When you think about occupational therapy for children, you might think of physical disabilities, but that is only one of the things addressed. A comprehensive OT practice framework was recently developed that focuses on issues that can occur in various settings, such as preschools, schools, daycare centres, and other locations.
Fine-motor skills
Fine-motor skills are essential to children for several reasons. First, they help with the development of physical strength and independence. The skills are also helpful for reading, writing, and feeding.
Several ways to improve fine motor skills include occupational therapy for children Adelaide. Children with poor fine motor skills often experience frustration and self-esteem when they can’t perform everyday tasks. Therefore, it’s essential to understand why they’re struggling with their abilities and what steps can be taken to improve them.
In addition to strengthening the fingers, hands, and wrists, children need to develop postural control. It is the ability to change positions while using an object, like picking up a pencil.
Children with good eye-hand coordination, a component of fine motor skills, can also benefit from this therapy. They can learn to thread beads or write letters, for example.
When the hands are not strong enough, a child will often struggle with other movement-related activities, such as eating. Using utensils or fasteners is another common challenge for kids with acceptable motor delays.
While some children will be able to complete these tasks on their own, some may need to seek help from an occupational therapist. Several factors, such as vision problems, dyspraxia, or muscular dystrophy, can cause an acceptable motor delay.
Talk to your pediatrician if your child is experiencing a fine-motor skill delay. They can assess your child’s progress and determine if an occupational therapy evaluation is needed.
Visual perception
Visual perception is a critical skill that helps children with reading, writing and math. If your child is experiencing problems with these skills, an occupational therapist can help. The therapist will work with you to diagnose your child’s visual perceptual difficulties and develop a treatment plan.
Occupational therapists are trained to identify the underlying causes of a child’s struggles. Then, they can use a variety of treatments to improve your child’s skills. In addition, OT will also help build your child’s self-esteem.
Visual perception is the ability of the brain to make sense of what is seen. It includes processing what is seen, recognising similarities and differences, and organising information. It is important for learning, understanding, and retaining information.
Children with visual perception problems may experience anxiety, stress, and difficulty with self-care tasks. They may also need help with school readiness. Some examples of visual perception challenges include difficulty recognising letters, numbers, shapes, colours, or textures. These challenges can impact your child’s academic performance and cause trouble completing homework and exams.
Occupational therapists can also work with your child to develop activities to strengthen visual perceptual skills. It includes practising optical scanning, figure-ground, and discrimination. Printable activities and games can be a great way to work on these skills at home.
For example, your child could practice finding a red square among foam pieces. In addition, they can copy a graph or play a matching game using graph paper.
Occupational therapists will also analyse your child’s performance on the various tasks. Finally, the therapist will create a personalised goal for your child and develop an intervention plan.
Cognitive skills
Cognitive skills are the brain’s way of processing information. They include memory, attention, and planning, which help children develop in many areas.
Occupational therapists are trained to identify these skills and suggest ways to enhance them. The strategies they use vary depending on the severity of the child’s problem.
Occupational therapy for children Adelaide can include play and other creative techniques. It helps improve the child’s coordination and strength. It also helps with sensory integration.
Occupational therapy for kids is a great way to give them the tools they need to participate in their daily lives. For example, they can learn self-care skills such as toileting and feeding themselves. In addition, they can develop communication and social skills to improve their peer relationships.
Sensory processing
The capacity to process information affects learning and self-confidence. Occupational therapy uses sensory integration to address these challenges.
Often called sensory integration therapy, this approach involves activating neural pathways in the central nervous system to free up higher cortical levels to receive sensory input. In addition to helping children better process input, this therapy helps them develop more complex skills.
Using sensory-based therapy, your child should improve their ability to tolerate everyday activities. It includes playing and eating. A therapist will also create a personalised treatment plan based on the individual’s specific needs.
There are several ways to identify a child’s sensory processing issues. Pediatricians can help families design a simple monitoring tool. They can also teach parents how to monitor their child’s progress best.
Sensory seeking is a common symptom of SPD. For example, it may look like your child is touching everything they see. Children who seek out stimuli will use more energy than other children and may appear hyperactive. Similarly, an under-responsive system will seem sluggish and slow to react.
Occupational therapists use various techniques to help your child learn and grow. These include sensory diets and accommodations. Taking note of your child’s needs and preferences is key to success. Whether you choose occupational therapy or a more traditional form of care, you can help your child achieve their full potential.
Sensory Integration (SI) therapy is a significant first step. However, it is essential to consider other factors as well. For example, you can begin by reducing clutter in your home, converting your garage into a playroom, or removing items that may be too loud for your child.