Occupational therapy (OT) treatment focuses on helping people achieve independence in all areas of their lives. OT can help kids with various needs improve their cognitive, physical, and motor skills and enhance their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.
Occupational therapists are trained professionals who use a variety of meaningful activities that address specific problems with the aim of allowing people to achieve a maximum degree of independence and enhance their quality of life.
OT often focuses on developmental milestones and skills that are expected of children in the classroom and on the playground. Many of the techniques employed by occupational therapists involve playful activities, including gymnastic and balancing exercises, games, arts and crafts, as well as specialised equipment, tools and toys. All of which make OT sessions very enjoyable for many children.
A typical example of someone who might benefit from OT is that of a primary school girl who is somewhat slow in developing the fine motor skills - i.e. the precise coordination and movement of fingers and hands - needed for writing. An occupational therapist may play games with her where she is required to grip small objects or twist little spinning tops in a manner she might normally avoid. Such playful exercises may be designed to result in a more correct pencil grip and lead to improvements in her handwriting.
