• June 10, 2025
• OT
• Joey Sura
• 1 Comment

For children, Occupational Therapy (OT) isn’t about finding a future job. Instead, it focuses on helping them develop the skills they need to participate fully and successfully in their “occupations” which, for a child, includes playing, learning at school, engaging with family and friends, and taking care of themselves. If your child is having persistent trouble with things like dressing, feeding, writing, or even playing effectively, an occupational therapist can provide a specialized approach to help them build those essential skills and confidence. It’s about empowering them to thrive in their daily lives, whatever those may hold.

As parents, we’re constantly observing our children, celebrating their triumphs, and sometimes, feeling a quiet concern when they seem to struggle with everyday tasks. We watch them learn to crawl, walk, play, and eventually, manage schoolwork and friendships. When a child consistently finds certain daily activities difficult, or if their development seems to be hitting bumps in the road, it’s natural to wonder if they might need a little extra support. This is precisely when the question, “Is Occupational Therapy right for my child?” often comes to mind.

What Does Occupational Therapy Address in Children?

Occupational therapists work with children who face a wide range of challenges. These can stem from developmental delays, physical disabilities, sensory processing differences, learning difficulties, or even emotional regulation issues that impact their ability to perform daily tasks. Here are some key areas where OT can make a significant difference:

1. Fine Motor Skills for Daily Tasks and Learning

Fine motor skills involve the small muscles in the hands and fingers, crucial for many everyday activities. If your child struggles here, you might observe:

• Difficulty with fasteners: They might have trouble zipping zippers, buttoning buttons, or tying shoelaces long after their peers have mastered these.
• Challenges with self-feeding: Struggling to hold utensils correctly, scoop food, or manage eating neatly.
• Trouble with handwriting or drawing: Holding a pencil awkwardly, messy handwriting, difficulty staying within lines, or getting tired easily when writing.
• Manipulating small objects: Finding it hard to pick up small toys, beads, or puzzle pieces.
• Cutting with scissors: Clumsy scissor use, tearing paper, or difficulty cutting along a line.

An occupational therapist can use playful activities to strengthen hand muscles, improve dexterity, develop pincer grasp, and refine hand-eye coordination. They might introduce specific exercises, adaptive tools, or alternative techniques to make these tasks easier.

2. Gross Motor Skills, Balance, and Coordination

While often associated with physical therapy, OTs also address gross motor skills when they impact a child’s ability to participate in their daily occupations, like play or school activities. You might notice:

• Clumsiness or frequent falling: Seeming less coordinated than other children, bumping into things, or struggling with balance.
• Difficulty with playground activities: Trouble swinging, climbing, or navigating slides.
• Challenges with sports or active play: Appearing uncoordinated in games that involve running, jumping, or catching a ball.
• Posture and core strength: Slouching, difficulty sitting upright at a desk, or tiring quickly during physical activities.

OT interventions might include exercises to improve balance, coordination, core strength, and motor planning, often through obstacle courses, games, and dynamic movements that are engaging for children.

3. Sensory Processing Differences

This is a significant area where OT provides specialized support. Children with sensory processing differences (sometimes called Sensory Processing Disorder) can be either overly sensitive or under-responsive to sensory input. This can profoundly affect their behavior and ability to function.

• Over-responsiveness (Sensory Sensitivity): 
  • Extreme reactions to sounds: Covering ears for everyday noises like vacuum cleaners or hand dryers.
  • Picky eating related to textures: Refusing certain foods due to their feel in the mouth.
  • Discomfort with certain clothing: Refusing to wear specific fabrics, tags, or seams.
  • Aversion to touch: Resisting hugs, disliking messy play, or reacting strongly to light touches.
  • Heightened reactions to bright lights or strong smells.
• Under-responsiveness (Sensory Seeking or Low Registration): 
  • Constantly seeking movement: Fidgeting, spinning, jumping, or crashing into things.
  • Craving strong flavors or smells: Always wanting spicy foods or smelling non-food items.
  • Not noticing pain or temperature as much as others.
  • Difficulty staying focused or alert.

