What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy focuses on promoting independence in activities of everyday living.
Children’s occupations include play, self-care (e.g. eating, dressing, grooming, toileting and sleeping) and academic tasks (e.g. handwriting, fine motor skills and attention and focus).
How can Occupational Therapy help?
Occupational therapists evaluate strengths and difficulties, and then design interventions to develop the skills needed for success in daily living. These skills include:
- Visual-motor skills and eye hand coordination
- Strength, balance and coordination
- Sensory processing skills (the ability to interpret and organise information from the senses about the body and environment)
- Sensory regulation, to support attention and concentration
- Emotional regulation
- Planning and organisation skills
Occupational Therapists work with children in collaboration with the child’s family, teachers and other health professionals.