Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) assists individuals in achieving greater independence in all areas of life. “Occupations” include any meaningful activity of an individual’s everyday life. For example, a few childhood occupations include learning in school, being a family member, and playing with friends. An OT’s role is to assist individuals in performing “occupations” with the greatest level of independence possible.

Here at NAPA, we provide pediatric occupational therapy services for infants through young adulthood. Our occupational therapy services take a developmental approach to address areas of physical ability (fine and gross motor skills), sensory processing and modulation, handwriting skills, visual motor skills, and self-help skills. We offer OT services in our clinic setting utilizing therapeutic equipment and techniques to best meet your children’s needs. Parents are encouraged to participate in therapy sessions as they are an integral part of a child’s treatment.

Your child may benefit from occupational therapy services if they display:

• Poor fine motor skills
• Immature gross motor skills
• Decreased motor control
• Decreased eye hand coordination
• Overly sensitive to sensory input
• Under responsive to sensory input
• Touches people or objects constantly (seeking sensory input)
• Crashes and/or bangs into people or objects
• Poor attention/difficulty sitting still
• Difficulty calming self
• Difficulty with sleeping
• Difficulty with sitting still, attention, and/or behavior
• Emotional reactivity
• Reactive to feel of clothing, baths, haircuts, nail cutting, or tooth brushing
• Limited play skills
• Poor social development
• Limited independence in self care skills
• Difficulty transitioning or accepting change in the environment or a routine

Many children with learning or motor delays also have trouble developing the social sensitivity necessary to forming and sustaining relationships with peers. We have created a social skills group at NAPA Center to address this need, the Able Adventurers!