Occupational Therapy
What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?
Occupational therapists assist children in being successful with the childhood “occupations” of play, self-care, peer interactions, and school. Occupational therapy addresses these occupations as well as the fundamental skills that influence childrens’ ability to achieve success in their daily lives. Some of these foundational skills include sensory integration, praxis/motor planning, muscle tone, postural control, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, visual perception, handwriting, bilateral coordination, visual motor skills, social/pragmatic skills, self regulation, and behavioral organization.
The Occupational Therapists at Coastal work with clients from birth through age twenty-one. Many of our clients do not have a specific diagnosis, but need extra help in the development of functional skills. We also work with children who do have specific diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental delay, Sensory Processing Disorder, motor coordination disorder, Dysgraphia, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and feeding disorders. Each child receives a tailored evaluation, individualized treatment plan to address their specific needs, and consultation with parents and other professionals. We use a play-based approach and activities that are meaningful to the child to facilitate the development of functional skills. We believe it is optimal for children to achieve their goals while having fun!
Our therapists specialize in the treatment of:
- Bilateral Coordination Skills
- Coping Skills / Self Concept
- Feeding Skills
- Fine Motor Skills
- Gross Motor Skills
- Handwriting
- Muscle Tone & Postural Control
- Praxis / Motor Planning
- Self Help & Activities of Daily Living
- Sensory Processing
- Social & Pragmatic Skills
- Visual Perceptual & Motor Skills
Treatment Approaches & Programs
- The ALERT Program
- Astronaut Training Program
- Brain Gym
- Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT)
- Floortime / DIR
- Handwriting Without Tears
- Kinesiotaping
- M.O.R.E – Integrating the Mouth with Sensory and Postural Functions
- Nuero-Developmental Treatment (NDT)
- Reflex Integration
- S.O.S Approach to Feeding
- Therapeutic Listening Program
- Wilbarger Brushing Protocol
- The Zones of Regulation