Services & Programs

Occupational Therapy

If occupational therapy using a sensory integrative frame of reference is recommended for your child, there are certain hallmarks. In therapy, your child will be guided through activities that challenge his/her ability to respond to sensory input appropriately by making a successful, organized response. Therapy is conducted in a sensory-rich and emotionally nurturing environment. Activities are designed to meet your individual child's needs and will offer vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile sensory input to develop underlying abilities that enable a child to learn efficiently.

Rather than drilling your child in specific skills, the therapist will draw upon your child's natural interests and motivations. Your child will be an active participant; active involvement provides the best opportunity for changes in the brain that lead to growth, learning and better organization of behavior. Children almost always enjoy the opportunities available here and they can use swings, large balls, tunnels, toys, tactile boxes, etc. Therapy is very much play- and relationship-based, and the child is encouraged to initiate activities while the therapist can guide the child to achieve success that may not occur without trained guidance.

Because OT using a sensory integrative frame of reference addresses foundational skills for learning, outcomes are difficult to predict, but intervention can have important contributions to a number of functional areas. Potential outcomes include improved motor skills and coordination, self-concept, language development, social interaction, school performance, self-care skills, coping skills and emotional adjustment. Life can become easier for the child and those around him.

The length of therapy varies depending on the severity and type of challenges your child faces, as well as the rate and amount of progress seen. Progress should be monitored and your input is an important part of this process. When a listening program is combined with OT using a sensory integrative frame of reference, progress often occurs more quickly.