What Does an Occupational Therapist Help Children With?

Occupational therapists (OTs) support children to develop the skills they need for everyday life, learning and participation. At Grow & Tell, our paediatric occupational therapists in Sydney support children with sensory processing, emotional regulation, motor skills, self-care, school participation and independence through individualised, strengths-based therapy.

Every child develops differently. Occupational therapy focuses on understanding a child’s individual strengths, challenges and everyday activities, then helping them build practical skills that support participation at home, school and in the community.

What Can Occupational Therapy Help With?

Occupational therapy can support children experiencing challenges with:

• sensory processing and regulation

• emotional regulation

• fine motor skills

• handwriting

• attention and concentration

• coordination and balance

• self-care skills

• school readiness

• play and social participation

• everyday routines and independence

Every child is different, and occupational therapy is tailored to each child’s strengths, needs, interests and everyday goals.

Sensory Processing and Emotional Regulation

Children receive sensory information throughout the day through touch, sound, movement, sight, smell and other sensory systems. Some children can find particular sensory experiences difficult to manage or may seek additional sensory input.

Children may become overwhelmed by:

• loud or unexpected noises

• particular textures

• movement

• busy environments

• clothing or food textures

• transitions between activities

Paediatric occupational therapy can support children to understand and respond to sensory information, develop regulation strategies and participate more comfortably in everyday activities at home, school and in the community.

Occupational therapists may also work with families and educators to identify practical strategies that can be incorporated into a child’s everyday routines.

Fine Motor and Handwriting Skills

Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the hands and fingers and are important for many everyday childhood activities.

Occupational therapists commonly support children who experience difficulty with:

• pencil grip and pencil control

• drawing and colouring

• cutting with scissors

• using utensils

• manipulating small objects

• buttons, zippers and other fasteners

• handwriting development

Occupational therapy may focus on developing hand strength, dexterity, bilateral coordination and confidence with everyday fine motor and handwriting tasks.

Rather than working on a skill in isolation, an OT may consider the different factors affecting a child's participation, such as posture, coordination, attention, sensory needs and the demands of the activity.

Gross Motor Skills and Coordination

Gross motor skills involve larger movements of the body and are important for play, sport, playground activities and everyday participation.

Children may benefit from occupational therapy support if they:

• find balance difficult

• appear less coordinated than their peers

• avoid some physical activities

• have difficulty learning new movements

• find ball skills challenging

• have difficulty navigating playground equipment

• tire during physical activities

Occupational therapy can support children to develop coordination, balance, body awareness, motor planning and confidence when participating in physical activities.

Therapy is often play-based, allowing children to practise these skills through enjoyable and meaningful activities.

Self-Care and Everyday Independence

An important part of occupational therapy is helping children participate as independently as possible in everyday routines.

Depending on a child’s age and needs, an occupational therapist may support skills related to:

• getting dressed

• managing buttons and zippers

• using cutlery

• brushing teeth

• toileting routines

• organising belongings

• completing morning and evening routines

• preparing for school

• participating in household activities

The goal is not simply to practise individual tasks. Occupational therapists look at the child, the activity and their environment to understand what may be making participation difficult.

Strategies can then be developed with the child and family to make everyday activities more manageable and build independence over time.

School Readiness and Attention

Starting school requires children to use many different skills at the same time.

Occupational therapists can help children prepare for and participate in school by supporting areas such as:

• sitting and participating in classroom activities

• attention and focus

• following routines

• fine motor and handwriting skills

• organising belongings

• independence

• emotional regulation

• transitions between activities

• playground participation

Occupational therapy can also involve working collaboratively with parents, teachers and other professionals to develop practical strategies that support the child across different environments.

School readiness programs may also help children develop confidence and practise important skills before transitioning into a school environment.

Play and Social Participation

Play is an important part of childhood and provides opportunities for children to develop physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills.

Some children may find it difficult to join games, manage changes in play, take turns or participate comfortably with other children.

Occupational therapy may support skills such as:

• joining and participating in play

• turn-taking

• flexible thinking

• coping with changes

• understanding personal space

• confidence in group activities

• managing emotions during play

• participating in community activities

Depending on the child's needs, individual occupational therapy may also complement social skills groups or other supports.

Autism and Neurodiversity Support

Occupational therapists may support autistic and neurodivergent children with areas such as:

• sensory processing and regulation

• emotional regulation

• self-care

• motor skills

• social participation

• flexibility

• routines and transitions

• school participation

• functional everyday living skills

At Grow & Tell, therapy is child-centred and strengths-based. Support is tailored to each child's individual needs, interests, goals and everyday environments.

For some children, the focus may be developing a particular skill. For others, occupational therapy may involve adapting activities or environments to make participation more comfortable and achievable.

Feeding and Mealtime Challenges

Some children experience challenges around food and mealtimes that can affect their participation in family routines.

These may include:

• sensitivity to particular textures, smells or tastes

• a limited range of accepted foods

• difficulty tolerating unfamiliar foods

• sensory challenges around mealtimes

• difficulty participating comfortably in family meals

Depending on the child's needs, occupational therapy may form part of a broader approach to supporting feeding and mealtime participation.

Grow & Tell also providesfeeding therapy for children who may benefit from more specialised feeding support.

What Happens During Paediatric Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy begins by understanding what is important to the child and their family.

An occupational therapist may gather information about the child's development, daily routines, strengths, interests and areas where they are experiencing difficulty.

Depending on the child's needs, this may involve observation, discussion with parents, assessment activities and information from teachers or other professionals.

Therapy goals can then be developed around meaningful everyday activities.

Sessions may look like play — climbing, drawing, completing obstacle courses, practising everyday activities or playing games — but activities are selected with therapeutic goals in mind.

Parents and caregivers are also an important part of the process. Practical strategies can be incorporated into everyday routines so children have opportunities to develop their skills outside therapy sessions.

Does My Child Need Occupational Therapy?

There isn't one particular sign that means a child needs to see an occupational therapist.

It may be worth speaking with an OT if challenges with sensory processing, motor skills, self-care, regulation, attention or participation are regularly affecting your child's everyday life.

For example, you might notice your child is finding it particularly difficult to:

• get dressed independently

• use pencils, scissors or cutlery

• participate in classroom activities

• manage particular sensory environments

• regulate emotions during everyday routines

• coordinate movements

• participate in playground or sporting activities

• manage transitions

• complete age-appropriate self-care tasks

An occupational therapist can help determine whether further assessment or support may be useful.

Paediatric Occupational Therapy at Grow & Tell

Grow & Tell provides paediatric occupational therapy across Sydney, with clinics in St Leonards on Sydney's Lower North Shore and Rhodes in the Inner West.

Our occupational therapists support children with areas including:

• sensory processing and emotional regulation

• fine and gross motor skills

• handwriting and school participation

• self-care and independence

• coordination and motor planning

• play and social participation

• developmental and functional needs

Families can access occupational therapy at our clinics, as well as mobile occupational therapy at home, school or in the community andtelehealth occupational therapy where appropriate.

Our occupational therapists work collaboratively with children, families, educators and other professionals to help children develop practical skills, confidence and greater participation in everyday life.

If you're wondering whether occupational therapy may be helpful for your child, learn more about our paediatric occupational therapy in Sydney or contact the Grow & Tell team to discuss your child's needs.