Occupational Therapy

An Occupational Therapist (OT) is someone who support others to  regain, maintain or learn new skills to be able to engage in their wanted or needed occupations (activities). An OT uses a person-centred, goal orientated approach. You can find OT's working across a wide variety or settings and areas of work such as working within the Health, Social Care or Private sectors. They work with adults and/or children.  OT's can work to support people with learning disabilities, mental health challenges, physical,  neurological challenges, this list goes on and on. 

A children's OT can support children to be able to engage in the activities and tasks that they want and need to do. The OT may do this by supporting the child to learn a new skill, change they way in which the engage in the activity or adapt the environment or activity to support the child to achieve. 

They explore the whole activity and break down the tasks to check that the person, environment and occupation (activity) are all able to work together appropriately to enable the child to achieve positive participation in the activity. 

Any child who is struggling could benefit from an OT, they do not need to have a specific disability or diagnosis to be seen. However, OT's often see and can support children who are struggling with or have:

• An Autism Spectrum Condition  (ASC)
• Attention Deficit (ADD or ADHD)
• Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
• Developmental Coordination Disorder) DCD / Dyspraxia
• Challenges with emotional regulation 
• A history or Trauma or attachment disorder