Pediatric Occupational Therapy
The Month of April celebrates occupational therapy. Occupational therapists often work side by side with physical therapists and speech and language pathologists but what exactly is occupational therapy and why is it important?
Occupational therapy as we recognize it today has recent origins as it began in the 20th century around the time of World War I. “Reconstruction aides” as they were originally called were aiding men returning from the war with physical disability/injuries and mental health conditions.
As occupational therapy as a field grew, rehabilitation focus was expanded to focus on overall function in all ages, activities of daily living, sensory integration and developmental milestone achievement.
At Aprendamos Intervention Team, occupational therapists and certified occupational therapy assistants focus on pediatric occupational therapy which means we work with babies and children to assist them reach their full function and independence. Focus areas might be fine motor skills, sensory processing, visual motor skills, activities of daily living, social development, and overall self-regulation.
In both Early Intervention and our Esperanza clinic, our occupational therapy department works in conjunction with physical therapists and speech and language pathologists and families to achieve the best outcomes for children.
