Occupational Therapy: Focus on Paediatrics
WHAT IS PAEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT)?
Paediatric Occupational Therapy (OT) is a specialized field that focuses on the development, growth, and learning of children.
The PACE HM OTs are trained professionals who help children develop the skills they need to function in day-to-day life, whether that is at home, school, or in the community.
They work with children and their families to develop confidence, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and wellbeing to assist children in becoming as independent as possible with their everyday lives and to ensure they are able to engage in meaningful activities.
WHAT AREAS CAN A PAEDIATRIC OT ASSIST WITH?
OTs can work with children in a variety of areas to help them overcome challenges and build strength. Some of the areas where OTs can help children include:
Social and Play Skills: OTs can help children develop whole-body listening, following the group plan, making eye contact, flexible and stuck thinking, understanding the size of a problem, understanding hidden rules, and sharing and turn-taking.
Communication Skills and Confidence: OTs can help children develop appropriate communication, asking for help, asking to play with a peer or within a group, and making eye contact.
Emotional Regulation and Behaviour: OTs can help children understand and manage expected and unexpected behaviours, use deep breathing and sensory strategies to keep calm, identify emotions, and overcome adversity.
Sensory Processing: OTs can help children modulate their bodies, process their surrounding environment, and develop body awareness.
Handwriting: OTs can help children improve their letter formation, handwriting speed, pencil/pen grip, use of helper hand, use of dominant hand, and crossing the midline.
Gross Motor Skills: OTs can help children improve their running, balancing, skipping, stable posture, catching and throwing a ball, and riding a bike.
Fine Motor Skills: OTs can help children improve their drawing, writing, cutting with scissors, tying up shoelaces, and fastening buttons and zippers.
Visual Attention: OTs can help children focus their attention, filter out irrelevant information, and improve visual scanning.
Self-care Skills: OTs can help children improve their toileting, teeth brushing, bathing, showering, brushing hair, dressing, and organization.
Attention: OTs can help children develop awareness, alternating attention, flexible thinking, and focus on important tasks.
Eating: OTs can help children with picky/fussy eating, sensory foods, meal preparation, breaking down tasks, positioning, and engagement.
Paediatric Occupational Therapy is a vital field that can help children overcome challenges and build the skills they need to succeed in life.