Occupational
Therapy
Occupational Therapists
Specially trained professional therapists who have
A master’s or doctoral degree
A certification through the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapists
A state license
What do they do?
Occupational Therapists work with children/adolescents to help them develop and strengthen their independence during daily “occupations.” Occupational Therapists address a variety of needs, which may include:
Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s)
Bathing/showering, dressing, feeding, personal hygiene/grooming, and toileting.
Adaptive Equipment/Assistive Technology
Any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve an individual’s independence.
Fine Motor Coordination
Ability to control the small movements of the hands and fingers to manipulate objects.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL’s)
Activities to support daily life within the home and community (e.g., care of pets, driving, financial management, meal prep/clean-up).
Motor Planning
Ability to organize the body’s actions (i.e., knowing what steps to take, and in what order, to complete a particular task).
Oculomotor Control
Ability to maintain visual stability and control eye movements.
Sensory Processing
Ability to receive and interpret sensory information from the body and environment to generate a functional response or action.
Visual Motor Integration
Ability to correctly perceive visual information, process it, and move hands or body accordingly.
Visual Perception
Ability to organize and interpret the information that is seen and give it meaning.
When to seek help?
A referral may be necessary if your child is:
