Occupational Therapy Services
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) for children focuses on helping them develop the skills needed for daily activities, or their "occupations". These include improving kids' abilities to independently complete activities such as play skills, attending school, and self-care tasks.
Key areas of Development Occupational Therapy Addresses include the following:
Fine Motor Skills – Improving hand strength and dexterity
Gross Motor Skills – Enhancing balance, coordination, and strength
Sensory Processing – Helping children regulate responses to sensory input (e.g., touch, sound, movement) to improve focus and participation in daily tasks
Feeding Skills - Improving bottle feeding, transitioning to solids, and picky eating behaviors
Self-Care Skills – Teaching independence in dressing, eating, and personal hygiene
Social and Emotional Skills – Supporting interaction, emotional regulation, and communication
Cognitive Skills – Enhancing attention, memory, and problem-solving for school readiness
Play Skills – Encouraging creative and interactive play to develop social and motor abilities
Who Can Benefit from OT?
Common diagnoses of children who typically benefit from occupational therapy include:
Autism
ADHD
Sensory processing disorder
Developmental delays
Cerebral palsy
Certain genetic disorders
Receiving Occupational Therapy
If you suspect your child has developmental delays, talk with your doctor about getting a referral to occupational therapy services for an evaluation. At the evaluation, an occupational therapist will assess a child's strengths and challenges to create customized goals and treatment plans. The treatment play may involve play-based activities, exercises, and/or adaptive strategies and tools.
School Readiness Program
The occupational therapy department at the Community Health Clinic will also be implementing the School Readiness Program in August of 2025. This program offers group occupational therapy for children 3-7 years old in a structured setting to improve children's school readiness skills – social interaction, motor skills, emotional regulation, attention to task, play skills, and school-related hygiene. It is designed to support children in the Amish Community who may be experiencing challenges in one or more of the above areas.
For more information, please reach out to Erin Kline, OTD, OTR/L at 260-593-0108 ext 121.