Occupational Therapists (OT’s) work with children who are having difficulty doing the “occupations” that they need to do. For young children, their number one occupation is play! Other important occupations for children include self-care activities like sleeping, eating, dressing, toileting, etc. For older children, important areas may include developing social skills, learning to read and write, self-regulation, sensory processing, and paying attention in class.
An OT can assess a child’s skills, strengths, and their environment to improve their participation in home and school settings. This can be done through formal assessments, observations, play groups, direct therapy sessions, family meetings, and advocacy. Often, OT’s will work on a team with Speech Language Pathologists (SLP), Physiotherapists (PT), and other support workers.
For more information on services, please contact lgiroux@kitimatcdc.ca or (250) 632-3144 ext 207