Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy addresses a child participation in the activities that make up their day: self-care, school tasks, play, and the regulation required to manage all three.
- We assess fine motor skill, sensory processing, self-care independence and functional participation.
- Intervention is play-based and directed at the specific tasks that are breaking down.
- Environmental modification is often as effective as direct skill work, and we address both.
Jump to:
- What occupational therapy is
- When an evaluation is warranted
- What an evaluation involves
- What we treat
- Parent coaching
- How to begin
- Questions parents ask
What occupational therapy is
For a child, occupation means the activities that occupy the day: dressing, eating, writing, playing and moving between one demand and the next. Occupational therapy addresses the skills and conditions required to participate in them.
We assess fine motor and visual-motor skill, sensory processing, postural control and independence in self-care, then set functional goals drawn from your family priorities: managing fasteners, using utensils, sustaining a writing task, or tolerating a classroom environment.
It is frequently misread as vocational. In pediatrics it refers to the occupations of childhood, which are self-care, learning and play.
When an evaluation is warranted
- Persistent difficulty with dressing, fasteners or other self-care tasks.
- Immature pencil grasp, poor letter formation, or avoidance of writing and cutting.
- Strong aversion to clothing tags, seams, certain textures or foods.
- Covering the ears, avoiding noisy environments, or persistent seeking of movement and deep pressure.
- Dysregulation around transitions, or consistent decompensation after the school day.
- Frequent bumping into objects, poor coordination, or early fatigue during play.
- Difficulty sustaining attention for age-appropriate tasks.
What an evaluation involves
- Case history. Developmental and medical background, and the routines that are breaking down.
- Standardized measures. Age-referenced assessment of fine motor and visual-motor skill.
- Sensory profile. A structured account of how your child responds to sound, touch, movement and visual input.
- Functional observation. Self-care and school-related tasks performed, not merely reported.
- Findings and plan. Results and recommendations explained, and provided to you in writing.
What we treat
Dressing, hygiene, utensil use and toileting routines.
Pencil grasp, handwriting legibility, scissor use and task endurance.
Hand strength, in-hand manipulation and eye-hand coordination.
Tolerance of sound, texture, movement and visual input across settings.
Strategies the child can use independently when demands exceed capacity.
Problem solving, novelty tolerance and engagement with peers.
Parent coaching
A substantial proportion of occupational therapy outcomes come from modifying the environment rather than the child: seating, lighting, clothing, the sequence of a morning, the amount of time allowed before a transition.
We identify which modifications are indicated in your household, teach them, and review them at each visit. Recommendations are limited in number so that they are actually implemented.
How to begin
- Contact us. Describe the part of the day that breaks down most consistently.
- Evaluation. Standardized measures, sensory profile and functional observation, with you present.
- Individualized plan. Functional goals tied to your mornings and to the school day.
For coverage, here are the plans we work with.
Questions parents ask
How does this differ from physical therapy?
Physical therapy addresses gross motor function: strength, balance, gait and mobility. Occupational therapy addresses the use of the body for daily tasks, together with sensory processing and regulation. The two are frequently indicated together. More on physical therapy.
My child restricts foods. Is that occupational or feeding therapy?
Often both, since sensory processing underlies part of the presentation. An evaluation determines which discipline should lead. More on feeding therapy.
Is a diagnosis required?
No. Many children benefit from occupational therapy without any diagnosis.
Is school-based therapy not sufficient?
School services are limited to what affects educational access, and caseloads are large. Clinic-based therapy can address goals outside the classroom, including self-care and home routines. The two are complementary, and we coordinate with the school where appropriate.
What does it cost?
Costs and payment, explained plainly, including private pay and Step Up.
Keep reading
Which part of the day breaks down?
Tell us that, and we will tell you whether an occupational therapy evaluation is the right starting point.