“If you tell me, I forget...
If you show me, I see...
If you involve me, I understand”

What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?

People often ask why occupational therapists work with children since they do not have jobs. An ‘occupation’ is more than a vocation, it is any activity that a person values and spends time doing. Children have many occupations that make up their daily lives, such as playing, learning and participating in other meaningful activities. They grow and change rapidly as they explore and play, developing motor coordination, social skills, self-care, and planning abilities.

Occupational therapy is designed to use purposeful and meaningful activities to help individuals develop “skills for the job of living”. This might include learning to ride a bicycle or pump a playground swing, navigating a playground effectively, writing their name, getting dressed or tying their shoes. Older children may need help learning how to organize themselves during daily routines and homework, and participate in chores and meal preparation at home.

How Our Occupational Therapists Can Help

Pediatric occupational therapists address the foundations and specific skills at each stage of development to ensure greater success in activities of daily living. The environment and tasks are modified to allow the child to experience success at each step of the process, moving them towards independence.

Although not all children have a formal medical diagnosis, we have expertise in evaluating and treating the following:

• Developmental Delays
• Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Learning Disabilities
• ADD/ADHD
• Anxiety
• Emotional Disorders
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Down Syndrome
• Cerebral Palsy
• Genetic Disorders

Individual Treatment Plans

Our skilled occupational therapists take the time to carefully evaluate each child and develop an individual treatment plan specifically designed to help the child successfully respond to everyday situations and occupations.

Our facility utilizes premier treatment spaces and the latest treatment techniques to provide evaluations, treatment and consultation for:

• Sensory Integration Intervention
• Fine Motor Development/Handwriting
• Visual Perception/Ocular-Motor
• Eye-Hand Coordination/Ball Skills
• Gross Motor Coordination/Balance/Core Strengthening
• Oral Motor/Feeding
• Therapeutic Music Programs: The Listening Program, Therapeutic Listening and Integrated Listening System (iLS)
• Alert Program of Self Regulation/ Zones of Regulation/Sensory Diets
• Brain Gym®
• Reflex Integration
• Bal-A-Vis-X (Balance-Auditory-Visual-Exercises)
• Astronaut Training Exercises
• Neurodevelopmental Treatment Approach (NDT)
• Craniosacral Therapy

Questions? Concerns?

Click here to view a list of Red Flags that might indicate your child would benefit from Occupational Therapy. If you have any questions about occupational therapy or our therapists, please contact us at 781-335-6663.