How do I know if my child needs Occupational Therapy?

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• When you feel like something just isn’t quite right…

• When your child avoids certain types of activities…

• When your child isn’t doing what other peers his/her age are doing…

• When your child takes a long time or doesn’t complete tasks…

• When your child relies on others to do things for them...

• If you are questioning “What do I do about”…

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Or if your child experiences any of the following:

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• Difficulty with Self-Care activities (dressing, feeding & utensil use)

• Difficulty with participating in Fine Motor activities (coloring, handwriting, scissor use, etc.)

• Difficulty with Visual Attention (not looking at a task or displaying poor eye contact with others)

• Tactile Defensiveness (avoids sticky/wet textures or has behavioral outbursts during bathing/oral hygiene)

• Seeking or Avoiding behaviors (purposefully crashing into people or things or avoiding loud sounds in multiple environments)

• Difficulty with motor planning and/or motor coordination (prefers to watch others on the playground rather than participating in activities)

• Difficulty planning, sequencing or organizing activities that involve multiple steps

• Difficulty with transitions and flexibility (is unable to deal with unexpected changes in routine)

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What will my child be working on in Occupational Therapy?

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Every child is unique and every OT session is tailored to address your child’s specific needs. These needs may include, but are not limited to:

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Fine Motor

• Opening and closing containers, buttons, zippers, etc.

• Self – Care (e.g., dressing, feeding/utensil use, hygiene)

• Hand strength

• Dexterity / Bilateral Coordination (using both hands together)

Visual Perception

• Processing and organizing visual information from the environment

• Sizing, spacing and/or copying written words

• Hand-eye coordination

Handwriting

• Letter Formation

• Letter Sizing

• Letter Spacing / Margin Adherence / Line Adherence

• Pencil Grasp & Endurance

Sensory Processing

• Motor Planning & Motor Coordination

• Tactile Defensiveness

• Seeking / Avoiding Behaviors

• Self-Regulation

• Safety / Body Awareness

Executive Functioning / Attention to Task

• Following Directions

• Organizing, planning and sequencing

• Sustaining attention

• Transitions

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Why did you start Infinite Sunshine, PLLC and why are you offering OT at childcare centers, pre-k's, schools and via telehealth?

 

To allow children the opportunity to develop the foundational skills needed to reach their fullest potential. I believe in early intervention and learning in their natural environment in a way that is also convenient for parents. 

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Early Intervention

Providing intervention at an early age can facilitate the development of the skills. It may reduce and even eliminate the need for specialized services during the later school years. 

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Natural Environment

Providing services in a real-world environment where a child spends a majority amount of their time helps with generalization of skills and carryover.

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Convenience 

Providing services during the day while the child is at daycare, pre-k, or school as well as home virtually eliminates the need for families to run the kids around to appointments after work/school. Allowing for more family time.

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Why should I, the "school," bring in Occupational Therapy to my site? 

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Occupational Therapy works alongside your program and compliments your teachings. Your setting can be on the leading edge, being one of the few that are looking at the whole child and looking at the child holistically. By offering Occupational Therapy services you are helping your children learn, grow and develop all areas of their lives to their highest potential and beyond. You are allowing them to shine their light. 

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