Occupational Therapy for adults helps them build more independent, active lives, improving their performance in their “occupation.” What you may not know is that, like adults, children can also benefit from Occupational Therapy.
Have you ever experienced your child facing difficulty in performing routine tasks? This can range from not being able to write properly, to not being able to take a bath or brush their teeth, without you stepping in to assist them.
This is a clear enough sign that your child needs Occupational Therapy. Child Occupational Therapists help children perform everyday tasks such as eating, dressing, and socializing. They help them take care of personal hygiene tasks and look after themselves. In short, they improve their quality of life, depending on a child’s needs and goals.
Child Occupational Therapy or Pediatric Occupational Therapy is used to help children work more independently. It helps them improve their fine motor skills, sensory-motor skills, and visual-motor skills – all needed to function in everyday life.
Motor skills are incredibly important for a child’s development. Fine motor skills specifically allow us to use the small muscles in our hands, fingers, and wrists in a controlled way to perform routine tasks.
A child may start by learning to grasp things such as a parent’s guiding hand or a pencil. Over time, these skills are developed and refined so we can perform more complicated tasks with ease (i.e. using a pencil to write). These motor skills are usually developed right after birth, but impaired motor control can lead to a lapse in progress.
This is where Occupational Therapy for children steps in. Occupational Therapy is a form of healthcare used to improve these motor skills and bring your child’s development back on track. It will help children live more independently and improve their capacity to learn. Ulitmately, it helps children better participate in school, play, sports and day-to-day activities.
An Occupational Therapist is a practitioner of OT who helps patients develop, recover and improve skills needed to perform everyday activities. An Occupational Therapist will help children develop the critical skills needed to become healthy, independent adults. They help children perform simple tasks such as brushing their teeth, drawing, coloring, writing and playing with their friends.
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), the process of Occupational Therapy/OT is usually carried out in three basic steps: evaluation, intervention, and targeting outcomes.
Typically, children that are diagnosed with different health issues may be treated using Occupational Therapy for children. These diagnoses usually include:
On the other hand, your child may not be diagnosed with a medical condition, but still display signs of impaired motor functioning. They will also require Occupational Therapy. Here are some signs to look out for.
Occupational Therapy can help your child in several ways. They will help children develop the necessary fine physical, cognitive and sensory skills needed to manage day-to-day activities and tasks more independently. What’s more, a Pediatric Occupational Therapist will look for the origin of the child’s delayed motor skill development, along with their cognitive skills, social development, and self-care routines.
If you notice that your child exhibits any of the behavior patterns described above, you should reach out to a professional such as your child’s pediatrician for advice. Your pediatrician may further refer you to a qualified Occupational Therapist.
At Mobile Therapy Centers, we receive many referrals from local pediatricians in the area. We have helped countless children carry on their development so they may live life to the fullest. This is why you must seek professional help for your child as soon as you detect any signs.
Now you may be wondering if your child requires Occupational Therapy, “How long will it last?” In reality, there is no standard Occupational Therapy time frame to follow. Each child is different with regard to their level of skills and their development needs. Some may progress a lot more quickly than others. As your child grows and develops, they may need “pauses” between their OT sessions from time to time. Moreover, not all approaches to Occupational Therapy for Children are the same; it depends on your child’s unique needs.
Several factors like those mentioned above will determine the length of time needed for Occupational Therapy.
For instance, if your child is already diagnosed with Autism, they may have to work on a number of areas including sensory processing, fine motor skills, and self-care skills. On the other hand, a child that simply needs to focus on handwriting will not take as much time.
To better understand how your child may progress with treatment, you should talk to your Occupational Therapist.
If you are a resident of the city of Clarksville in North Tennessee, you may be seeking professional Occupational Therapy for Children Clarksville TN in your area. Mobile Therapy Centers will work closely with your child, family and their school/daycare staff to create and implement concrete OT treatment plans.
Finding the right Pediatric Occupational Therapist for your child is crucial for their development and well-being. At Mobile Therapy Centers, we take a holistic approach to understand your child’s Occupational Therapy needs and nurture their ability to improve their areas of weakness.
Our Child Occupational Therapists will focus on a number of key points when formulating your child’s treatment plan, including the development ofthe following:
At Mobile Therapy Centers, we strive to offer professional care and effective treatment methods for your child’s development. This is why all our therapists are licensed and fully certified as Occupational therapy practitioners for children.
As a part of our Child Occupational Therapy services, our child OT professionals will take the time needed to learn more about your child and you. We hope to better understand your child’s characteristics and needs so we can devise an effective treatment plan. We plan to keep parents in the loop at all times, so you can expect us to be in constant communication with you throughout the treatment period. We take a close look at your child’s progress as the treatment is carried out and make changes to our treatment plans accordingly.
Have your first consultation/screening sessions with us so we may provide you with a more targeted approach for Occupational Therapy that suits your child’s needs.
As a resident of Clarksville, Tennessee, you will be pleased to know that you can visit our Mobile Therapy Centers clinic and receive expert Occupational Therapy treatment and support for your child. Our services are highly flexible; we can also visit you at your home or your child’s school/daycare so they may get the help they deserve.
As Occupational Therapists, we work alongside parents, keeping them updated on their child’s progress. Moreover, our team is well qualified to offer the best assessment and therapy for your child or adolescent. We love what we do here, and we would love to help your child grow! If you are interested in our Child Occupational Therapy services, give us a call at 615-358-8585 or schedule a FREE consultation/screening today!
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Elaina is a part of our MTC Occupational Therapy Department and received an education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, McHenry County College, and Husson University. She has a strong passion for working with both animals and children. Elaina has always wanted to incorporate both of these passions into her career and is incredibly excited to bring Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) to Mobile Therapy Centers!
Rocky is an Australian Mountain Doodle who loves to learn, play, and meet new people. Rocky joined our MTC team when he was just 8 weeks old and has been training to support the clients of MTC from day one. His kind and loving nature makes him the perfect match for Animal-Assisted Therapy, and Rocky can not wait to meet all his new friends through the MTC AAT program!