Improve Your Child’s Movement and Daily Performance
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapists increase an individual’s participation and independence in daily life skills (occupations). They address the child and youth’s physical (motor), psychological, and cognitive aspects to enhance occupational performance by working closely with the family and others.
Following a comprehensive evaluation, intervention may focus on:
- Daily living skills such as feeding, eating, dressing, toileting, hygiene, and sleep.
- Play and leisure skills (e.g., turn-taking, exploration, motor planning).
- Functional cognitive skills such as problem solving, attending, sequencing.
- Physical skills to increase movement, strength, balance, coordination.
- Fine motor and visual motor skills to enhance education and work (e.g., handwriting, cutting, dexterity).
- Self-regulation and sensory processing to enhance participation in the environment.
- Strategies to enhance social interactions (e.g., coping skills, social-emotional cues).
- Modifications or adaptations to environment or equipment to increase independence.
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy (PT) is a treatment of infants, children, and teens to develop, regain and improve their ability to move. It offers individuals a fun positive way to improve their gross motor skills through play, hands-on demonstration, and home exercise programs. A physical therapist evaluates the child using various assessment tools that focus on areas of impairment like strength, balance, and joint mobility.
Individualized treatment programs are set up that allow children to practice and gain new skills, improve skills obtained, and use of toys and/or specialized equipment which allow them to explore and move throughout their environment. Children learn through exploring their environment and physical therapy is available to increase children’s ability to move throughout their environment with as much independence as possible.