Is your kid struggling with everyday tasks at home, school, or out and about in the world? Are they facing challenges that most kids their age don’t?
At times, you might see that your child is a bit behind in certain areas, whether it’s physically or socially. It could be that they struggle with tying their shoes, even though they should be able to do it by now. Perhaps they just aren’t fans of certain food textures in their mouth. They might even cry when you try to brush their hair. Or they could have trouble holding a pencil the right way. If that’s the case, an occupational therapist might be just what your child needs.
Every parent wants the best for their little ones. We all want our kids to flourish and enjoy everything life has to offer without any roadblocks. While that’s not always achievable, most parents will go above and beyond to make sure their kids face as few hurdles as possible.
If your child is dealing with developmental delays, one way to help them gain independence and enjoy the childhood they deserve is through occupational therapy (OT). Keep reading to find out if your child may benefit from OT by checking out the signs that indicate it might be helpful.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy supports kids who have developmental delays in learning the physical, sensory, and cognitive skills their bodies need. Common conditions that lead to these delays include autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, and physical injuries. OT helps these children by teaching them the essential skills they need to succeed in their surroundings and gain more independence.
The specific skills that occupational therapists concentrate on are influenced by your child’s environment and daily requirements. This makes OT a highly personalized and customized approach. Depending on what your child needs and their surroundings, the therapist might focus on the following areas:
Fine or gross motor skills: Fine motor skills involve movements made with fingers, toes, wrists, lips, and tongue. Gross motor skills pertain to movements involving arms, legs, and the torso. These skills can range from writing or grasping a small object to climbing stairs or tossing a ball.
Visual and perception skills: These skills are about interpreting and understanding what we see. When paired with fine motor skills, visual-perceptual skills contribute to hand-eye coordination. They also encompass recognizing shapes, numbers, letters, and grasping the idea of left and right.
Cognitive skills: Cognitive skills relate to thinking, reading, remembering, and using language. They influence our social interaction abilities, memory, focus, and learning skills. They also play a role in how we play and engage with our surroundings.
Sensory-processing skills: These skills enable us to process information received through our senses. They include our reactions to sound, touch, or movement. Delays in sensory processing can affect our ability to concentrate and adapt to changes.
Signs Your Child May Benefit from Occupational Therapy
Figuring out whether or not your child could use OT isn’t always a straightforward process. While there are guidelines that show when kids should hit specific developmental milestones, each child has their own unique path. So, your child might show one or more signs of developmental delays mentioned below, however that doesn’t automatically mean they’re falling behind. Still, it’s worth paying closer attention to see if OT could be beneficial for them.
If your kid is having trouble in any of these developmental areas, it might be wise to look into occupational therapy.
Fine or Gross Motor Skills
Toddlers and young kids are still growing, but ongoing issues with fine and gross motor skills could mean they need some professional assistance. Examples of fine motor skills are:
- Difficulty holding a pencil or spoon
- Struggling to use a straw or spoon after the age of two
- Having trouble with drawing, colouring, or using scissors
- Finding it hard to manage zippers, buttons, and shoelaces when getting dressed
If your child exhibits any of the following signs, OT might help your child enhance their gross motor skills:
- Struggling to climb stairs without a rail after turning three and having trouble going downstairs after five
- Not being able to coordinate both sides of their body or grasp the idea of left and right
- Having balance problems
- Having a hard time throwing and catching balls after the age of five
Visual Processing Skills
Struggles with visual processing can show up in various ways. If your child exhibits any of the following signs, OT might be beneficial:
- Challenges grasping the idea of time
- Often forgetting letters or numbers or mixing them up when writing
- Reading comprehension that is below average.
- Trouble tracking moving objects with their eyes.
Oral Motor or Oral Sensory Skills
Oral motor and sensory skills are responsible for controlling muscle movements in the face and around the mouth. This includes the use of lips, jaw, tongue, and palate, which in turn impacts language, speech, eating, and drinking abilities. Some concerning signs of issues in this area are:
- Excessive drooling
- Chewing food at the front of the mouth instead of using molars
- Struggling to drink from a cup after the age of two
- Having trouble or being unable to drink from a straw after the age of two
- Losing a lot of liquid or food from their mouth after drinking, chewing, or breastfeeding
Social Interaction Skills
Social interaction skills are crucial for building friendships and understanding others. They enable us to connect with our loved ones and family. Here are some indicators that your child might be facing developmental delays in social interaction:
- Struggling to engage and connect with family and friends
- Having a hard time adjusting to new and unfamiliar settings
- Delayed speech and language development
- Focusing solely on one topic of interest for extended periods
- Struggling to manage emotions and learning obstacles
Play Skills
Play is how kids explore and understand their surroundings. Through play, they gain confidence, problem-solving abilities, and social skills as they interact with their environment. Here are some signs that your child may need additional support in developing play skills:
- Depending on adults to start play
- Having short attention spans
- Engaging in repetitive play for long durations
- Facing challenges with imitative play
- Avoiding playtime with peers or siblings
Focus
If your kid struggles to focus on tasks, events, or games consistently, they might be facing a developmental delay. Here are some signs that suggest your child’s concentration could improve with OT:
- Having strong emotional responses to loud sounds, certain movements, and other sensory inputs
- Getting easily distracted by things they see or hear
- Experiencing frequent and unexpected meltdowns
- Struggling to accept or adapt to changes
Need Help? Reach Out to Us at Sparkling Seeds
An occupational therapist assists individuals who require a bit of extra support in navigating their daily lives. The word “occupational” pertains to the ‘occupation’ of being human. This encompasses achieving independence in everyday tasks, such as dressing, socializing, moving around town, or performing necessary jobs. These are often activities we take for granted if we don’t require the help of an occupational therapist.
When a child struggles to behave like their peers, they may feel out of place. This can have an impact on their self-esteem. Furthermore, a decline in self-confidence can lead to various other challenges. Therefore, it’s crucial to acknowledge the need for an occupational therapist if you observe any symptoms.
At Sparkling Seeds, we offer a diverse range of OT services customized to meet your child’s unique needs. This includes:
- Individual OT Sessions, which are tailored one-on-one therapy sessions focused on specific objectives, from fine motor skills to self-regulation.
- Group Therapy, which consists of small group sessions aimed at improving social and collaborative skills within a supportive environment.
- Parent Coaching, which aims to help parents learn how to incorporate OT techniques into their daily home routines.
- School-Based Support, which involves collaborating with teachers to implement OT strategies in the classroom in order to help children excel academically.
- Sensory Integration Therapy, which features personalized activities designed to help children effectively process and respond to sensory information.
Book a consultation today if you would like to further explore these options for occupational therapy for your child.
