Pediatric Occupational Therapy

What is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist?

The Center for Pediatric Rehabilitation, Inc. offers pediatric occupational therapy. This therapist, (OTR), works to prevent, develop, improve, sustain, or restore the child's abilities and functions. Working from a developmental model, the OTR is trained in the art and science of directing a child's response to selected activity and/or play. These interactions promote the development of individual skills and abilities which have not been learned or developed previously, (habilitation), or to facilitate the redevelopment or relearning of lost skills or behaviors, (rehabilitation). This medical professional possesses knowledge of early neuromotor, psychosocial, and visual-perceptual motor development and dysfunction.

The pediatric occupational therapist is a medical specialist that provides treatment to infants, toddlers, and children with the following, and additional disorders:

What Treatment Do We Provide?

Sensory Integration & Neuro-developmental Treatment

Sensory integration is the organization of sensation for use. Sensations flow into the brain at every moment from every place in our bodies. Tactile, (touch), vestibular, (balance), and proprioceptive, (spacial), senses provide information to the child about herself and her body in the environment. The eyes and ears allow for the development of adaptive motor responses, motor planning, coordination of the two body sides, postural stability, body scheme, self image, balance and eye-hand coordination.

The pediatric occupational therapist facilitates the child's ability to organize and process sensory input during meaningful activities. Therapy allowing for an adaptive response to the environment.

Oral-Motor Feeding and Swallowing

The pediatric occupational therapist can facilitate the development of oral-motor skills. Following evaluation, which includes the oral structures, sensory processing, and motor function, a treatment plan can be developed. The child will be led through the developmental process of sensory awareness and/or tolerance, followed by biting, chewing, and swallowing. The final goal of treatment is oral nutrition to the highest level the child is capable of achieving.
When addressing oral-motor delays or feeding problems, the occupational therapist and speech pathologist work closely with each other. These professionals, in conjunction with the caregivers, share expertise to address the same conditions through a variety of play and directed activities.

Fine-Motor skills, Handwriting, Activities of Daily Living

Functional use of the hands in daily activities requires the refinement of fine motor skills. The pediatric occupational therapist specializes in the assessment and treatment of grasp patterns, hand strengths and dexterity, ability to use tools such as pencils and scissors, handwriting, and computer/keyboarding. These same hand skills are necessary for the independent performance of daily life tasks such as feeding, toileting, and dressing. The pediatric occupational therapist facilitates the child's development in the key areas of sensorimotor and visual perception to enhance fine motor abilities.

Visual Processing & Visual Perception

Our pediatric occupational therapists are specifically trained to remediate children and infants with weak eye coordination, focus, and processing. Working to strengthen a child's visual skills is critical with children experiencing learning difficulties, reading disorders, auditory processing deficits, cerebral palsy, and other disorders.