(O)ccupational Therapy

Skills for the job of living!

Each of us have many occupations that are essential to our health and well-being. A child, for example, might have occupations as a student, a playmate, a helper at home. Occupational Therapists help children engage in everyday living, including play, self-help skills, and participating in family and school routines.

Occupational Therapy for school-aged children is designed to assist children that have challenges with:

• Fine motor tasks (writing, colouring, cutting, typing, computer use, etc.)

• Sensory regulation concerns such as bright lights, textures, loud noises, or the need for movement

• Full, active participation in classroom routines (changing activities, following a schedule, engaged in content, etc.)

• Their independence in eating, toileting, and dressing

• Ability to access classroom technology

Occupational Therapists work with children in a variety of ways:

• Combine goals within existing classroom routines and academic programming

• Individual work on specific goals

• Modifications and adaptations to activities and environment within the school

• In-class programming to share activities with the whole class

• Work in collaboration with all other team members

Some examples of when you might make a referral to see an Occupational Therapist include (when/if these impact the functionality of learning):

• If the child seems to have difficulty with fine motor skills such as pencil grasp, printing or developing a dominant hand, writing their name or other written work

• If a child has significant challenges with loud noises or bright lights that impacts their ability to learn in school 

• If completion of tasks/routines are significantly slower than their peers (eating, drinking, toileting, or dressing)

• If the child has challenges accessing or using classroom technology the same as their peers

• If the child has difficulty transitioning between activities