The early years of your child’s life are extremely important as social, cognitive, and physical development and growth of your child take place. Some children experience delayed or restricted advancement in these areas and require support. A pediatric occupational therapist can help enhance development, improve communication and cognitive skills and more.
Here are some of the ways that pediatric occupational therapists help children who require extra support in these areas:
Routine Activities
Occupational therapists recommend changes that help make routine activities such as coordination, handwriting, grooming, play and focus easier for children. They practice in-session but can also give parents exercises to perform at home to help with improvement.
Sensory Processing
Some kids experience too much or too little stimulation through their senses and have trouble interpreting the information they are getting. Pediatric occupational therapists help them to appropriately integrate and respond to sensory input.
Motor Development
Motor skills like pincer grasp (a grasp that uses the pads and tips of the index finger and thumb to pick up and grasp objects) and hand strength are essential for a child’s development and ability to use their hands. Pediatric occupational therapists work with children to practice exercises that will help them do activities like coloring, scissor cutting, playing with small toys/objects and more.
Visual Processing
Children with visual processing issues have trouble making sense of what they see. If your child has difficulty with things like recognizing letters, copying shapes, finding objects or reading, occupational therapy sessions can help them strengthen those skills.
Social Interaction
Some children have difficulty interacting socially, engaging with classmates, family and teachers and/or adapting to new environments. It is important especially as children grow that they learn to build upon these, so parents often get the help of pediatric occupational therapists to highlight the importance of these through assessment, play and observation.
Occupation therapy helps kids play, improve their school performance and aid their daily activities. It also boosts their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment, so it is crucial for those who need it!
If there is a particular area of concern regarding your child’s ability to perform functional activities, please give us a call. Schedule an appointment with our pediatric occupational therapist by calling 970.482.2515 so you can create a strategy based on your child’s needs.