Pediatric occupational therapy practitioners support societal needs by providing services to infants, toddlers, children, and youth and their families in a variety of settings including schools, clinics, and homes (AOTA, 2022). Your child’s occupational therapist provides skilled services to ensure your child can engage in all their activities of daily life at their greatest potential including but not limited to dressing, bathing, playing, and school activities. Continue reading to learn more about how you can enhance therapeutic outcomes and promote carry over of interventions at home.
1. Encourage Independence
While it might be easier and timelier to simply tie your child’s shoes or zip up their coat for them, encouraging them to try attempting these actions helps them to develop their fine motor skills and self-efficacy. This can also be applied to all areas of life such as feeding, playing, etc. We learn by making mistakes, so we encourage you to make space for your child to learn and grow.
2. Building Self-Esteem
Your child’s self-esteem is based on what others tell them, so being mindful of the language you use with your child can help build positive self-esteem and confidence. Many children might exhibit behavioral challenges or feel less competent when their skills are delayed compared to their classmates. Therefore, encouraging your child to continue to challenge themselves and try new things may help them learn to persevere and develop their skills with intrinsic motivation.
3. Consult with Your Child’s OT
Your child’s OT wants to see your child succeed in all areas of life, so keeping an open line of communication regarding home programs and behavioral or lifestyle changes will help them provide your child with the most holistic therapy interventions. They are also able to provide you with specific strategies for promoting carry over outside of therapy, so we encourage you to utilize these to result in the greatest therapy outcomes for you child.
References:
Children & Youth. (n.d.). Retrieved January 8, 2022, from https://www.aota.org/Practice/Children-Youth.aspx