo. The most positive aspects of therapy for my son and our family were oral motor skill warm ups, new techniques for meal time, and positive reinforcement for importance of mealtime.

Flo was AWESOME! She related very well to our son as well as to the rest of the family. She always had good suggestions and was a wonderful resource to our family. I am delighted that my son has been able to try new foods and manage them AND hope that in the near future he will be able to eat more variety and textures.

Annonymous

Questions about Occupational Therapy? Read our FAQs.

Does My Child Need Occupational Therapy?

The Occupational Therapist (OT) assists children with their fine motor skills, which involve the small muscles of the body. These skills include reaching, grasping, picking up small objects and self-help skills such as self-feeding, dressing, and hygiene.  An OT may also be helpful with feeding difficulties that involve the small muscles of the face and mouth, developing skills involving eye-hand coordination and sensory-integration issues. An OT is able to assist a family in obtaining adaptive equipment as well.

Why is it Called Occupational Therapy?

In Early Intervention, “areas of occupation” include many of the activities of daily living, such as feeding (mealtimes), social participation, education, play, and even rest and sleep. Occupational Therapists help improve your family’s ability to care for your child and to promote his or her development in natural, every day environments and activities.  We work with children from 0-3 years old.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Occupational Therapy for Children

1Why does my child hurt himself or others?
How do I know if my child has a sensory processing problem or if it is just typical toddler behavior?

This can sometime be tricky with babies and toddlers, because they have immature nervous systems and lot of everyday activities can prove to be challenging. A child with a sensory processing problem has very extreme reactions to their environment. It can be difficult or impossible for the child to function effectively within his or her environment.
2How do I know if my child has a sensory processing problem or if it is just typical toddler behavior?
This can sometime be tricky with babies and toddlers, because they have immature nervous systems and lot of everyday activities can prove to be challenging. A child with a sensory processing problem has very extreme reactions to their environment. It can be difficult or impossible for the child to function effectively within his or her environment.
3Why won't my child touch certain textures?
It could be the way his or her nervous system is interpreting this information. Touching certain textures may cause a negative response, because to that child it feels very averse.
4What is sensory processing?
It is how the brain organizes sensations from the body and the environment. It makes it possible for us to use our body effectively in our environment.
5Why does my child refuse to eat?
There is no simple answer to this question. Let’s consider your child’s developmental history related to feeding and review her medical history to understand why it is so difficult for your child to enjoy eating. Your insight will help us put it together in order to help your child move forward in her feeding skills.

 
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