Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy helps children develop and improve their fine motor, visual motor and sensory integration skills in order to support them in their ability to fully participate and engage with their daily routines and environments. This can include sensory processing, handwriting, and self-care needs. Our occupational therapists work with children to help them reach their potential and become independent in their daily lives.
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Based on each client's needs we will pair you with the appropriate experienced therapist. Listed below are a few specialties that are available here at KIDS, Inc.
Sensory Processing Therapy
Sensory processing (or sensory integration) is the brain’s ability to take in sensory information from the environment through all parts of the body, interpret that information and utilize that information for functional use. Sensory processing delays occur when the nervous (sensory) system is unable to appropriately process the incoming information as well as organize that input for an expected functional motor, behavioral or emotional response. This becomes a functional disorder when sensory processing difficulties chronically impact a child’s ability to function in their daily routines and expectations. Your occupational therapist can help to identify the underlying sensory processing difficulties and provide treatment strategies to address them. This will include in-clinic sessions and suggestions for carry-over in the home environment for maximum progress toward your child’s goals.
Handwriting
Handwriting is a complex task that involves the whole body. Handwriting requires core stability, proximal control of the trunk, shoulders and arms, as well hand hand strength. Additionally, it requires complex fine and visual motor skills, but most important the integration of those skills to produce a functional, legible result. Your occupational therapist will assess not only your child’s handwriting, but the foundational skills necessary to ensure a sustainable improvement in their skills.
Fine Motor
Fine motor refers to the small movements of the hands and fingers. Fine motor development impacts a child’s ability to care for themselves (self care), function in their community environments (school, daycare) and engage in leisure activities with friends and family. Like many things, fine motor skills are the functional output of a complex system of gross motor, motor planning and visual motor skills. Your occupational therapist will assess your child’s functional fine motor skills and provide a plan for treatment to improve their ability to fully engage in all of their natural environments.
Self Care
Self care or activities of daily living (ADLs) are the activities that your child needs to complete on a daily basis to help take care of themselves. This includes dressing, eating, bathing, and hygiene. These ADLs are complex tasks that require an integration of fine motor, visual motor, gross motor and planning skills to carry out. Your occupational therapist will help your child develop the underlying skills necessary to carry out these tasks, as well as functional suggestions to support your child’s development at home.
Vision OT
Vision is the most far-reaching sensory system we have, and it is continually providing information to every area of the brain. This complex system encompasses far more than acuity (clarity of vision) alone; therefore, it is essential to your child’s learning and development. Deficits in a child’s foundation visual skills and/or how they process that visual information has a significant impact on how they function throughout the day. Whether your child has eye coordination challenges, tracking issues, low vision or cortical visual impairment, visual perceptual processing deficits, or visual motor integration challenges, your occupational therapists who specialize in vision, will be able to evaluate and treat areas that can directly affect your child’s success at home, school, or within the community. Your occupational therapist will also partner with your child’s school and eye care professional in order to develop a plan that leads to the best possible functional outcomes for your child.
Therapeutic Listening
Therapeutic Listening is a sound-based intervention that addresses a variety of difficulties including processing sensory information, listening, attention, and communication. Therapeutic Listening is initiated in clinic, then is carried over in the child’s natural environment, along with continued clinic based occupational therapy. Your occupational therapist will develop a customized listening plan for your child to address their specific needs, as identified through clinical evaluation and parent/teacher consultation.