A child's job is play
By Tucson Medical Center
·
04/20/2020
Occupational therapy for children?
Occupational therapy for children is rooted in one essential truth: a child’s most important job is play. Through play, children explore their world, build skills, and reach developmental milestones that shape their coordination, cognition, emotional growth, and confidence. But when a child struggles to engage in play, whether due to physical, sensory, or developmental challenges, these milestones can be delayed or missed. That’s where occupational therapy steps in. By evaluating a child’s abilities and tailoring interventions through therapeutic play and everyday activities, occupational therapists help children overcome barriers and build the foundational skills they need to thrive.
A child’s primary occupation IS play
- Children learn, grow and develop through play.
What happens if a child is unable to play?
- Children who aren’t able to play can lose opportunities for reaching key developmental milestones. These milestones incorporate development of coordination, thinking, social/emotional abilities, and ultimately a child’s self-confidence.
How can occupational therapy help?
- As occupational therapists, we evaluate a child’s developmental milestones. Can they grasp a cup? Hold a crayon? Button a shirt or pull up a zipper? Can they participate in dressing, grooming, feeding and age-appropriate play? And do they have enough strength, range of motion, coordination skills to interact with the people and the world around them?
- When delays or challenges in any skill area are identified, we provide intervention through therapeutic play, modifying the environment or adapting the activity.
- We can help identify barriers that stand in the way of a child’s progress. We then help children improve their skills and potentially overcome these barriers.
What activities might we work with a child on?
- Sitting independently to participate in play or feeding routines.
- Developing the ability to use toys, materials and tools in both traditional and creative ways for play and functional performance.
- Learning to follow multiple step directions/instructions.
- Dressing and eating independently.
- Building skills for sharing, taking turns and playing with peers in multiple environments.
How do you make the most of your occupational therapy session?
- Your participation and interaction as a parent or caregiver is crucial!
- Make each session a priority.
- Think about the your child’s goals for occupational therapy, be prepared with questions and with updates on how your child is progressing at home toward their OT goals.
- Practice the take-home techniques that the occupational therapist provides during your child’s session. It helps to write down the instructions even if they seem self-explanatory.
- A therapy session is typically once a week for 45 minutes. Parents can take tools learned in these sessions and impact their child the rest of the time. Part of our role is to help you learn ways to promote your child’s success in those challenging areas related to occupational therapy. With your involvement and participation your child can better meet his or her maximum potential.
