What It Means
Occupational therapy (OT) for children helps a child take part in the everyday activities, or occupations, of childhood. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) lists them as school, play and leisure, getting along with others, self-careSelf-careTaking time to do things that help you live well and look after your physical and mental health, such as moving, sleeping, resting and staying in touch. See more such as eating, dressing and hygiene, helping with tasks like preparing a meal, sleep and rest, and early work skills. An occupational therapist looks at what is getting in the way, whether sensory, motor, social and emotional, or thinking skills, and then uses activities and changes to the task or setting to help the child succeed.
Try It: Find Who to Call About OT for Your Child's Age
Pick your child's age to see where an OT evaluation usually starts in the US.
Your state's early intervention program
You can call it yourself, with no referral or diagnosis, and ask for a free evaluation. OT can be one of the services in the family's plan.
Your local public elementary school
Ask for an evaluation for preschool special education, even if your child won't attend that school.
Your child's school
Ask about an evaluation. Under IDEA, a student who qualifies gets their education, including related services, alongside classmates where possible.
At any age, you can also start with your child's doctor.
How Parents Say It
- "He sees an OT once a week for his handwriting."
- "Early intervention added OT for her feeding."
- "The OT said to try a picture checklist for getting dressed."
The Breakdown
What OT can work on, by age
| Age | What OT may focus on | Where it happens |
|---|---|---|
| Birth to 3 | Daily routines such as feeding, sleep and rest, with coaching for the family | Early interventionEarly interventionServices under IDEA Part C for babies and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have a developmental delay or disability, and for their families. See more, which can include home visits; also hospitals and outpatient clinics |
| 3 to 5 | Self-care such as feeding and toileting, play, getting along with others | Early childhood programs, preschool special education, outpatient clinics |
| 5 to 21 | Handwriting and fine motor skillsFine motor skillsSmall, precise movements of the wrists, hands and fingers, like picking up small bits of food, scribbling, stringing beads or doing buttons. See more, self-regulationSelf-regulationA child's growing ability to manage their own feelings, attention and actions, like calming down, waiting a turn or sticking with a hard task. See more, social skills, life skills, taking part at recess and in the cafeteria | School, community and clinics |
The table draws on AOTA's information sheets and its journalJournalingWriting down your thoughts and feelings, in a notebook or an app, to understand them more clearly and to see what's behind your stress. See more's reviews of OT for children from birth to age 5 and for ages 5 to 21.
Signs it may be worth asking about. Trouble with self-care that most children the same age manage, such as feeding, dressing or toileting; struggles with handwriting or using small objects; or difficulty joining in play at school. These are the areas AOTA describes OT working on, so they're a reasonable starting point for a conversation with the doctor or teacher.
How to get an evaluation. For a child under 3, call your state's early intervention program directly; CDC says no referral or diagnosis is needed. For a child 3 or older, contact the local public elementary school. Your child's doctor is another good place to start.
Good to Know
At school, AOTA describes occupational therapists working inside the child's normal day, in the classroom, on the playground and in the cafeteria, so skills are practiced where they're used. Bring a short list of what your child finds hard to the first meeting, since AOTA describes OT as built around what a child needs and wantsNeeds vs wantsThe split between costs you must pay to live, work and protect what you have (needs) and extras that would be nice to have (wants). See more to do.
FAQ
What does an occupational therapist do for a child?
AOTA says occupational therapy practitioners help children and youth take part in what they need or want to do, such as school, play, self-care, sleep and social activities. They find what's getting in the way and use activities and changes to the task or setting.
What's the difference between occupational therapy and speech therapy?
OT focuses on everyday activities like play, self-care, handwriting and taking part at school. Speech therapySpeech therapyTreatment from a speech-language pathologist to help a child with speech sounds, understanding and using language, social communication or swallowing. See more, given by a speech-language pathologistSpeech-language pathologistA professional, often called an SLP or speech therapist, who assesses and treats problems with speech, language, social communication and swallowing. See more, focuses on talking, understanding language and communication.
How do I get occupational therapy for my child?
For a child under 3, call your state's early intervention program and ask for a free evaluation; no referral is needed. For an older child, ask the local public school about an evaluation, or ask your child's doctor.
Do It in Buhata
Calendar and Reminders
Put each OT session on the Calendar in Buhata as a repeating event, and set a Reminder the night before to pack anything the therapist asked you to bring.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Early intervention
Services under IDEA Part C for babies and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have a developmental delay or disability, and for their families.
- Fine motor skills
Small, precise movements of the wrists, hands and fingers, like picking up small bits of food, scribbling, stringing beads or doing buttons.
- Sensory processing
How the brain takes in and responds to what a child hears, sees, touches, tastes and smells.
- Speech therapy
Treatment from a speech-language pathologist to help a child with speech sounds, understanding and using language, social communication or swallowing.
- Gross motor skills
Movements that use the large muscles of the arms, legs and torso, like rolling over, sitting, walking, running and kicking a ball.
- Executive function
The mental skills that let a person plan, focus, remember instructions and control impulses: working memory, mental flexibility and self-control.
Sources
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), "Inclusion of Children With Disabilities," School Mental Health Toolkit; AOTA, "Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)," School Mental Health Toolkit; American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AOTA), "Occupational Therapy Interventions to Support Feeding and Toileting in Children From Birth to Age 5 Years"; American Journal of Occupational Therapy, "Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy Practice to Improve Activities of Daily Living, Rest, and Sleep for Children Ages 0 to 5 Years and Their Families: A Systematic Review"; American Journal of Occupational Therapy, "Occupational Therapy Interventions for Children and Youth Ages 5 to 21 Years"
- www.aota.org/~/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Children/Inclusion-of-Children-With-Disabilities-20150128.pdf
- www.aota.org/~/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Children/SchoolMHToolkit/Social-and-Emotional-Learning-Info-Sheet.pdf
- research.aota.org/ajot/article/75/5/7505390010/12674/Occupational-Therapy-Interventions-to-Support
- research.aota.org/ajot/article-abstract/74/2/7402180010p1/6665/Interventions-Within-the-Scope-of-Occupational
- research.aota.org/ajot/article/75/4/7504390010/12534/Occupational-Therapy-Interventions-for-Children
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