Fact or Fiction?: Occupational Therapy for Kids

By Team Therapy Smarts 

Welcome back to our fact or fiction series! When parents first hear the words “occupational therapy”, the most common response is “can you repeat that?” Its name does not lend itself to immediate awareness of what this discipline can do for you and your family. This confusion only spurns more questions — why does my child need occupational therapy? What will it be able to do for them? How is it different from other disciplines? 
We understand that these questions are critical as you seek to find the best care for your child. In this article, our therapists have shared their most common occupational therapy misconceptions, and the facts underlying this means of support.

Fiction: Occupational Therapy Will Help Me Find a Job

The name seems to imply occupational therapy is connected to the workforce! While this therapy can certainly help with the skills necessary in a patient’s workplace, the goal of occupational therapy is to help people of all ages to be able to do the things they love. For children, this often includes play. As pediatric therapists, the so-called “occupation of childhood” is often where our focus lies. 
However, in certain cases, we certainly can help with the job hunt. Occupational therapists are welcome and encouraged to learn more about our amazing team and see if they may be a fit for an exciting opportunity at our brand new clinic in Chapel Hill! Check out our job listing page for more information. 

Fiction: Physical & Occupational Therapy Are The Same

As soon as motor, or motion skills are mentioned, many have a tendency to assume that physical therapy and occupational therapy are one and the same. Physical therapy is specifically focused on evaluation and improving the range of motion within a person’s body. Meanwhile, an occupational therapist can assess your child for any medical diagnoses that would prevent your child from accomplishing the tasks they need in their daily life. 
Occupational therapy utilizes a whole-body approach that goes beyond the range of motion to consider how each child perceives the world with their senses and how their body is equipped to respond to that information. For children with diagnoses like autism, ADHD and more, an occupational therapist can understand how your child is processing their environment. 

Fiction: Occupational Therapy is Repetitive

While some elements of occupational therapy are designed to be repetitive — in order to help children master the skills of daily living — the practice is designed to be individualized to your child’s unique needs, and evolve as they grow. An occupational therapy session may start with completing a puzzle to work on fine motor skills and end with creating “bubble mountains” to practice breath control. The specific skills your child will be working on will be devised with the therapists’ guidance and your input on the areas your child needs additional support. 

These misconceptions are far from exhaustive — for a few of the most common insights from our therapists, check out this video from one of our occupational therapists, Ms. Hayden! 

As you can see, understanding what occupational therapy is and how it can help is half the battle! Our therapists are experienced in sharing everything you need to know about occupational therapy— and below, we’ve shared some of our top insights about how it can help.

Fact: Occupational Therapy is for All Ages

While the “occupation” element often lends people thinking that occupational therapy is designed for older adults, people of all ages can benefit from this treatment. Skills like sensory regulation, cognition, and motor skills can assist children in their own daily occupations — everything from their time at daycare to playdates with friends. One of our patients put it best when she referred to her occupational therapist as her “playground doctor,” working on the skills she needed in order to have fun and enjoy time with her friends. 

Fact: Occupational Therapy Builds Independence

One skillset occupational therapy can help to build in children is executive functioning. This set of skills includes the ability to plan, organize, pay attention and practice self-control. Skills like these form the basis of every task we do, so they will play a large role in your child’s sessions. This may look like asking a child to help select an activity and practice effective turn-taking. Or, it may involve teaching them strategies to help regulate themselves in new or unfamiliar situations.

Fact: Occupational Therapy Empowers Parents & Caregivers

Starting occupational therapy can feel like a big step for parents and kids alike. However, your therapist is well-equipped to guide you through the process, getting to know your child on an individual, one-to-one basis. From this knowledge, they will be able to provide you with resources to learn more about how you can best support your child’s unique needs. 
As they learn more about these needs and your lived experience, your therapist will be able to empower you as parents and caregivers to help your child practice critical skills at home, in school and in the community. Your therapist is your ally as a caregiver, and will thoughtfully address your feedback in order to create the best possible outcome for you and your family. 
With a parent’s unique input and the guidance of an expert occupational therapist, children of all ages can start down the path to turn their challenges into triumphs. Think occupational therapy may benefit your child? Give us a call to schedule an evaluation at (919) 378-1340.