Challenges which may benefit from occupational therapy.
Fine Motor Skills— the small muscle movements in our hands and wrists required to carry out daily activities functionally. Red Flags:
difficulty contracting toys, such as lego or pegs
difficulty coloring within a provided boundary
signs of or complaints of fatigue when coloring/writing/drawing, cutting
struggling with cutting, fasteners (zipping, buttons), coloring/writing/drawing
alternating hand use while completing age appropriate fine motor tasks
struggling with activities of daily living (ADL) and self care, such as dressing, feeding and using utensils
taking extra time, avoiding and/or becoming frustrated when attempting fine motor tasks
Visual Perceptual Motor Skills— the coordination of visual information that is organized and perceived while being processed with motor skills.
difficulty assembling puzzles or copying block forms
difficulty catching or hitting a ball
letter reversals and poor letter formation
poor line awareness in handwriting and coloring
difficulty copying written work as well as pictures/shapes
difficulty keeping place when reading, writing, and completing a busy worksheet
confusing similar shapes, letters, and numbers
difficulty recognizing partially hidden objects
trouble spacing appropriately between letters and words
Motor Planning and Praxis— motor planning requires a child to conceive or imagine a task, plan the steps required to complete a task, execute or carry the task out, and then rely on self-feedback for fluid and automatic movements. Motor planning relies on a child having an organized sensory system, as well as adequate body awareness. Therefore, if a child has difficulty with one or more of the senses this can lead to poor body awareness and motor planning difficulties. Red Flags:
Poor body scheme and body awareness
difficulties coordinating both hands together (ie. cutting, fasteners, tying shoes)
taking a long time to learn new tasks
difficulty following multi-step instructions
clumsiness (eg. constantly bumping into things or falling over)
difficulty starting tasks
difficulty completing tasks efficiently or in a timely fashion
preference for familiar play routines or repetition of tasks instead of developing new ideas
frustration or avoidance of new tasks and fear of failure
difficulty riding a bike or scooter
withdrawn on playground or during PE
Core Strength and Stability— the development of the torso muscles that stabilize, align, and move the trunk of the body. Poor core strength can cause poor posture which can also affect gross motor and fine motor skills as well as attention. Redflags:
signs of fatigue: slouching, resting head on desk or hand, frequent changing of position, laying down or leaning on items while seated on floor,
‘W’ sitting
poor balance
avoid gross motor games and activities
fighting or trouble paying attention
difficulty with fine motor control
history of delayed gross milestone development (rolling, crawling, walking)
difficulty with stabilizing the body to complete self-care tasks (putting on shoes/socks)
Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation— the interpretation of information sent to our brains via our senses and movement. Children rely on processing sensory input adequately in order to maintain focus and regulation as well as to engage in their everyday environments. Red Flags:
lack of awareness of where their body is in space and may appear clumsy
tantrums in busy, loud, or unfamiliar environments and from sensory overload
tantrums or avoidance or bathing, oral hygiene, hair brushing, and other self-care tasks
standing too close or speaking too loudly to others
bumping into things easily
seeking out extra sensory input and appear to have excess energy (ie. spinning or swinging, difficulty sitting still, touching people/things, and chewing on clothing)
dislike of new clothing, tags on clothing
aversion to noise and/or light