Therapies for special needs child
Occupational Therapy for Children with Disabilities and developmental delays– the term seems to be something to deal with occupation or job or developing work skills or finding a job. But, in reality, it means the activities and techniques that help strengthen fine motor skills. Occupational therapists are well-trained and experienced enough to impart these skills to children with special needs. For instance, the activities that are involved in special education programs include reading, writing, using utensils, wearing dresses, tying shoes, and using scissors. The goal of occupational therapy is to impart skills to children with special needs so that they can work in an educational environment. Therefore, while developing an occupational therapy plan, experts focus on the educational goals of a child.
Occupational therapy for adults is different (it includes work-related skills), especially for those who are recovering from a brain stroke or an accident. But occupational therapy for children involves activities related to school and play and focuses mainly on the skills needed for academic and playground activities and achieving developmental milestones.
Therapies for special needs child
Activities and Play
Any activity, routine work, or techniques that our occupational therapists employ seem like a play to parents. But, in reality, all our activities are formulated to target areas of difficulty and delay in children.
Sensory Integration approach
This type of training and therapy approach uses methods that support play-like activities. Children who get trained in this way – through playful activities can better process and tolerate the inputs they get using their senses. In addition, occupational therapists use different techniques and tools that help and guide children in early intervention and evaluation.
Special Education and OT
Children who qualify for special education are eligible for occupational therapy. Their requirement is fulfilled by a team of specialists who is involved in the special education of children who have disabilities.
Therapies for special needs child
Early intervention and support with occupational therapy is imperative for children who have special educational needs. To ensure this, experts devise individualized education plans and individualized family services plans that also include the time a child would spend in occupational therapy – and how the therapy will be delivered.
Whenever a planned and training document is discussed in meetings, an occupational therapist will also be a part of the individualized education plans.
Bottom Line
If you have any concerns pertaining to the involvement of occupational therapists in the special needs of your child, then feel free to enquire about the processes by asking questions. We strongly recommend you understand the reasoning behind the involvement of occupational therapists in the outcomes that you want to witness.
Therefore, we at Dr. Habib’s Child Development Centre highly recommend you get in touch with your child’s occupational therapist so that you can remain aware of the performance of your child. You can also talk to them regarding any issues you may have while managing your special child at home. You will also get to know about any work that you can perform to augment the goals of your child’s occupational therapist.
