PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
We work with families to support children ages 0-18 years to master skills needed for independence in childhood activities. Occupational therapists choose purposeful and meaningful activities to help children develop sensory processing skills, organizational skills, motor planning, visual motor skills, self-care skills, social skills, and self-regulation skills. We are skilled at modifying the task and/or the environment to ensure individual success.
INDICATORS THAT A CHILD MAY NEED OT SERVICES:
Awkward grasp of writing tools and poor writing skills.
Lack of age appropriate skills.
Excessive seeking or avoiding of touch or movement.
Difficulty with age appropriate self-help skills.
Attention and Organizational Difficulties.
Sensory Integration is the organization of sensation for use. The brain must organize all incoming sensory information in order to move, learn, and respond appropriately to the environment. Each individual has a unique set of sensory needs. Sometimes those needs are extreme and can lead to dysfunction. Occupational therapists use objective testing tools to understand a child’s sensory needs and design purposeful activities to best meet those sensory needs while also promoting healthy development.
The Neurobehavioral Approach links brain function to behaviors. It is based on understanding the physical cause of behaviors and then adjusting the environment and expectations to match abilities. This approach works well for individuals with hidden disabilities associated with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and learning disabilities. The current standard practice targets changing the behaviors and assumes that normal brain function is present. Standard practices, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, are based on Learning Theory that views behaviors as intentional rather than symptomatic.
Self-regulation is the ability to attain, maintain, and change levels of alertness required for a task or situation. For example, naptime requires a low level of alertness while jumping on a trampoline requires a much higher level of alertness. Most academic tasks require a medium level of alertness that is neither too high or too low. Understanding these different levels, recognizing them in ourselves, and understanding how to adjust them is the basis for achieving self-regulation. The Alert Program, developed by occupational therapists, is used as our framework for self-regulation.
Trauma impacts the brain which impacts behavior. Trauma can occur at any point in life but often has the greatest impact during childhood while the brain is still developing. Trauma can occur during pregnancy to a developing fetus via stress hormones from the mother, drug and alcohol exposure, and other environmental toxins. Identifying trauma, recognizing that it changes the way one interprets and responds to the world around them, and then supporting that individual rather than punishing their fear-based behaviors helps reduce the cycle of fight-flight-freeze response.
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking down complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one" ...Mark Twain