What is occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy encompasses a wide range of treatments and interventions for both physical and neurological disabilities that might interrupt a child’s ability to go about their daily life. OTs may work on the following skills:

• Fine motor skills are needed to control the movement of our hands and fingers as well as the muscles in our face, tongue, and feet. We use fine motor skills for activities such as grasping objects, tying shoes, writing, and using scissors.
• Crossing the midline means moving one’s arm and leg across the middle of the body — this simple movement can improve communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and it’s important for nearly everything we do.
• Hand-eye coordination not only helps us process visual information; it’s also needed for tasks such as stacking blocks, throwing a ball, or typing on the computer.
• Executive functioning is the ability to plan, initiate, organize, remember, and connect information; better executive functioning skills can help kids shift mindsets, set goals, and self-monitor.
• Sensory processing helps us make sense of our body in the environment; sensory integration therapy (SI) helps a child cope with challenges processing sensory input by using proprioceptive play (swings, trampolines, slides), body work (weighted blankets, brushing, massage), and more. A OT may also design a “sensory diet” of sensory activities for your child to do each day to help boost their attention, arousal, and adaptive responses.

For more information, see our articles Occupational Therapy 101 and Mapping the Journey from Birth to Kindergarten: Therapy Glossary.