Pediatric Occupational Therapy can make a big difference in a child’s life. At Compass Community Health, our Pediatric Occupational Therapy team works to use innovative techniques to make therapy sessions fun and effective, to involve the family in the treatment plan, and to help young patients overcome challenges and learn strategies that will improve their daily lives. Naturally, parents may find themselves wondering how they can continue these therapeutic efforts at home to maximize the benefits for their child! Read on for five ways parents can extend occupational therapy goals at home.
Why It’s Important
According to the OT Toolbox, “Occupational therapy at home is a continuum of care, and this is because the home is a natural setting for living. It’s the place for self-care, dressing, bathing, toileting, eating, and other activities of daily living (ADLs).” Almost all activities of living can be encompassed within the home, and so anything that is worked on in occupational therapy can continue to be applied within the home setting!
1. Talk with the Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Your child’s Pediatric Occupational Therapist will have the clearest view of your child’s specific needs, and so they will have the clearest view of how you can best support your child at home! Maintaining a good line of communication with the Pediatric Occupational Therapist is one of the best ways you can extend occupational therapy goals at home (Eastern Therapy).
2. Support Their Independence
Helping your child to apply what was worked on in occupational therapy and building their confidence in doing so can go a long way in extending occupational therapy goals at home. You don’t have to do anything dramatic here- breaking regular, everyday goals into smaller pieces and helping them to take part can be enough! This can apply to dressing, eating, bathing, or any other activity of daily life (Eastern Therapy).
3. Be Intentional
Knowing exactly what you are working towards can help you know when you reach the goal as well as prevent frustration for you and/or your child. Set specific goals, break it down into a plan, and communicate with your child about the goals and plan! This is also an important area where you want to be in communication with the Pediatric Occupational Therapist (Eastern Therapy).
4. Play!
Just like how adults’ primary occupations tend to consist of going to work, cooking meals, socializing, and cleaning, “a child’s primary occupation is play” (OTPlan). Think about how your child likes to play, and figure out how to incorporate therapeutic activities into them! This can take a lot of different forms depending on your child’s likes and needs, so don’t over-complicate it! Additionally, you can research sensory toys or create your own type of sensory bin to therapeutically engage your child (Eastern Therapy).
5. Stay Calm and Consistent
Change and growth are often difficult for adults, and it is just the same for children. At times, they may struggle to make changes or become frustrated and want to give up. Be their rock, and gently help them to continue. Your support is so important (Eastern Therapy)!
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