Learning more about occupational therapy for children with disabilities in Little Rock can help you get your child or loved one the assistance they need to thrive and gain independence.
Occupational therapy includes a wide range of services designed to help kids, teens, and adults learn skills needed for daily life. An occupational therapist can work with your child on fine motor skills such as the right way to grasp a pencil or use utensils, work on improving the motor skills needed for self-care, create strategies for coping with sensory issues, and more.
The occupational therapy process begins with a comprehensive assessment to evaluate current skills and needs to determine what supports will be most effective. Equipped with the assessment results, the occupational therapist then creates a plan that identifies goals for your child and establishes how progress will be measured. The therapist will use fun and engaging activities that can be replicated at home, so your child can continue to practice developing skills. By making occupational therapy sessions fun and rewarding, your therapist can form a connection with your child and give them the support they need.
Every occupational therapy plan and session is different, but they are all designed to meet specifically defined goals and help your child accomplish new things. Your child may benefit from adaptive devices or equipment, so their plan might include specialized food utensils and writing tools or devices that help them complete tasks in everyday life.
Occupational therapists are experts at breaking down a goal and helping your child gain skills and function that will lead to success. For example, a child who needs help learning to use a pencil properly could do activities that improve finger strength, like playing with playdough or clay. Your therapist may boost their fine motor control by playing games with tongs. Activities such as coloring with crayons and using a paintbrush also help develop the strength and skills needed for writing. The key to improvement is often repetition, so creating activities that make it fun to practice and strengthen fine motor skills is essential.
Occupational therapists work with kids with autism, learning disabilities, medical issues and those recovering from trauma. Whether your child has a diagnosis, or you have a specific concern about your child or have worries about delays, we can help. Meeting with one of our caring and skilled occupational therapists can help you pinpoint the challenges your child is facing and create clear strategies to help them succeed. Contact us today to learn more about occupational therapy for children with disabilities in Little Rock; we’re here to help when you need us most.
