Skills such as fine motor skills, visual-motor skills, self-help skills, including dressing, feeding, grooming, motor planning, play skills, social skills, sensory processing, strength, and coordination are fundamental components required for children to successfully participate in their roles and occupations within their environments. Success in completing independent tasks can also help to increase a child’s confidence. When these skills are negatively impacted, a child may have difficulty with functional participation in age-appropriate activities.
Children learn from their environment by engaging in play activities. Occupational therapists use their unique skills to develop purposeful and motivating activities to engage children in tasks to increase following directions, attention skills, problem-solving, handwriting, core strength, posture, upper body strength, and endurance. Occupational therapy helps children function better physically, emotionally, academically, and socially in their daily lives.
