Occupational Therapy is a profession that incorporates meaningful & purposeful activity to enable people with limitations or impairments to achieve their full potential. The primary goal of Occupational Therapy is to enable people to participate as fully as possible in the activities of everyday life. Pediatric Occupational Therapists help children develop skills in the areas of self-care, school and play, which are a child’s main areas of occupation. By supporting children and enabling them to achieve their maximum potential, Pediatric Occupational Therapists indirectly work on developing confidence, self-esteem, social skills, play skills and general well-being.Based on a holistic vision of the human being, on the unity of body and mind, the aim of the therapy is to integrate the cognitive, emotional, symbolical and physical interactions in the individual’s capacity to be and to act in a psycho social context.
Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), now known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are characterized by delays in the development of social and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is by 3 years of age.
Symptoms may include:
Children with PDD vary widely. Some children do not speak at all, while others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively average language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident. Extreme responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people's behavior, people with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse. Most cases are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old, but sometimes it's diagnosed later in childhood
Chromosomal disorders are a type of genetic disorder that develop because of a change (mutation) in one or more of your child’s genes. Chromosomes are the part of DNA cells that contain genes. Any changes in your child’s chromosomes could cause a chromosomal disorder. Some chromosomal disorders are passed down in families. Others develop without a known family history. If your child has a chromosomal disorder, they may have fewer or more chromosomes than normal or may be missing certain chromosomes altogether
Some of the chromosomal disorders OTs work with:
Learning disabilities are a group of neuro developmental disorders that can significantly affect a person’s ability to learn new things. As a result, the person may have trouble with tasks such as speaking, reading, writing, paying attention, understanding information, remembering things, performing mathematical calculations, or coordinating movements.
“Learning disability” is an umbrella term that encompasses many types of specific learning disorders, including:
It is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. Some people with sensory processing disorder are oversensitive to things in their environment. Common sounds may be painful or overwhelming. The light touch of a shirt may chafe the skin.
Cerebral palsy is a group of conditions that affect movement and posture. It's caused by damage that occurs to the developing brain, most often before birth. Symptoms appear during infancy or preschool years and vary from very mild to serious. Children with cerebral palsy may have exaggerated reflexes. The arms, legs and trunk may appear floppy. Or they may have stiff muscles, known as spasticity. Symptoms also can include irregular posture,movements that can't be controlled, a walk that's not steady or some combination of these.
The term 'developmental delay' or 'global development delay' is used when a child takes longer to reach certain development milestones than other children their age.This might include learning to walk or talk, movement skills, learning new things and interacting with others socially and emotionally
If your child is struggling to perform daily activities or if any medical condition,disease, or injury has made it difficult for your child to complete the routine activities independently, you may take help from occupational therapist to improve your child’s physical, sensory and cognitive strength to live as independently as possible.
