What is pediatric occupational therapy?

An occupational therapist assesses and provides treatment for children in order for them to maximize their independence in the areas of: fine and gross motor skills, self-care, play skills, eating and feeding as well as sensory processing skills.

Why might my child need occupational therapy?

Children see an occupational therapist for a variety of reasons including:

· Delays in fine and gross motor skills

· Difficulty achieving age-appropriate milestones (e.g. sitting up, rolling, playing with toys)

· Challenges with motor planning (the act of remembering and performing steps in order to carry out an action or movement).

· Poor balance and/or coordination e.g. challenges navigating playground equipment, slides, swings.

· Difficulty using scissors, poor pre-printing or printing skills, inefficient pencil grasp.

· Over/under reactions to sensory stimulus (e.g. sensitivity to sound, touch, textures, movement)

· Challenges in feeding and eating skills, poor oral motor skills; difficulty biting and chewing food effectively, drinking from a straw or an open cup at an age-appropriate time.

· Picky eater, only eating foods with a certain texture, food adversions and restrictive eating.

· Difficulty undressing/dressing self, tie laces, manage fasteners on clothing.

· Challenges with self-regulation, emotionally reactive, inability to calm self when upset.

We offer a number of assessments including:

· Fine motor and printing assessment

· Feeding assessment

· Sensory assessment

· Infant assessment