Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy uses play and child friendly activities and games to work on a variety of developmental skills including fine, visual, and gross motor skills, self care skills, sensory processing and attention, executive functioning skills, and play and social skills. '
If you think your child may be struggling with any of these areas, an OT can help determine why your child is struggling and help develop FUN activities to help your child grow and succeed in their daily life so they can be the amazing kid they are!
We work closely with caregivers to help give you the tools you need to feel confident in how you can help your child at home and how you can advocate for your child in their community.
What Areas Do Occupational Therapist Address?
Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT) focuses on helping children develop the skills they need for daily activities, independence, and overall well-being. Here are the key areas pediatric OTs address:
1. Fine Motor Skills
Hand strength and dexterity
Grasping and manipulating objects (e.g., holding a pencil, using scissors)
Hand-eye coordination
2. Sensory Processing & Integration
Hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to touch, sounds, or movement
Difficulty with proprioception (body awareness) or vestibular processing (balance/motion)
Sensory-seeking or sensory-avoiding behaviors
3. Self-Care & Daily Living Skills
Dressing, tying shoes, and buttoning clothes
Using utensils, opening containers, and eating independently
Brushing teeth, bathing, and toileting skills
4. Handwriting & Pre-Writing Skills
Letter formation, spacing, and legibility
Pencil grip and pressure control
Visual-motor integration
5. Cognitive & Executive Functioning
Attention, focus, and problem-solving
Following multi-step directions
Organization and time management skills
6. Social & Play Skills
Taking turns, sharing, and cooperative play
Emotional regulation and frustration tolerance
Understanding social cues and interactions
7. Adaptive Equipment & Modifications
Recommending tools for daily tasks (e.g., weighted utensils, pencil grips)
Environmental modifications to support learning and independence
7. Primitive Reflex Integration
Moro Reflex (fight-or-flight response, startle reflex)
ATNR (Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex) (affects hand-eye coordination, crossing midline)
STNR (Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex) (affects posture, crawling, and sitting)
Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) (affects balance and coordination)
Palmar Reflex (affects handwriting and fine motor skills)