Pediatric Occupational Therapy helps children improve their ability to perform daily tasks and meet developmental milestones. Treatments often involve using games, puzzles and toys to stimulate the mind and body.
When a child is experiencing delays in motor development, sensory processing and socialization, pediatric occupational therapy can help improve their quality of life. Whether it’s from a congenital physical impairment or a more serious medical issue, children who receive OT can develop critical skills that will help them function and grow into functional independent adults.
Unlike physical therapy, which is focused on treating injuries and conditions, pediatric OT addresses the root cause of the problem. The therapist’s goal is to promote age appropriate skills, and address any lag in that development as early as possible. The longer a developmental delay is ignored, the more difficult it is to overcome.
In addition to helping kids improve their motor, cognitive and sensory processing skills, pediatric OT can also aid in improving socialization, academic performance and reducing behavioral issues. This can make a tremendous difference for both parents and children who suffer from these challenges.
Pediatric OTs are trained to identify and support each child’s strengths and weaknesses, and use those as a foundation for their therapeutic approach. This can mean anything from a fun play session to teaching kids how to navigate through challenging situations in their lives. OTs are constantly evaluating their sessions to ensure that they are providing the right amount of challenge, and are aware of any underlying medical concerns.
As a result of this training, Pediatric OTs can work alongside parents, teachers and nutritionists to provide education and support for healthy lifestyles that can improve the long term health of their patients.
If you think your child could benefit from Pediatric OT, contact your local hospital or mental health facility to see if they offer this service. If not, you can ask your doctor or a mental health professional for a recommendation. A good pediatric OT can greatly improve your child’s quality of life, and the sooner they start treatment, the better their outcomes will be. If you’re interested in a career in Pediatric OT, contact an accredited university with an occupational therapy program and learn about the entry requirements for becoming a licensed therapist.
Helping Children Develop Independence
Pediatric Occupational therapy helps children develop skills to help them engage in everyday tasks like eating, grooming, dressing and playing. These life skills are pivotal in a child’s development and independence.
OT practitioners are trained to consider cognitive abilities, social development and both gross and fine motor skills when evaluating kids for treatment. As such, they are in a unique position to provide specialized rehabilitation services to help kids reach developmental milestones and regain lost capabilities due to injury or illness.
These specialists can help kids learn how to eat, dress and bathe independently, play with their peers and even write. They can also assist kids to overcome sensory processing difficulties that may interfere with their ability to learn and participate in daily activities.
Pediatric therapists often work in an outpatient clinic, but they are also capable of providing inpatient care and working with families at home. In these settings, they often work with children who are experiencing a new disabling condition, such as spinal cord injuries or burns. In addition, they can work with kids who are in the midst of long-term care for chronic illnesses such as epilepsy or cancer.
For kids in home health programs, the therapists can work with the child and their caregiver to teach them how to perform certain tasks at home or in school. This can include teaching them how to use adaptive equipment for their unique needs and helping them practice the skills they are learning in a controlled setting.
Ultimately, OT practitioners are an important part of the healthcare team and can work alongside other medical professionals to help kids achieve functional independence in all areas of their lives. By ensuring that kids have access to the necessary tools to succeed, they can build confidence and improve their quality of life.
When selecting a pediatric occupational therapist for your child, you want to ensure that they are licensed and certified. Additionally, you will want to choose one who is located near your home and provides flexible scheduling options for sessions. It’s also crucial to find an OT who is open to communication and transparency with you and your child.
Helping Children Develop Self-Esteem
Pediatric Occupational therapy helps children improve their independence, which boosts their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. In addition, the individualized therapeutic activities often involve play, which can reduce any potential anxiety they may have about their treatments. This tactic is especially helpful for younger children who may be reluctant to take part in a new treatment.
Children with a range of disabilities or conditions benefit from pediatric occupational therapy. These include congenital conditions like cerebral palsy, ASD, or autism, injuries like brain trauma or spinal cord injury, and mental health issues, such as ADHD. OTs often utilize adaptive equipment, such as prosthetics or mobility aids, to help patients reach their goals.
Whether their goal is to learn how to hold a pencil or to develop the fine motor skills needed for reading and writing, each child enrolled in pediatric occupational therapy receives a unique plan after a complete evaluation. Choosing the right therapist is essential to ensure your child has a positive experience and gains the skills that are necessary for their specific needs.
A child’s OT can also provide valuable information for parents to help them support their child at home. This can include training parents on specific skills to practice with their child, recommending modifications to the family home or school, or simply offering suggestions on how to improve the overall quality of life for the child and their caregivers.
Moreover, pediatric occupational therapists can contribute to improved universal developmental care through the use of culturally sensitive and accessible community-based interventions. These strategies are critical to achieving Healthy People 2030 initiatives that promote childhood activity participation. The need for integrated pediatric primary care (PC) teams based on occupation analysis is growing. Occupational therapy practitioners bring a unique depth of knowledge of occupation to this approach and can serve as important members of PC teams.
If you are interested in pursuing a career in pediatric occupational therapy, you can prepare for this rewarding field by earning an MSOT from an accredited program. Upon completion, you can choose to pursue the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam to become certified. Once certified, you can apply for state licensure in your chosen region.
Helping Children Develop Social Skills
From birth, children use sensory information – what they see, hear, touch, taste and smell – to learn about the world around them. But if they struggle to process this information, it can affect their ability to play, learn and interact with others. Pediatric occupational therapy helps children build sensory and motor skills, which are essential for establishing independence. It also helps them manage their emotions more effectively, which makes it easier for them to get along with others and participate in school and family activities.
Children with autism or other conditions may have difficulty developing social skills, but Pediatric OT can help them overcome these challenges by teaching them how to play and communicate with others. They can also help them learn to recognize and respond to non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and body language, which are important in building healthy relationships with others.
Occupational therapy practitioners can also teach children how to cope with anxiety by learning calming strategies that work best for them. Depending on the child’s personality, these calming techniques can range from deep breathing to incorporating sensory input, such as touching a weighted stuffed animal or rolling back and forth on an exercise ball. These tools are effective both at home and in public places, such as at the grocery store or a pumpkin patch, so that the child is able to maintain their composure when they’re out and about with their peers.
In addition, OTs can help children develop their fine motor skills to gain independence in daily tasks such as writing and playing with toys. They can also help them improve their gross motor skills, which are essential for movement and balance. Children with poor motor skills might have a hard time climbing stairs or swinging, or they might get frustrated easily because they can’t perform certain tasks like getting dressed or brushing their teeth.
If you are interested in becoming a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, you need to complete a master’s degree program that includes clinical experience working with kids. After you’ve completed your graduate studies, you must pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam to become licensed as an occupational therapist. Once you’ve passed the NBCOT, you can then specialize in pediatric occupational therapy and start your new career.