Pediatric OT Helps - Intuition Wellness Center

HOW DO I KNOW IF PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MIGHT HELP?

A child’s growth is certainly somewhat unique to them, yet there are also predictable milestones and critical periods in development. Sometimes a family can use a little help in supporting their child with organizational skills, self-regulation, fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, sensory processing and other milestones. The following are some developmental challenges that may indicate a child could benefit from pediatric occupational therapy: GROSS MOTOR: (large motor movements)

Seems weaker than their peers
Difficulty with hopping, jumping, skipping and/or running compared to peers
Difficulty standing on one foot
Appears stiff and awkward in their movements
Clumsy, seems not to know how to move their body; bumps into things; falls out of chair
Tendency to confuse right and left
Reluctant in playground participation and sports; prefers more sedentary activities

FINE MOTOR: (small motor movements)

Poor pencil grasp
Poor desk posture-slumps; leans on arm; head too close to work; other hand does not hold paper
Lines drawn are too light or too dark; wobbly lines; breaks pencil often
Difficulty with coloring, drawing, copying, cutting; avoids these activities
Difficulty with handwriting
Dominant hand

ACADEMIC:

Attention issues, distractible; difficulty completing work
Slow response time
Poor organization; difficulty sequencing
Restless, fidgety; difficulty sitting still
Difficulty following directions

SENSORY PROCESSING: Tactile-processing

Seems to withdraw from touch; dislikes being cuddled
Does not like to get hands dirty or play with messy art media
Does not cooperate for grooming activities
Will only wear certain types of clothing
Touches everything; struggles to keep hands to themselves

Oral /Olfactory-processing

Picky eater; bothered by certain textures in food
Likes to eat the same foods
Does not try new foods
Eats non-edible items
Sensitive to certain smells

Auditory-processing

Sensitive to household sounds
Does not like crowds or noisy environments
Sensitive to loud sounds such as fireworks, sirens, alarms
Seems to talk excessively; likes to make loud sounds
Has difficulty making themselves understood
Has difficulty understanding directions
Cannot repeat hand clapping sequence

Visual-processing

Sensitive to light as compared to peers
Easily distracted by visual stimuli
Difficulty discriminating shapes, colors, and/or doing puzzles
Eyes tire easily with reading
Letter reversals after first grade
Difficulty with visual tracking

Vestibular-internal processing

Fearful of feet leaving the ground and activities moving through space
Avoids going on playground equipment
Avoids activities that challenge balance
Constantly moving; cannot sit still
Seeks movement
Visual tracking difficulties
Low muscle tone
Difficulty moving both sides of the body together or in opposition
Short attention span
Difficulty with emotional regulation

Proprioception

Clumsy, awkward, poor posture
Does not seem to know where they are moving in space
Overstuffs mouth with food
Has low muscle tone
Difficulty with touching finger to nose with eyes closed

Modulation

Struggles to accept changes in routine
Difficulty with transitions
Easily frustrated
Impulsive
Acts out behaviorally; difficulty getting along with peers
Marked mood variation; may have “meltdowns”
Lacks self confidence; low self esteem

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HOW DO I KNOW IF PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MIGHT HELP?

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