The quest for neater handwriting can be easy. At Kick Start Therapy, we have in-house occupational therapists who support your child with handwriting evaluations and testing to determine why your child struggles with handwriting. They develop effective strategies to support developing and improving your child’s handwriting. One licensed OTs offer one-on-one therapy targeted to your child’s requirements.
2. Role of Occupational Therapist for Child self-care Daily activities
Self-care activities such as feeding, dressing, toileting and hygiene are considered activities
of daily living (ADLs). These activities of daily living are prerequisite skills your child
requires before entering school. If you or your child has difficulty with any of these ADLs,
then at Kick Start our Occupational Therapist can help to develop them.
Let’s walk you through on how our occupational therapist can help improve you or your
child’s activities of daily living!
3. How Occupational Therapist can help your Child with ADL
At Kick Start our occupational therapist conducts 1:1
session with your children to help them develop skills to
participate in ADLs independently through evidence
based interventions. Our occupational therapy activities
are designed to be engaging, fun and playful to ensure a
child can achieve maximum success without any help. To
ensure that maximum progress can be achieved by a child
below listed are some of the skills that our occupational
therapist works on with your child:
4. Sequencing Improvement Activity: To help improve your child’s
ability to process information in an order, by making them perform
fun activities designed in specific order. For example wearing socks
before wearing shoes etc.
Fine Motor Improvement Activity: To help improve your child’s
coordination and strength in their small muscles (in their
hands/fingers) through different activities, so that they can improve
on activities like buttoning shirt, holding spoon etc.
Gross Motor Improvement Activity: To help your child improve
strength and postural stability in their big muscles (in legs, arms),
through different activities. Like wearing pants without falling down
or carrying heavy school bags etc.
5. Role Of Occupational Therapy In Treating Children With ADHD?
In Treating Children With ADHD?
Do you know experts estimate that approximately 5 to 7% of school-going children worldwide
have ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is commonly
found in children and appears in early childhood. This condition makes it difficult for a child to
be able to inhibit spontaneous responses. Be it movement, speech or attentiveness, ADHD may
cause trouble with a child’s daily routine and behaviour.
6. Common Symptoms of ADHD in a Child
• Inattention
• Lack of focus
• Unable to communicate
• Poor control over impulses
• Hyperactivity
• Executive dysfunction
7. What are the Common Causes of ADHD?
According to researchers, it has been suggested that the causes of
ADHD remain unclear. Some researchers say genetics plays a big
role in it.
But it is clear that ADHD is not caused by improper parenting or
eating disorders. It is a biological condition.
Another probable cause for ADHD is prematurity which increases
the risk of it. Doctors suggest that prenatal exposure to alcohol and
nicotine also increases the risk of ADHD development.
8. How does Occupational Therapy help with ADHD?
There are multiples that an occupational therapist can help a
child with ADHD.
A certified and trained occupational therapist will be able
to develop strategies and help a child practice new skills to
cope with ADHD. a child with ADHD may have trouble with
focusing, reading, writing and speaking. Since ADHD
symptoms are individualized and one’s condition is different
from another's, only an experienced occupational therapist can
provide the right help and support. They can customize the
right solution as per the child’s age and specific requirements.
9. Does ADHD Affect Adulthood?
If early diagnosis and treatments are not
done, ADHD can also affect adulthood. The
symptoms continue and an adult may face
trouble with their relationships and work
life.
10. Role of Pediatric Occupational Therapist
A pediatric occupational therapist is known to work
specifically for children. They help a child to
develop and improve fine and gross motor skills.
Every therapy session is done keeping in mind the
child’s specific needs and the severity of the ADHD
condition.
11. What Can You Expect From Kick Start Therapy Sessions?
At Kick Start Therapy, we make sure that every child is taken utmost care
of. We evaluate the child first before starting therapy sessions. During the
evaluation process, we discuss with parents to understand the child’s
areas of difficulties and struggles that they might be facing with school,
social and home life.
After a thorough evaluation, we conduct a few tests to identify the
child’s weaknesses and strengths that help us determine the right kind of
therapy. These tests also rule out other conditions with similar
symptoms.
12. A Typical Therapy Session at Kick Start May
Look Like This:
• Games and activities involving hand-eye coordination.
• Activities that manage aggression and anger.
• Practicing handwriting and reading.
• Speaking confidently.
• Innovative techniques to improve focus and confidence
• Practicing social skills and more.
So if you are in need of an excellent team of occupational therapists,
providing comprehensive ADHD treatments, contact us today.
13. How Can Occupational Therapists Help With Writing
Skill Development?
Occupational therapy is a client-centered profession that promotes health and well-
being through occupation. The primary goal of occupational therapy is to help you
participate in the meaningful activities of daily life, including self-care skills, work,
daily living skills, and social interaction with peer groups. Occupational therapists
work with people to encourage physical and psychological functioning.
14. How Do Children Progress In Handwriting Skills through
Occupational Therapy?
As kids progress to early elementary years, they
strengthen their letter formation skills. They
start learning about the placement of lowercase
letters with others. Children learn to write within
a small space and learn about spacing with words
and sentences.
15. Good Handwriting Comprises Two Basic
Elements:
i. Pencil Grip: Children must hold their pencils using some grips. The grip allows adequate
movements at their thumb and finger joints and the upper extremity.
ii. Motor Control: It includes two things:
•Posture: Children must sit in the correct posture for good handwriting. Ensure that the feet
are flat on the floor, with a straight back, and arms resting comfortably on the desk at a 90-
degree angle.
•Pressure: Children need to offer the right amount of pressure while writing. Very dark
writing, heavy indents on the next page, and fatigue of the children’s hands and fingers are
the signs that a child is applying too much pressure while writing. On the other hand, without
enough pressure, the writing will be too light, making it difficult to read.
16. How Can Occupational Therapists Help Your Child
With Writing Skills?
The art of writing requires a combination of fine motor skills and
visual perception skills. Occupational therapists assess and address a
child’s fine motor skills, including the way they use their hands and
fingers and the strength in them. The professionals focus on a child’s
visual motor skills, which is the simultaneous use of hands and eyes to
execute tasks.
Besides, they also look for the child’s bilateral hand skills, which
refers to the ability to use both hands together. OTs also take into
account if the child can sit still, hold the body upright at a tabletop,
and their ability to focus on the task of writing.
17. How Do Occupational Therapists Work on The
Fine Motor?
OTs engage children in developing fine motor skills through fun
activities and play to engage all their senses, often referred to as
multi-sensory learning. Often OTs use playdoh clay to roll and
squish to get your child's fingers and hands moving. They use
various textures and crafts to develop the strength and movement
of children’s little hands.
Furthermore, they execute plans to improve writing skills in
children with ADHD, Autism, Learning Disabilities, and other
disorders.
18. Goals to improve handwriting skills include:
• Improving hand dominance
• Improving muscle strength of hand
• Improving eye-hand coordination and
• Improving pacing and timing of tasks.
19. Why Choose Kick Start Therapy?
The quest for neater handwriting can be easy. At Kick Start
Therapy, we have in-house occupational therapists who support
your child with handwriting evaluations and testing to
determine why your child struggles with handwriting.
They develop effective strategies to support developing and
improving your child’s handwriting. One licensed OTs offer
one-on-one therapy targeted to your child’s requirements.
