Occupational Therapy

What is Occupational Therapy?

OT works with children to increase function and participation in daily life. For children, this includes play skills, self-care skills, social skills, and fine and visual motor skills. OT uses child driven play to make acquiring new skills fun and functional. 

How do I know if my child would benefit from OT?

Trouble dressing

Poor handwriting

Clumsy/bumps into objects or people 

Difficulty using both hands together (such as for cutting, tying shoes, etc)

Overly excited/active

More than average tantrums/meltdowns with seemingly small things

Sensory concerns

Picky eating

What is Sensory Processing?

Sensory Integration (SI), frequently referred to as sensory processing, is the ability to process various environmental stimuli and produce an appropriate motor output


We are constantly filtering out sensory input in order to successfully participate in daily tasks. For instance, right now, your brain is processing the light of your computer/phone screen, many background noises, and the feel of our clothes to name a few. 


When there is a breakdown in one or multiple of our sensory systems’ ability to process information correctly, we are not able to be our most successful. 

What is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)?

A deficit in one or more sensory systems resulting in difficulty adequately processing environmental stimuli and produce an appropriate motor output 


Signs of SPD

Difficulty learning age appropriate things such as tying shoes or riding a bike

May appear as uncoordinated or clumsy 

Fine motor delays

Poor attention/listening

Increased activity level

Hesitant of movement when feet are off the ground