Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is a division of rehabilitation medicine that helps individuals of all ages develop the skills required to become more independent in their day-to day-life. Here at Chitter Chatter, our goal in occupational therapy is to help children develop and improve their fine motor skills, sensory processing skills, gross motor coordination, self-feeding skills, visual-motor integration skills, and dressing skills to help each them grow to reach their full potential.
The first step in this process is to use standardized assessments that will help the occupational therapist understand your child and their strengths and weaknesses. With the parent as an integral part of the team, the occupational therapist and parents will collaborate to create goals to give your child the skills to participate in everyday life.
From there, our occupational therapists understand that play is one of the most important occupations in a child’s day. We use play and creative activities to work towards goals. Our clinicians integrate the just right challenge into treatment sessions specific to your Childs' strengths to build skills.
Signs & Symptoms
Signs Your Child May Need a Skilled Occupational Therapy Evaluation
For more details see the Centers for Disease Control Developmental Milestones
Fine Motor
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Your child is not picking up small objects with pincer grasp (thumb and index finger) by 12-18 months
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Your child has difficulty with clapping their hands or bring their hands together by 12-18 months
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Your child is not beginning to color with a palmar supinate grasp by 12-18 months
Dressing
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Your child is not taking off their socks or shoes by 12 months
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Your child is not helping to remove their shirt and pants by 2 years old
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Your child is not attempting to unbutton clothing 2.5 years old
Visual motor
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Your child has difficulty with copying horizontal lines, vertical lines, or circle by 2.5 years old
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Your child holds writing utensils with a palmar supinate grasp after the age of 2
Procedural Skills
Feeding Therapy: During the initial evaluation, our clinician will discuss with the family what concerns they have regarding their child’s feeding skills. Our clinicians are trained in oral motor, sensory, and behavioral based evaluations and interventions. In order to eat, a child must first have the oral motor skills to manipulate food in their mouth safely and effectively. If the child demonstrates competent oral motor skills but demonstrates sensory dysregulation in relation to feeding skills, such as poor tolerance for messy play (i.e., getting their hands dirty), this may be targeted. Other children may have a limited food inventory. If so, the occupational therapist may work on including more food into their diet. Our clinicians will determine the best plan, in collaboration with the family, to allow the child to eat a variety of foods in a safe manner.
Our clinicians are trained in:
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Beckman Oral Motor
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Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding
Signs Your Child May Need Occupational Therapy to Address Feeding Concerns:
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Coughing, choking, or gagging during or after swallowing
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Inability to chew foods that are texturally age-appropriate
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Excessive drooling
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Refusing foods based on type or texture