Occupational therapists use sensory integration therapy to help children process sensory information more effectively. This often involves creating a “sensory diet” – a personalized plan of activities that provide the right amount and type of sensory input to help the child feel regulated and ready to learn. This might include swings, weighted blankets, sensory bins, or specific movement breaks.

4. Self-Care and Daily Living Skills (ADLs)

These are the “activities of daily living” that are fundamental for independence. If your child struggles with:

• Dressing: Difficulty choosing appropriate clothes, putting them on in the correct order, or managing fasteners.
• Toileting: Challenges with recognizing cues, maintaining hygiene, or achieving independence.
• Grooming: Struggling with brushing teeth, combing hair, washing hands, or bathing.
• Feeding: Messy eating, difficulty using utensils, or a very limited diet (beyond picky eating, potentially related to oral motor or sensory issues).

OTs break these tasks down into smaller steps, teaching them systematically and providing strategies or adaptive tools to make them achievable, building confidence and independence.

5. Play Skills and Social Participation

Play is a child’s primary occupation and how they learn about the world and interact with others. If your child exhibits:

• Limited imaginative play: Struggling to engage in pretend play or create narratives.
• Difficulty sharing or taking turns: Persistent challenges with cooperative play.
• Challenges with social interactions: Struggling to initiate play with peers, understand social cues, or manage conflict during games.
• Difficulty engaging in age-appropriate play activities: Choosing toys or activities below their age level, or seeming uninterested in typical play.

Occupational therapists use play as a therapeutic tool. They can help children develop creative play skills, learn social rules, improve problem-solving during play, and enhance their ability to interact positively with others.

6. Executive Functioning and Learning Readiness

Executive functions are the mental skills that help us plan, organize, remember details, manage time, and control impulses. These are vital for school success. You might observe:

• Difficulty with organization: Messy backpack, losing school supplies, or struggling to keep their workspace tidy.
• Challenges with planning: Struggling to break down assignments, prioritize tasks, or manage their time effectively.
• Trouble with attention and focus: Easily distracted, difficulty staying on task, or seeming to “zone out” during instruction.
• Impulsivity or poor self-regulation: Acting without thinking, difficulty waiting their turn, or struggling to manage emotions appropriately.

OTs can teach strategies like visual schedules, organizational systems, time management techniques, and self-regulation tools to help children improve these critical skills.

7. Self-Regulation and Emotional Management

Learning to manage emotions and behaviors is a lifelong skill. If your child frequently:

• Experiences intense meltdowns or outbursts that seem disproportionate to the trigger.
• Struggles to calm down once upset.
• Has difficulty transitioning between activities or environments.
• Appears overly anxious in new situations or with routine changes.

OTs can help children identify their emotional states, understand sensory triggers, and learn coping strategies like deep breathing, sensory breaks, or using calming tools. This supports emotional well-being and reduces challenging behaviors.

When to Seek a Professional Opinion

If you’ve noticed several of these signs, and they are persistent, impacting your child’s ability to participate at home, school, or in social settings, it’s a good time to consider a consultation.

1. Talk to Your Pediatrician: Your child’s doctor is often the first point of contact. Share your observations and concerns. They can provide an initial assessment and recommend a referral to an occupational therapist or another specialist.
2. Consult with Teachers or Caregivers: Ask how your child functions in different environments. Teachers, daycare providers, or even grandparents might offer valuable insights into patterns you see at home.
3. Seek an Occupational Therapy Assessment: A comprehensive OT assessment will involve observing your child, using standardized tests, and gathering information from you and other relevant individuals. The therapist will then identify specific areas of need and develop a personalized intervention plan.

Remember, seeking help is a proactive and positive step. Occupational Therapy is about supporting children to develop the skills they need to navigate their world with greater ease, independence, and confidence. It’s about empowering them to reach their full potential and enjoy all the “occupations” that make up a happy childhood. If you have concerns, don’t hesitate to explore if Occupational Therapy is the right path for your child.