Introduction:
In today’s generation, stress and anxiety have become prevalent. Life is getting busier and people don’t get time to work on their mental health. As a result a lot of people suffer from depression and anxiety. In such a situation, occupational therapy helps people to manage their mental health and perform everyday tasks with ease. Nowadays, some occupational therapy is also being employed for children. But the question arises , why would a child need occupational therapy? Well developmental delayed, limited motor functions and poor social skills are dew of major reasons requiring occupational therapy. But seeking occupational therapy doesn’t mean that the child is abnormal. It’s a help so that he can live a better life.
In this article, we’ll explore the children’s behavior and how occupational therapy can help children to live a happy and healthy life. So let’s begin!
What is Occupational therapy:
Occupation therapy is a strategic approach that helps to perform day-to-day tasks with ease. These tasks include playing, learning, socializing, and self-care tasks. It helps you manage stress, social anxiety, and physical imbalance. Children may feel uninterested in daily tasks, they can be persistent, sad, and feel restless. Occupational therapy helps children to regain control over their emotions. In a few cases, children lose control over minor situations, get annoyed easily, and show compulsive behavior. In such situations, occupational therapy is the only solution. It provides a treatment plan tailored to a specific child so that he can also enjoy a normal and healthy life.
Occupational therapy by Advantage therapy:
In Advantage therapy, occupational therapists design a strategic approach tailored to each person. This strategy is crafted to target specific areas of the brain to enhance motor functioning. Advantage Therapy understands that each child is grown up under different circumstances, so they offer a child-centric approach and provide a playful learning environment. They also ensure that parents are fully involved in their child’s activities. Additionally, they help children practice empathy and patience in their social dealings. At Advantage therapy, specialized experts provide to improve a child’s behavior. These experts include
- occupational therapists
- speech pathologists
- behavioral therapists
Why would a child need occupational therapy?
Being a parent, I know that it is important to notice the behavior of children. If your child is struggling to battle emotions, if he faces difficulty in maintaining physical coordination, or if he’s slow in learning new information or skills, then it’s time for you to seek assistance. There are various reasons for a child’s overwhelming attitude. In this section, we’ll discuss the reasons behind such behaviors and how occupational therapy can help manage these symptoms.
Developmental delay:
Developmental delays commonly prompt parents to seek occupational therapy for their children. Children with developmental delays face difficulty with learning new skills such as reading, writing, and physical coordination. They also get anxious while speaking. Additionally, they may constantly battle with stress and overwhelming emotions. Such difficulties lead to low confidence and hinder the growth of a child. Occupational therapy assist
To resolve negative thought patterns. They also provide solutions for improved communication and motor skills for consistent progress.
Sensory Processing Issues
If your child faces sensory processing issues such as over-sensitivity sounds, excessive sensory experience, or poor coordination, your child may need occupational therapy. Children with poor sensory processing also face other limitations as well. These limitations include
- Over-sensitivity to every situation
- Laziness and clumsiness
- Difficulty holding stuff such as pencils
- Poor emotional control
- Undersentivity to sensory input such as cuts and bruises
Occupational therapy can help manage these disabilities. If you seek occupational therapy at the right time, your child will cope with his low self-esteem and will be able to develop better skills and a healthy lifestyle.
Limitation in Fine motor skills :
Fine motor skills are associated with small muscles present in the hands, tongue, toes, and wrist. These muscles help to grab and hold things. Children with poor fine motor skills cannot hold and pick up things easily. They often face difficulty in holding pencils and thus have poor handwriting. Additionally, they face trouble in using zippers and tying their shoelaces. Such children also find it difficult to hold spoons and forks. Challenges in fine motor skills make it difficult for a child to manage even basic day-to-day tasks, which is why parents may seek occupational therapy.
Difficulty in gross motor functions:
Gross motor functions are associated with larger muscles. These muscles are present in arms and legs and help in running, walking, climbing, and swimming. Children with limited gross motor skills cannot perform these tasks easily. They face challenges in performing day-to-day tasks such as playing, feeding themselves, and performing school-related activities. Moreover, these children also struggle to maintain proper hygiene and self-care. If you notice these behaviors in your child, consider seeking occupational therapy. This therapy can assist your child in learning tasks such as dressing, using utensils, feeding themselves, practicing good oral hygiene, and playing with toys.
Services provided by Advantage Therapy:
Advantage therapy aims to provide tailored services that help children to thrive in life. They provide therapies that help children to cope with daily life challenges. For instance they help a child in managing social issues, improve his motor skills and also help him to perform better at school. Here are the most famous Advantage therapy services:
Motor skills development:
Therapists design a systematic approach to improve muscular functions. This therapy aids in improving balance, coordination, and physical strength.
Sensory processing challenges:
Occupational therapy arranges activities to improve sensory integration. This helps children to stay calm and manage daily activities.
Social skill enhancement:
Advantage therapy offers services to refine the social skills of children. This therapy engages students in meaningful activities. These activities help them improve communication and develop sociability.
Specialists at Advantage Therapy:
Occupational challenges include a wide range of day-to-day activities. Some children face difficulty in motor skills but are good at sensory processing, this means that each child needs a specific type of therapy tailored to his situation. At Advantage Therapy, they provide a range of specialists for each type of task. These include
- Pediatric Specialists
- Speech Pathologists
- Occupational Therapist
- Parental Coaching
Conclusion:
Stress and social anxiety are not specified to adults only. Children also face challenges in day-to-day life. Parents should keenly observe the behavioral patterns of their children, Occupational therapy provides a strategic plan to deal with such challenges. Advantage Therapy is one of the leading centers that provide occupational therapy for children. So if you observe any symptoms in your child, don’t panic, just consult a good occupational therapist to give your child a healthy life!
