Why Paediatric Occupational Therapy is crucial for your child’s development
Therapy Time’s In-house Occupational Therapist Rachael unpacks why early intervention is crucial for your little one’s development.
Paediatric occupational therapy (OT) is a specialised field that focuses on helping children develop the skills they need to succeed in their daily activities. These activities may include play, self-care, school, and socialisation. The role of a paediatric occupational therapist is to assess a child's strengths and challenges, and then develop an individualised treatment plan to help the child improve their abilities and reach their full potential.
Occupational therapy is a critical component of early intervention services for children with developmental delays, physical disabilities, or cognitive impairments. It is also helpful for children who have experienced trauma or have mental health concerns. Paediatric occupational therapy plays a vital role in helping children overcome challenges and achieve success in their daily lives.
Here are some of the key ways that paediatric occupational therapy is important:
1. Early intervention leads to better outcomes
Early intervention is crucial for children with developmental delays or disabilities. The earlier a child receives occupational therapy, the better their chances are of improving their skills and achieving their developmental milestones. Occupational therapists work with children as young as infants to address developmental concerns and provide support to families. Early intervention can help prevent future challenges and improve a child's ability to participate in activities and tasks that they find meaningful. .
2. Emphasises and builds on a child’s unique strengths and abilities
Occupational therapists have a knack for identifying a child’s unique strengths and abilities. Identifying and harnessing a child’s strengths helps to keep therapy sessions fun and instills a sense of confidence in children and families. By identifying a child’s unique abilities and emerging skills, occupational therapists are able to set a “just right” challenge and break down tasks in such a way that a child feels they can do it. All of this is built on the principle that while occupational therapy has a lot to teach and offer children, parents and therapists also have a lot to learn from each child.
3. Improves fine and gross motor skills
Occupational therapy can help children improve their fine and gross motor skills. Fine motor skills are the small movements we make with our hands and fingers, such as writing, buttoning clothes, and using utensils. Gross motor skills are the larger movements we make with our arms, legs, and body, such as running, jumping, and throwing a ball. Children who struggle with fine and gross motor skills may have difficulty with tasks such as writing, dressing themselves, or participating in sports. Occupational therapists use a variety of activities and exercises to help children improve their motor skills and gain confidence in their abilities. Occupational therapists also have a creative way of approaching a child’s environment and the task they are working on. Sometimes instead of “skill building”, the best way to support a child with fine and gross motor tasks is by making small changes to the activity at hand, the physical environment around them, or adjusting the expectations within their environment to suit a child’s unique needs.
4. Enhances socialisation and communication skills
Paediatric occupational therapy can also help children improve their socialisation and communication skills. Children who struggle with socialisation and communication may have difficulty making friends, engaging in conversations, or understanding social cues. Occupational therapists work with children to develop social and communication skills and insight through play-based activities and other interventions. These interventions may include role-playing, social stories, and group activities. Improving social and communication skills can help children build stronger relationships and connect with the world around them in a meaningful way.
5. Increases independence in self-care
Another important area that paediatric occupational therapy can address is self-care. Self-care skills are the tasks that we do to take care of ourselves, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming. Children who struggle with self-care skills may have difficulty with tasks such as brushing their teeth, tying their shoes, or using the toilet independently. Occupational therapists work with children to develop these skills and increase their independence in self-care tasks. This can help children feel more confident and independent in their daily lives.
6. Addresses sensory processing difficulties
Sensory processing refers to how our bodies interpret and respond to sensory information from our environment. Children who struggle with sensory processing may be overresponsive or underresponsive to certain stimuli, such as sounds, textures, or smells. This can impact their ability to participate in daily activities, such as going to school, playing with friends, or eating certain foods. Occupational therapists can work with children to develop strategies to manage their sensory processing difficulties and improve their participation in daily activities.
7. Supports mental health and well-being
Paediatric occupational therapy can also support children's mental health and well-being. Children who have experienced trauma or have mental health concerns may benefit from occupational therapy interventions. Occupational therapists can help children develop coping skills, manage their emotions, and build resilience. This can help children feel more confident, secure, and capable of managing life's challenges.
In summary, pediatric occupational therapy is essential for promoting the development of children and improving their overall quality of life. Occupational therapy can help children with a wide range of conditions, from physical disabilities to cognitive and developmental delays. Occupational therapy promotes developmental milestones, improves physical abilities, enhances cognitive skills, aids in sensory processing, helps with behavioural challenges, improves socialisation and self-esteem, and helps with school performance. If you believe your child could benefit from pediatric occupational therapy, talk to your healthcare provider or occupational therapist about getting started.
About Therapy Time
Therapy Time is a Certified ESDM provider and north Brisbane Occupational Therapy service passionate about families and local communities. We work with tiny-tots, teenagers, and all the kiddies in between to do the everyday tasks they need to do, want to do and love to do. We make it our mission to partner with families by uniting their unique strengths, values and priorities to see goals fulfilled as a team. We combine our experience and professionalism with a knack for play, to deliver high quality therapy services. We support clients with developmental delays and love to work with kiddies with autism, ADHDers and those who have sensory processing challenges. We would love to meet with you to discuss how we can support you in working towards your goals.
With short waitlist and growing availability we would love to meet with you. Book your session in clinic or via telehealth now.
