What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy (OT) is therapeutic intervention that is focused on areas of “occupation.” For our children, their daily occupations include school and academics, play, social interactions and their daily routines (eating, dressing, bathing). When sensory processing challenges contribute to a breakdown in one or several of these daily occupations, it can make life difficult and frustrating. Occupational therapy focuses on identifying areas in which a child cannot engage in their daily routines successfully and helps to improve or remediate these challenges.
Does My Child Need OT?
Below are some characteristics that may indicate your child may benefit from OT services.
- Over- or under-reactions to stimuli such as touch, movement, sights, sounds and other sensations
- Quick changes in arousal levels and alertness (levels of energy)
- Picky Eating
- Limited attention span or difficulty concentrating
- Slow or difficult language processing
- Challenges with transitions
- Poor frustration tolerance or frequent emotional outbursts
- Inconsistent ability to follow directions
- Challenges with play or social skills
- Decreased balance and coordination (appears clumsy or uncoordinated)
- Difficulty expressing thoughts or ideas
- Decreased self-esteem or self-image
- Lack of confidence or skill with gross motor activities
- Difficulty with fine motor skills and school performance
- Messy or illegible handwriting
- Difficulty with reading or spelling
If your child displays one or more of the above mentioned characteristics please call the office for further consultation or to set up an occupational therapy evaluation.
Testing and Evaluation for Occupational Therapy
We recognize that each family begins this process with different questions and needs. Every child is unique and at Sasco River Center we provide individualized and high quality evaluations to all of our clients.
We offer:
- Neuropsychological Testing
- Psychoeducational Testing
- Multidisciplinary Evaluations
- Comprehensive Evaluations
- OT Screenings
Please contact us so one of our experienced staff members can help guide you through this process. They will help identify which evaluation is most appropriate for your child.
Therapy at Sasco River
Sensory Kids combines advanced sensory integration therapy with playful techniques, in a safe and familiar environment where the child feels confident and secure. Though we begin with simple play-based activities, the skills taught here will last a lifetime.
Related Therapy Services
We also offer the following:
- Listening therapy
- Reflex integration
- Handwriting Services
- Picky Eating Therapy
- School Success Collaborations
- At Home Therapy
Therapeutic Options to best suit your Child
Private: We offer private occupational therapy using sensory-integration techniques rich in vestibular, proprioceptive, and tactile inputs – areas where many children with neurological issues have deficits. The approach encourages children’s nervous systems to process and integrate sensory input in organized and meaningful ways. As their adaptive responses provide feedback, their nervous systems mature and organize at increasingly higher levels. Ultimately, the children can interact with – and adapt to – their environment more successfully. Sessions are always one-on-one with a treating therapist. Since Sensory Kids has three sensory gyms, your child will have the opportunity to work along side other one-on-one sessions as appropriate allowing for socialization or work in a more individualized manner.
Semi-Private: Therapy sessions can also be done with two children and one therapist appropriately matched to add a new dimension to treatment and to help work on social skills. This is a great idea for children who excel in one-on-one situations but have a difficult time within a group setting. Typically, a semi-private session is considered after a child first has received individual therapy to address foundational-level skills.
Private Intensive: Take a look at our intensives page for more information.
How do we get started?
- Initial Inquiry and conversation: When you call or e-mail Sensory Kids, someone will get back to you within 48 hours. The first step will be to complete an initial intake form over the phone. You will be given forms to fill out and return before setting up an evaluation.
- Initial Intake Conversation: Once the center receives your forms, an evaluating therapist will talk with you to determine which evaluation/consultation service is most appropriate for your family. This is a 30-minute phone call. We will schedule an appointment with you during morning hours.
- Evaluation: Together with your evaluating therapist, you will decide which occupational and/or auditory therapy evaluations your child might require.
- Feedback meeting: Following the evaluations, we will ask you to fill out a feedback checklist, which becomes the basis for a meeting to provide feedback about the results of your child’s evaluations.
- Services: At that point, you child will begin receiving the Sensory Kids services deemed most appropriate for your child.