What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is the therapeutic use of everyday activities (“occupations”) for the purpose of improving or allowing participation in a person’s roles, habits, and routines at home or school, in the workplace, and in their community. For a school-aged child, occupations include important activities such as: effectively navigating and accessing their classroom environment, using and managing their school supplies, completing written assignments, playing at recess, self-regulating, and making and keeping friends. Occupational therapists are trained to help students to better engage in these activities through modifying or adapting particular aspects of an activity and/or improving students abilities to perform these necessary skills.
What skills can be addressed in occupational therapy?
1. Sensory Processing Difficulties
2. Emotional Control and Self-Regulatory Skills
3. Fine Motor Skills
4. Gross Motor Skills
5. Visual Perceptual Skills
6. Executive Functioning Skills
7. Self-Care Skills
What happens is occupational therapy?
What happens is occupational therapy? Occupational therapy begins with an evaluation to determine the child’s unique strengths and challenges. An occupational therapist will then create an individualized program of activities designed to target the specific skills that need improving. For example, a fine motor skills intervention might include strength-building, body awareness, and play-based fine motor activities. An intervention for a student struggling with emotional control and self-regulation might include expanding emotional language, teaching and practicing cognitive and sensory-based strategies, and role-playing. Every program is unique to the child and their needs and interests.
Learn More/Resources
https://www.understood.org/articles/en/occupational-therapy-what-you-need-to-know
https://www.understood.org/articles/en/all-about-fine-motor-skills
https://www.understood.org/articles/en/all-about-gross-motor-skills
https://www.understood.org/articles/en/motor-planning-what-you-need-to-know