What is Occupational Therapy
Pediatric occupational therapy is a specialized field within occupational therapy that focuses on supporting the development and functional abilities of children from infancy through adolescence. The primary goal of pediatric occupational therapy is to help children engage in everyday activities (occupations) that are meaningful and important to them. These activities include self-care tasks, play, social interactions, and academic performance and they are addressed by strengthening the following foundational motor skills necessary for a child to function in their daily life.
Fine Motor
Fine motor skills are your ability to manipulate items your hands and fingers. If your child has fine motor delays, you may notice any of the following:
> Immature pencil grasp
> Poor penmanship, shakey letters
> Fatigue during handwriting
> Difficulty holding scissors in a thumb-up position and cutting on the line
> Difficulty opening food containers
> Managing clothing fasteners
> Difficulty coloring inside the lines
> Poor upper body strength
> Slow writing speed
> Hunt-and-peck typing
​
​
Visual Motor & Perceptual
Visual motor skills are your ability to write or copy what you see in front of you. If your child has visual motor delays, you may notice any of the following:
> Difficulty tracing letters
> Difficulty cutting on the line
> Forms their letters incorrectly when writing
> Writes words above or below the lower baseline
> Sizing of letters are too big or small
> Not enough spacing between words or letters
> Cannot imitate basic images correctly
> Difficulty completing puzzles
​
​
Bilateral Coordination
Bilateral coordination skills are your ability to complete two-handed tasks with good dexterity and flow. If your child has bilateral coordination delays, you may notice any of the following:
> Cannot hold the paper and cut simultaneously
> Difficulty opening containers such as water bottles or Tupperware
> Does not stabilize their paper during writing and drawing tasks
> Difficulty with fasters such as zippers and buttons
> Difficulty with stringing beads or tying shoe laces
> Difficulty catching a ball
​
Motor Planning & Praxis
Praxis and Motor Planning skills are your ability to come up with new ideas and execute multi-step tasks independently. If your child has praxis or motor planning delays, you may notice any of the following:
> Repetitive play routines instead of opting to try and explore new toys and activities
> Difficulty recalling multiple steps in a task
> Difficulty completing motor tasks with good fluidity, i.e. jumping jacks, animal walks, body movements to song
​
​
Sensory Processing
Sensory processing skills are your ability to maintain a functional arousal level when processing all of the stimuli in your environment including, visual, tactile, auditory, oral, and olfactory. If your child has sensory processing delays, you may notice any of the following:
> Your child may have an adverse reaction to various textures, sounds, or smells
> Your child may become withdrawn or overstimulated by loud or crowded environments
> Exerts excessive pressure on their environment such as seeking big hugs, jumping from high surfaces, breaking pencils, slamming doors
> Seeking touch of various textures with hands or mouth
> Difficulty calming down when upset, angry or frustrated
> Poor balance and tolerance of unsteady surfaces such as swings, sand, or trampoline
​
​