Occupational Therapy
Fostering Self-Help and Independence
Occupational Therapy
At Therapy Connections, occupational therapists improve the lives of children by promoting the “just right challenge” for learning through the use of childhood occupations and play as therapeutic interventions.
Skills that may be addressed consist of self-help, executive functioning, visual perception, visual motor, fine motor, sensory processing, feeding, coordination and self-regulation. With the development of these skills, and collaboration with families, occupational therapists can promote function and independence in everyday living.
Areas Addressed
Occupational Therapy is often recommended to address the following:
- Grasp development
- Self-regulation and attention
- Self-care
- Coordination
- Social awareness and development
- Executive functioning
- Emotional regulation
- Visual perception
- Visual motor skills
- Feeding and picky eating
- Anxiety
- Reflex integration
- Academic skills
Vestibular Processing
The vestibular system is the inner ear balance sense that helps to perceive movement. When this sense is not working properly, or properly connected with the other sense organs, especially the eyes and ears, trouble arises in processing.
Read More about Vestibular Processing
Strength Training
Therapist-directed exercises and activities improve muscular strength and endurance. Examples include: lifting weights, body weight exercises, and use of resistance bands.
Read More about Strength Training
Therapy Connections provides a wide range of therapeutic services using evidence based techniques and an interdisciplinary approach. This practice allows children with disabilities to achieve their highest potential.
Services are provided to children of all ages and various diagnoses including but not limited to Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dyspraxia, Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), Down syndrome, Spina Bifida, ADD, Anxiety Disorders, learning disabilities, and behavioral issues.
Handwriting Therapy
Handwriting is a complex process of managing written language and communication. It involves coordinating the eyes, arms, hands, and body posture as well as the use of visual motor and fine motor skills for letter formation, sizing, and accuracy.
Read More about Handwriting Therapy
Heavy Work
Heavy work is a type of proprioceptive input to the body that assists with calming, regulation, and attention. Proprioceptive input involves resistance to and/or against the muscles and joints of the body. Often, it involves pulling joints apart (ex: hanging, pulling/carrying heavy items, etc.) or compressing joints together (ex: pushing heavy items, deep pressure against the body, etc). Heavy work can be very beneficial for increased sensory processing and body awareness.
Read More about Heavy Work
Specialized Occupational Therapy Services
If you are looking for a specific service or type of treatment – please ask! Our staff are widely trained and certified on a number of different types of therapeutic treatments. Below are some of the most requested services; however we have many more that we can offer.
Occupational Therapists address a variety of self-care skills from grooming to dressing and hygiene to toileting. Self-care covers a wide range of skills for achieving functional performance in daily life.
Tummy Time!® Method is a therapeutic tool which helps remedy: Asymmetries such as torticollis, plagiocephaly; Gestational and birth trauma; In utero / Gestational constraint (prenatal plagiocephaly, head molding); Postural preferences (torticollis); Nervous System Dysregulation (unsettled, fussy or irritated babies)
Therapeutic Listening® and Integrated Listening Systems are both sound-based intervention that are used to enhance the development of a variety of skills.
Handwriting Therapy utilizes evidence-based handwriting programs including Size Matters and Handwriting Without Tears® to address the development of fine motor and visual motor skills through writing practices.
Astronaut Training Protocol® utilizes the vestibular, visual, and auditory systems in order to focus on the development of the sensory systems, body awareness, and self-regulation.
Masgutaova Neuro-Sensory-Motor Reflex Integration™ addresses integration of active primitive reflexes through the use of movement patterns in order to improve neurological pathways for continued skill development.
