How do I know if my child needs occupational therapy intervention ?

by Sherri Cooperman B.Sc. OT, OT Reg.

If your child is regularly unsuccessful in completing a task, mastering a skill appropriate for her age or is having problems at school learning new concepts and retaining information, OT may be helpful.  A child would benefit from seeing an occupational therapist if they experience difficulties in any of the following areas:

• Fine motor tasks ( colouring, cutting, holding a pencil , fastening buttons)
• Handwriting (messy, dislikes it, tires quickly, unable to keep up with peers)
• Visual perception/visual motor tasks (matching, copying, puzzles, reversed letters)
• Low muscle tone (slumps at desk, poor endurance)
• Gross motor tasks requiring balance and coordination ( ball skills, playground skills, running , bike riding
• Self care tasks ( buttons, zippers, laces, feeding, toileting
• Sensory processing (over reacts to touch, taste, sounds or movement
• Attention and self regulation ( unable to focus, remain seated, fidgets alot, overactive)

Children seen by occupational therapists may have:

• Poor handwriting / Dysgraphia
• Learning Disability
• Sensory Processing Disorder
• Developmental Coordination Disorder
• Gross and Fine motor Delays
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Global Developmental Delay
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Cerebral Palsy
• Feeding Disorders

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