When Should You Consult an Occupational Therapist?

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy aims to improve health and well-being by bringing meaningful and goal-directed activities together. It represents a person-centered healthcare profession and encompasses various therapeutic strategies.

Who is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist?

Pediatric Occupational Therapists are specialized professionals, particularly focused on children and infants. They provide support in home, school, and family environments to encourage, protect, and enhance the skills necessary for functional daily activities. Pediatric Occupational Therapists work with both typically developing children and those with special needs, aiming for maximum independence in daily life activities, roles, and responsibilities. During the therapy process, they evaluate children from sensory, fine and gross motor, cognitive, and psychosocial perspectives, and implement therapy programs based on evidence-based strategies.

When Should You Consult an Occupational Therapist?

Pediatric Occupational Therapists evaluate children from sensory, fine and gross motor, cognitive, and psychosocial perspectives during the therapy process. Therefore, they implement therapy strategies that support various issues children face in these developmental areas. Consulting a Pediatric Occupational Therapist can be beneficial when observing the following situations:

• Social Communication and Interaction Differences: If you notice differences in your child's interaction and social communication with peers.
• Attachment Issues: When the bond between you and your child evolves from secure attachment to pathological attachment.
• Motor Skill Delays: Delays in motor skills, difficulties in fine and gross motor abilities.
• Sensory Challenges: Challenges related to sensory regulation, sensory sensitivities.
• Attention and Focus Problems: Attention deficits, difficulties in focusing.
• Behavioral Issues: Observable behavioral problems.
• Eating Problems: Eating habits or issues.
• Sensory Sensitivities: Discomfort from labels, sensitivity to different textures.
• Establishing Routines: Difficulties in creating routines or exhibiting compulsive behaviors.
• Sensitivity to Smells: Discomfort from different smells.
• Writing Problems: Issues with writing skills.
• Personal Care Difficulties: Difficulties in personal care, such as bathing, toilet training, brushing teeth, etc.
• Classroom Behaviors: Inability to stay at a desk or difficulties in classroom behaviors.
• Social Problems: Problems in social interactions, excessive sociability, or social avoidance.
• Body Awareness: Lack of awareness of one's own body.
• Motor Skill Problems: Difficulties in ball games, movement skills.
• Competition and Group Activities: Struggles with competition, failure in group activities, or difficulty accepting failure.
• Making Friends: Difficulties in making friends.
• Daily Responsibilities: Constant need for verbal or physical support in daily life responsibilities.
• Noise Sensitivity: Discomfort from loud noises or speaking loudly.
• Motion Sickness: Experiencing motion sickness.
• Unsafe Movements: Difficulty in movements like going down stairs or in areas with transitions, requiring support.
• Need for Confined Spaces: Continuous desire for confined spaces.
• Bumping and Clumsiness: Constantly bumping into things or being clumsy.
• Aggression Toward Friends: Pinching or hitting friends.
• Sleep Problems: Sleep patterns or issues.
• Play Skills: Weakness in playing, initiating, and sustaining play activities.