Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) specialize in working with children of all ages, with goals of improving daily living, fine motor, and emotional regulation skills. OTs are focused on helping children manage daily tasks and activities that are important to them. OTs assess areas including feeding, writing skills, behaviours and emotional regulation skills, sensory processing, dressing skills, self-help skills, play skills, motor planning and integration skills, attention, and other skills and abilities important for everyday tasks.

Pediatric occupational therapists treat a wide range of conditions affecting how children participate in their daily lives, including:

  • Delays in meeting play milestones

  • Challenges with fine motor and/or writing tasks

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Attention Deficit- Hyperactivity Disorder

  • Global Developmental Delay

  • Motor skills

  • Sensory processing challenges or disorder

  • Cerebral palsy

  • Down syndrome

  • Global Developmental Delay

  • Sleep challenges

  • Toilet training challenges and/or other hygiene-related challenges (bathing, teeth brushing, hair brushing, etc.)

  • Behaviour challenges (difficulties with transitions, exhibiting challenging behaviours, challenges adjusting behaviour to different environments, repetitive behaviours, etc.)

  • Picky eating      

  • Other conditions that are inhibiting children and their families from participating in activities of daily living to a satisfactory extent

Every child’s and families’ goals and needs are unique and we aim to meet these in a fun and enjoyable environment with functional play, games and activities. Our therapists work one on one with your child the entire session, using a combination of therapeutic strategies and adapted activities to support them meeting their goals. We also work closely with family members, caregivers, teachers, doctors and other health care professionals. Parents and caregivers are always encouraged to be a part of therapy.

Paediatric occupational therapy is not typically covered under an insurance plan. Occupational therapy is an eligible expense for Ontario Autism Program funding.