WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

The name “Occupational Therapy” (OT) confused me a bit: I thought of occupation as a “job” or place of employment. In my prior job, I knew about “occupational hazards” and “occupational compensation” if I were injured at work, for example. So when I was told that my 18-month-old son needed “occupational therapy,” I couldn’t imagine what that was or would look like.

Actually, a child’s “occupation” is life! Play time, school time, mealtime, bath time, bed time. Occupational therapy helps a child develop and strengthen the fine motor skills needed to participate independently in age-appropriate activities.

None of the content below is intended as medical or therapeutic advice or recommendations. I am only sharing what I personally have learned from my son’s occupational therapy journey, and how beneficial it was for us both. If you think your child is delayed in his or her fine motor development, be sure to address your concerns with their pediatrician, and seek an evaluation from your county or school district’s Early Intervention program.

Please watch this video to hear an expert explain what occupational therapy is, and why getting help for your child between ages 0-5 is so important!

“Early intervention is special because it’s one of the few opportunities to address a child holistically. We have the ability to address every aspect of the child, including their support system and their needs. We can work in whichever environment the child is at.”

Some key takeaways:

• OT focuses on fine motor skills and sensory processing.

• Getting the hands ready for school activities, playtime, self care.

• Tone is the brain telling the muscle when to contract, with what force, for how long.

• We all have a typical range of tone. Problems arise when we are low or high on the spectrum.

• There is a general range for meeting developmental milestones, though no two children are the same.

• If a parent has any concerns, it’s best to err on the side of caution.

• Early Intervention services are free; in most states, parents can self-refer.

• A child’s brain develops the most in the first 3-5 years, so the earlier they can receive intervention, the more helpful it will be.

• An early intervention team can address the child holistically – all facets of their daily living.

• Early intervention also addresses the needs of the child’s support system (parents, caregivers, teachers, etc.)

• Early intervention therapy takes place in the child’s natural environment.

My son’s OT sessions were basically play time, so he loved it! Each week, the therapist used common toys and activities in ways that would strengthen Kieran’s fine motor skills and coordination, and help his sensory processing. The therapist came to our home so Kieran was in his “natural environment,” playing with his toys in a more meaningful and directed way.

I will be posting additional toys and tips that Kieran’s OT used and recommended, so be sure to check this section to find products that will help your kiddos develop their fine motor skills and self-care activities.

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

The work that the OT did to help Kieran’s sensory processing overlapped a bit with his feeding therapy activities, which really made the two therapies cohesive and flow together. One therapy built upon the other, especially those that dealt with his fingers and getting messy.

When Kieran was about nine months old, he would lay on his belly on the tile floor and spin himself in a circle, sometimes for several minutes! It was quite hilarious! I’d never seen a baby do that before, and I thought it was just one more funny, silly, quirky thing that my son did. And it provided entertainment for my family and friends!

When I mentioned this to Kieran’s OT, she realized that he was actually sensory seeking. His sensory needs were not being met since he was not as mobile as other infants, so he was trying to fulfill a sensory need by spinning.

My son’s sensory processing disorders encompassed three sensory needs: tactile, proprioception, and vestibular.

The tactile sense is how our brain processes touch against our skin and body: hard touch, soft touch, smooth touch, rough touch, cool or hot, wet or dry, etc. Some children and adults with SPD do not like being touched by another person or clothing, or, in my son’s case, do not like touching things with their hands. Also, my son LOVES to be tickled! He asks me to tickle him all the time, even the first thing when he wakes up in the morning. The tickling touch and sensation are meeting a sensory need. As an infant, my son loved to be swaddled and to crawl through tight spaces. He needed to feel that pressure surrounding his body to feel secure. Another tactile sensation was oral. This is why Kieran gagged with textured food, and why he loves spicey food. It give him a needed sensation in his mouth.

The proprioceptive system, or “kinesthesia,” helps us identify how our muscles, joints, and ligament are working in coordination with each other, and how our body moves through space. It is how we can tell if we are walking upstairs or downstairs even if our eyes are closed, or if we are raising or lowering an arm or leg. As an infant/toddler, Kieran’s low muscle tone contributed to his difficulty meeting his proprioceptive needs because it took more effort for him to move his body. He had to work harder and be more deliberate with every movement. This correlates to “motor planning.”

The vestibular system helps us identify where our bodies are in the spatial world around us. Are we lying down, sitting up, standing, are we upside down? It is how our body responds to gravity and body orientation. Some children and adults feel disoriented and insecure when they are standing in the middle of a room. They need to feel pressure on their body to “know” where their body is in space. Some children benefit from a weighted jacket or blanket, which add a light pressure on their joints and muscles. Kieran’s spinning was trying to fill his vestibular sensory need. Interestingly, as an infant he did not like being in a swing and the gravitational pull of back and forth – that was unsettling to him.

The renowned STAR Institute specializes in sensory processing disorder, and has a number of resources on their website to help you better understand SPD and how to identify these indicators in your own kiddos.

** This post is not intended to provide medical or therapeutic information. I am only sharing what I have learned from my son’s therapies for his developmental delays. Please consult with your child’s pediatrician or therapist to learn what is best for your own child’s developmental and medical needs. **