Pediatric Occupational Therapy

A child’s life is made up of “occupations” — daily activities such as playing, learning, and socializing.

That's why occupational therapy practitioners work with children and their families to help them succeed in activities throughout the day. Pediatric Occupational Therapists (OTs) provide rehabilitation/habilitation services for children from premature newborns to age 21.

Occupational therapy (OT) promotes activities that enable children to learn and develop life skills, be creative, and enjoy and thrive in age-appropriate Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Pediatric OTs work to improve underlying skills in order to enable a child to participate in appropriate occupations. For instance, a pediatric OT working on fine motor skills may be doing so to help a child tie their shoes independently.

OTs collaborate with parents, caregivers, teachers and other allied health professionals to identify and maximize a child who experiences delays or development challenges.

How Occupational Therapists Help in Diagnosing Autism

Lee Health Pediatric Occupational Therapist Kyle Eiben said an autism diagnosis starts with either the child’s pediatrician or neurologist. “Neurologist will do a work out with them and decide if they need to be referred for speech therapy, occupational therapy, and or physical therapy.” They may also recommend the therapist do a standardized test called an ADOS assessment. “It is looking for our common red flags that we see in those children with autism,” said Eiben.

What are some of the potential warning signs for Autism? “Some of the big ones are going to be speech and language delay, as well as maybe poor eye contact, stereotyped behaviors or repetitive behaviors like hand flapping, or repetitive play, not using gestures, not responding to name,” said Eiben.

After the ADOS assessment, she will write up a report to give to the neurologist. They are the ones who will make the diagnosis. If the neurologist finds that the child has autism, the therapist will start with an evaluation. “Decide what deficits they have and work with those deficits to improve them. We’re going to be working on those fine motor skills, visual motor skills, maybe ADL skills with dressing or some feeding, it may be bilateral coordination skills, handwriting,” said Eiben. “We are hoping they help them to better attend a school, better be able to sit for activities, and also progress their fine and visual motor skills.” If you have concerns about your child’s development, you can address those with their pediatrician.

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Does your child need a different specialist?

Pediatric Speech Therapy (Speech Language Pathology)
Communication bolsters a child's ability to learn and interact with others. At Lee Health, we evaluate children's verbal/nonverbal skills so they can improve their communication skills. Learn more!

When does my child need a Pediatric Occupational Therapist?

More than likely, your child's PCP has referred your child for occupational therapy. This often occurs after observing developmental delays or when your child has been diagnosed with a physical or mental condition that is associated with delays. If you observe one or more of the following in your child, consult a pediatric occupational therapist:

Easily distracted
Difficulty concentrating in school
Inability to follow instructions and complete tasks
Easily exhausted by schoolwork
Poor impulse control
Hyperactivity or low energy

Applications of Occupational Therapy

Pediatric occupational therapists can offer impactful tools for young patients at key points during their development. Below are some of the more common instances where OT can help young patients during their development.

Autism

Children with autism can experience impairments with communication and social interactions as well as restrictions related to their interests, activities and play. OT can help these children function in school and home environments.

Literacy

Pediatric occupational therapists work with educators and family members to help increase participation in reading and written communication. By addressing things such as language, play, emotional regulation, and other aspects of learning OTs are able to build literacy skills.

Mental Health

Pediatric occupational therapists play an important role in identifying early signs of mental health or behavioral disorders. After completing an assessment, your child's OT works with your child to determine factors that impact their ability to meet the demands of the activities and roles within their daily lives. OT interventions promote social-emotional learning, help with sensory regulation, and more.

Obesity

Occupational therapists can also play a valued role in addressing childhood obesity. Obesity can impact many facets of a child's life including their social and emotional health. In addition to this, childhood obesity can put children at risk for developing conditions such as asthma, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and more. A pediatric OT can help by addressing culturally appropriate healthy food preparation, physical and social activities, and ways to decrease negative stigmas surrounding weight and bullying.

To schedule an appointment, send a request on our Lee Heath Pediatric Rehabilitation page.