Occupational Therapy
If you have concerns regarding your child’s gross motor, fine motor or sensory integration skills, contact Chatterbox Pediatric Therapy to schedule an evaluation.
Pediatric occupational therapists help children meet developmental milestones, overcome sensory challenges, and improve self-care, play, and self-regulation skills.
Occupational therapy can support your child in areas such as:
- Movement: Fine motor skills like using the small muscles of their hands.
- Learning: Cognitive skills.
- Playing: Social and emotional skills.
- Daily Activities: Dressing and feeding.
- Education: Pre-writing, writing, and scissor skills.
For example, pediatric occupational therapy can encourage children to write with a pencil, feed themselves, and play with peers. Each child has individualized goals based on a full evaluation.
Children from infants to teenagers may need occupational therapy if they have:
- A congenital condition affecting physical or cognitive function.
- A condition affecting development.
- A neurological condition, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or cerebral palsy.
- An injury requiring adaptive equipment like prosthetics or mobility devices.
Pediatric occupational therapy can treat or manage:
- Movement and coordination.
- Cognitive functions: Thoughts, perception, and memory.
- Sensory processing.
- Visual-motor and visual-perceptual skills.
- Self-regulation and coping skills.
- Mental health conditions.
Common conditions treated by pediatric occupational therapists:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Autism spectrum disorder.
- Cerebral palsy.
- Developmental delays.
- Down syndrome.
- Sensory processing disorder.
Benefits of pediatric occupational therapy include:
- Improving school performance.
- Gaining independence.
- Boosting confidence and self-esteem.
- Playing well with others.
The Following Are General Indicators That A Child May Benefit From An OT Evaluation:
- Difficulty tolerating touch, such as brushing hair or brushing teeth
- Difficulties in sports, such as catching or throwing a ball
- Unable to ride a bicycle independently by age 8
- Poor organizational skills
- Difficulty regulating activity level
- Frequent emotional outburst or “meltdowns” in behavior
- Lack of age appropriate play skills
- Weak, stiff or uncoordinated movements
- Awkward grasp or clumsy use of crayons, pencils, scissors or other tools and utensils
- Excessive seeking or avoidance of movement or touch
- Absence of hand preference after age 6
- Difficulty with age appropriate self-help skills such as dressing and toileting
- Attention and organizational problems with school tasks
- Difficulties with social interaction
- Difficulties with feeding, food aversions or a very limited diet
- Poor balance skills
By 2 to 3 Months Of Age
GROSS / FINE MOTOR
- Lifts head 45 degrees while in prone (lying on tummy)
- Opens and closes hands
- Follows a toy with eyes from side to side
- Brings hands together toward middle of body
- Attempts to reach for toy
- Grasps a small toy placed in hand
- Breastfeeds or drinks from a bottle without choking, coughing or gagging
By 4 to 6 Months
GROSS / FINE MOTOR
- Rolls belly to back (both to right and left sides)
- Hits at dangling toys with hands
- Lifts head to 90 degrees while in prone (lying on tummy)
- Raises entire chest when on stomach and bears weight on hands
- Rolls back to belly (both to right and left sides)
By 6 Months - Begins to sit using hands for support
- Transfers toys from hand to hand
- Reaches with increased control for a toy
- Shakes and bangs toys
- Eats small amounts of pureed baby food
By 7 to 12 Months
GROSS / FINE MOTOR
- Sustained sitting without using their arms for support
- Crawls on hands and knees with stomach off the floor (9 months)
- Feeds self finger foods (8 months+)
- Moves into sitting position independently
- Eats mashed table food
- Sits well to play
- Imitates simple play such as “peek a boo”
- Pulls self up to stand using furniture
12 Months to 24 Months
GROSS / FINE MOTOR
- Pulls off socks and shoes
- Cooperates with dressing (helps to pull off clothing; extends arms and legs to assist with dressing)
- Scribbles on paper
- Stands alone
- Walking (1-2 steps alone)
- Uses thumb and pointer finger to pick up small objects (15 Months)
- Eats a variety of soft, chopped table food
- Drinks from a sippy cup independently
- Stacks 2 blocks
- Walks well with infrequent falls
- Squats to pick up an object and stands up again without falling
- Throws/kicks balls
- Eats a variety of solid foods
2yrs To 4yrs
- Snips with scissors
- Imitates horizontal, vertical lines and circular marks
- Removes elastic waist pants
- Builds at least a 6 block tower
- Pushes, pulls or carries toys while walking (18 months)
- Pedals a tricycle
- Catches a large ball thrown gently from very close
- Runs well without falling (2.5 years)
- Drinks from an open cup
3yrs To 4yrs
GROSS / FINE MOTOR
- Static tripod grasp (held with thumb, index and middle fingers while hand moves as a unit)
4yrs To 5yrs
GROSS / FINE MOTOR
- Static tripod grasp (held with thumb, index and middle fingers while hand moves as a unit)
- Prints name from memory
- Colors within the lines
- Draws a person with at least 6 or more different parts
- Cuts out a square
5yrs to 6yrs
- Dynamic tripod grasp (held with thumb, index and middle fingers with ring and pinky curled into palm; movement of writing utensil comes from the fingertips)
- Throws at a target 5 feet away and hits target fairly consistently
- Copies letters and numbers
- Skips independently
- Rides a bicycle independently
References:
Beery, K.E. & Beery, N.A. (2010). The Beery-Buktenica developmental test of visual- motor integration(Beery VMI) with supplemental developmental tests of visual perception and motor coordination and stepping stones age norms from birth to age six: Administration , scoring, and teaching manual (6th ed.). Bloomington, MN: Pearson.
Case-Smith, J. (2005) Occupational therapy for children (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier, Inc.
Haley, S.M., Coster, W.J., Ludlow, L.H., Haltiwanger, J., & Andrellos, P. (1992). Pediatric evaluation of disability inventory (PEDI): Development, standardization and administration manual (Version 1.0). Boston, MA: PEDI Research Group.
Miller, L.J. (2006). Sensational kids: Hope and help for children with sensory processing disorder (SPD). New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Reebye, P. & Stalker, A. (2008). Understanding regulation disorders of sensory processing in children: Management strategies for parents and professionals. Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Williamson, G.G. & Anzalone, M.E. (2001). Sensory integration and self-regulation in infants and toddlers: Helping very young children interact with their environment. Washington, D.C.: Zero to Three.