Occupational therapy- A brief introduction

 

Occupational therapy, also known as OT supports individuals who fail to do regular activities, due to weak motor skills. For children, that involves chores that are part of functioning well and school learning. From writing and typing to zipping their coat, occupational therapy tutors focus on the skills that kids need to do on a regular basis.

In this blog, we will give a brief introduction to occupational therapy and how online tutoring solutions can help them.

Introduction to Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a therapy that helps to strengthen gross and fine motor skills and planning. It can support children who are having trouble with self-regulation and sensory integration.

The therapy is personalized to the individual needs of a child. Before it starts, an occupational therapist looks at the strengths and challenges of a child, and the activities in which the child is facing difficulties. The OT will then develop a schedule of tasks that will help them gradually overcome the challenges.

These therapies consist of activities and exercises to develop underdeveloped skills. For instance, if a kid has very messy handwriting, then therapy may involve multi-sensory strategies to assist with handwriting. If he is struggling with concentration, the tutor might make the child perform full-body exercises before doing homework.

The sooner a child begins the therapy, the more effective it will be. Being able to do fundamental tasks will also help build up the confidence and self-esteem of children, which can drop significantly when they fail to perform basic tasks, especially in front of their friends.

Children who are dealing with poor motor abilities appear to be clumsy and uncoordinated. It can affect their development as it may lead them to be bullied by being seen as someone different and make them feel like victims.

Speak about the abilities that can come from struggles. To help your child be positive about change, you can also provide growth attitude worksheets and involve them in progress.

 

Why occupational therapy tutors can help with specific difficulties

Children with certain learning difficulties also need such therapies. Developmental coordination disorder, also known as dysphoria is one disease that affects motor abilities. There are a variety of exercises that may be used by clinicians to help develop skills.

One exercise for fine motor skills for children is to pick up objects with tweezers. Kids can practice cutting out stuff with scissors to enhance hand-dominance. Children should catch balls of various sizes, do jumping jacks, or run obstacle paths to improve gross motor skills.

For children who have difficulty with sensory integration, OT may also be a major aid. When children struggle to handle sensory information, they can under-react or overreact to things that they encounter. That can lead children to become aggressive or to have meltdowns.

Therapists could design a sensory diet in such a case. This strategy is a set of physical operations and accommodations designed to provide children with the sensory feedback they require. Heavy work can also be used by OTs to assist children who pursue or resist certain kinds of sensory feedback.

Occupational therapy can also benefit children with other disabilities, such as dyslexia, problems with visual perception, problems with executive functioning, and dysgraphia. By consulting with a therapist, you can devise an effective plan for your kid.