Occupational Therapy
What do kids want to be able to do to feel successful and independent? They want to play, learn, connect with peers, be self-sufficient, and feel proud of who they are. We help children accomplish these goals.
We help kids manage their emotions, interact with peers, take care of themselves (i.e.-dressing, feeding, hygiene), and gain strength and coordination for active play. We never forget that a kid is a kid by ensuring therapy is fun, safe, and inviting. We help each child to explore the world around them, learn to interact with it and develop the motor, cognitive, social skills and behavioral control that will allow them to be successful at every age.
Our Pediatric Occupational Therapists are licensed health care professionals that understand the art and science of how to help children develop their skills in a safe and fun atmosphere. Some of our key educational highlights include training in motor development, neuroscience, and psychology.
We treat children from ages 0 to 18 years old, with our most common age group being 3-10 years old. When scheduling sessions, we ensure that your occupational therapist’s expertise aligns with the specific needs of your child.
- Sensory Processing
- Handwriting
- Visual Perceptual Skills
- Gross Motor/Balance and Coordination
- Emotional Control/Self-Regulation
- Self-Care Skills
- Social Skills
- Feeding Concerns
- Attention Focus
- Visual Motor/Fine Motor Development
- Difficulty with Change/ Transitions
- School Performance
Here is a list of symptoms to consider when wondering if your child may have a need for Pediatric Occupational Therapy services. All children are made to be different and unique. These symptoms are only a guide. If any of these difficulties make it really hard for you or your child to get through the day, then please call us. We are happy to help you talk through your concerns, and the process for our initial testing.
Occupational Therapy Symptom Checklist for Infants/Toddlers
Occupational Therapy Symptom Checklist for School-Aged Children
Evaluation
Occupational Therapy begins with an evaluation from a licensed pediatric occupational therapy professional. The evaluation takes approximately one hour to complete. The occupational therapist will work through assessment activities with your child, usually in a private treatment room with a parent present. Our therapists bring a sense of playfulness and warmth to the testing environment to motivate each child and make them feel at ease and successful. Once the evaluation is complete, the therapist will take 1-2 weeks to write a detailed report that includes all test findings, scores and recommendations. If therapy is recommended, the report will outline the frequency of appointments, the recommended length of each session, and the specific goals for your child’s ongoing therapy sessions.
Sessions
Our Occupational Therapy sessions are always one-on-one. Parents are usually recommended to join each session to learn, but are welcome to leave the clinic during that time or take a quiet break for themselves. The sessions themselves are play-based and fun. They can occur in one space or multiple spaces, based on the child’s needs and preferences. The therapist monitors the child’s progress in each session and modifies the treatment plan, until all goals are mastered. Our Orlando therapists speak with the parent/caregiver at the end of each session if they were not present, to inform them on how their child performed. An effective communication system is set up with the parent in advance, to update them on how their child is performing and any home activities recommended, when sessions are completed at the child’s daycare or school.
Achieving Outcomes
Our therapists use data to measure the rate of progress on each child’s therapy goals after each session. Our Therapy Director oversees all treatment plans and observes sessions as needed to make sure all children are making consistent progress. Whenever goals are achieved, therapists refer back to the evaluation to incorporate new goals or discharge them. Re-evaluations are completed as needed, to measure the child’s progress since beginning services, and determine what is left to achieve prior to discharge. Parents feel good when they can see the before and after scores, side by side in our reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Session frequency and length are determined by the evaluating occupational therapist, which will be included in your child’s individualized treatment plan. Most therapy plans recommend 1-2 sessions per week, for 45 or 60-minute sessions each time being the most common time frame.
Occupational Therapy (OT) is one of the most common treatments for children with ADHD. It helps children to self-regulate, develop structure and routines, identify emotional states, and more. OTs use a child’s strengths to help overcome their challenges, mature their nervous system, and improve his/her success at home, in the community, and at school.
We generally treat children 0-18 years old. Our occupational therapists are trained to work with children of all ages. Our most common age range is children ages 3-10 years old. Our treatment spaces are designed with activities that meet each child’s maturity and age level.
Yes! Our occupational therapists teach parents and the child how to carry over fun activities at home. This compliments the in-clinic treatment and leads to faster therapy progress and lasting change. Occupational Therapy sessions involve an art and science approach to helping children develop and mature as fast as possible. We are the guides for parents and teachers to know what to do each step of the way.
Yes! We schedule set weekly sessions with the same therapist each time, so that great rapport is quickly established. Consistency and predictability in each session is very helpful for everyone.
Public school occupational therapy services are designed to help children meet the expectations set for them in their classroom. Occupational therapists in the school system are limited to working on goals set within their IEP (Individualized Education Plan). Private OTs are not bound to rules based on state funding limitations, and they can specifically treat sensory and regulation disorders that help children perform their best in all environments. All private occupational therapy sessions are completed in a one-on-one environment, even when we provide our treatment at daycares or private schools. School therapists may work with children in small groups, and/or for shorter lengths of time. We also highly involve parents, teachers and caregivers in our treatment process, which increases the speed and total gains for the child.
Sensory processing challenges are not outgrown, unless a caregiver is accidentally doing all the right activities at home. Sensory symptoms usually change as a child gets older, but they do not usually resolve on their own, when symptoms are moderate to significant in nature. Early intervention is key. The faster the correct treatments are administered, the quicker the child progresses. When treatment is completed at an early age, children don’t even realize they needed our support and don’t have the chance to have negative experiences/memories that go along with their difficulties. It’s never too late to start, but the younger the better!