Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy focuses on the skills for the job of living. The very word "occupation" refers to an activity which "occupies" a person's time. Pediatric occupational therapy focuses on helping children gain the skills needed for their daily occupations. Occupations in childhood include play, socialization, self-care, and school performance. For example, an infant has the occupation of eating and self-soothing; older children have the occupation of playing and learning.

Occupational therapy uses purposeful goal directed activities to improve a child's performance in postural stability, sensory integration, motor planning, coordination, self-help skills, social interactions, and play abilities. For children, therapeutic intervention is often used in conjunction with play to enhance the child's engagement and involvement.