For children, occupational therapy focuses on developing the skills they need to be successful in everyday activities. Even newborns can benefit from pediatric occupational therapy. After a long stay in a NICU, babies sometimes need help feeding, developing primitive reflexes, self soothing, reaching for objects, visual tracking, or recognizing mom. That’s where pediatric occupational therapy can help.
An older baby may be overly sensitive to loud noises or not respond at all, or perhaps they’re unable to grip toys or feed themselves finger foods. We work with babies, toddlers and older children to help them gain the skills they’ll need to care for themselves and succeed within the family environment, at school, and life in general.
How does occupational therapy help?
Many of the children who visit Building Futures Pediatric Therapy in Ruston or Monroe have missed developmental milestones. Our goal is to help your child reach those developmental milestones so they can succeed in daily activities.
We also help children with injuries, prematurity, birth defects or neurological, genetic or developmental disorders. Occupational therapy helps children blossom into the most capable and independent adults they can become.
We utilize a variety of games, toys and specially designed equipment to keep your child engaged and interested in their therapy. It’s so important to ensure every visit is positive and fun so your child wants to come back for their next appointment.
Our work involves the development of these skills and many more:
- Feeding oneself
- Dressing and bathing
- Skills controlling fingers and hands
- Regulating emotions and behavior
- Transitioning between tasks
- Following single or multi-part directions
- Hand-eye coordination
- Hand, wrist and forearm strength
- Learning balance and coordination
- Processing sensory input
- Recognizing and remembering letters and shapes
- Handwriting
The Benefits of Therapy
The skills we work on with each patient will vary greatly by that child’s potentials and their age. We want each child to achieve milestones relative to their ages and abilities, taking into account their individual situations or diagnoses.
Therefore, your child’s specific benefits may vary. Here are some of the typical benefits our children experience from working with our therapists:
- More capable of dressing and grooming
- Better at feeding themselves
- Tolerant of a variety of sensory input
- Capable of harmonious and enjoyable play with other children
- Accuracy when following directions
- Skilled use of assistive technology
- Increased stability during motion
- Improved ability to write
Most of us take these simple life skills for granted. But for a child who’s struggling, gaining skills like these means the difference between a frustrating, unhappy, limited life and one of achievement and enjoyment. We see the joy in their faces, every time they master a new ability.
Through our work, we’re able to provide these children and their families with a greater measure of freedom to experience life and accomplish the goals they set for themselves.
Consult Us for a Pediatric Occupational Therapy Evaluation
Has your child been referred to therapy after missing milestones? Or have you noticed worrying signs that your child is struggling? Please contact us for a pediatric occupational therapy evaluation.
We would be happy to schedule you for a visit to our pediatric occupational therapy clinics in Ruston or Monroe. Let us show you the kind of improvements we have been able to achieve with other children. Come see the incredible variety of toys, games and facilities we employ to keep therapy fun and the positive atmosphere that surrounds our therapy.
If you’re just beginning your online search for a pediatric occupational therapist near you, please contact us to schedule a visit to our Ruston or Monroe offices. Give us a call today:
Monroe: 318-388-8414
Ruston: 318-255-7550
For quick tips to help your child, check out our Developmental Checklist!