Strides Occupational Therapy Services
Strides OT works to determine and meet the needs of individuals who are experiencing challenges with development and functional performance. Through professional, evidence-based interventions in a fun, family-centered community environment, clients will have opportunities to improve and expand upon their own skills and development through specifically designed therapeutic treatments.
Following an evaluation, a treatment program will be designed to address various needs, which may include:
gross and fine motor skills, sensory processing, mobility, visual motor and visual perceptual skills, self-regulatory skills, handwriting skills, self-care skills, social and play skill development, motor planning, organization, and coordination
Is Occupational Therapy Necessary?
Common issues OT can assist with:- Motor Skills- Fine, Gross, Oral
- Play and Social Interaction
- Visual Skills
- School and Learning
- Sensory Processing
- Development
Signs of Struggle with Fine Motor Skills:
• Avoidance of activities that require fine motor skills due to difficulty with manipulation of objects
• Has difficulty with school related tasks such as grasping a pencil or using scissors, and/or shows poor handwriting and letter/number formation
• Has trouble with pre-writing, tracing, coloring, or drawing
• May struggle at the dinner table with forks, spoons, and/or knives
• Difficulty with buttons, zippers, or shoelaces
Signs of Struggle with Gross Motor Skills: • Avoidance of activities that require gross motor skills • Displays poor balance, is clumsy, and/or has difficulty coordinating both sides of the body • Has low or high muscle tone • Struggles with ascending or descending the stairs • Is resistant to cross midline • Shows fear/anxiety when off the ground
Signs of Struggle with Oral Motor Skills • Displays excessive drool • May resist chewing in the back of the mouth • Has difficulty using a cup or straw at an age-appropriate time • Shows signs of fatigue after eating • Loses liquid or food from mouth when drinking or chewing • Is a picky eater • May mouth toys or objects beyond an age-appropriate time
Signs of Struggle with Gross Motor Skills: • Avoidance of activities that require gross motor skills • Displays poor balance, is clumsy, and/or has difficulty coordinating both sides of the body • Has low or high muscle tone • Struggles with ascending or descending the stairs • Is resistant to cross midline • Shows fear/anxiety when off the ground
Signs of Struggle with Oral Motor Skills • Displays excessive drool • May resist chewing in the back of the mouth • Has difficulty using a cup or straw at an age-appropriate time • Shows signs of fatigue after eating • Loses liquid or food from mouth when drinking or chewing • Is a picky eater • May mouth toys or objects beyond an age-appropriate time
Signs of Struggle with Play
• Requires guidance with initiating play and/or does not explore toys
• Has difficulty with regulation, or moves quickly from one activity to the next
• May not join in with others when playing
• Perseverance on one toy/game/activity for hours
• May struggle with sharing and turn taking
Signs of Struggle with Social Interaction Skills: • Has difficulty coping in school or adapting to new environments • May have difficulty interacting socially and engaging with family and peers • May be overly focused on one subject
Signs of Struggle with Social Interaction Skills: • Has difficulty coping in school or adapting to new environments • May have difficulty interacting socially and engaging with family and peers • May be overly focused on one subject
• Displays poor eye contact
• Has difficulty with tracking objects
• Struggles to maintain focus on something or someone for more than a few seconds
• Looks away when catching a ball or when completing writing tasks
• Rubs eyes while completing tasks that require visual attention/focus
• Has trouble with spacing and sizing letters when writing, or has difficulty recognizing letters
• Has difficulty copying shapes or letters
• Has difficulty locating objects in a busy background
• Struggles with maintaining his or her place on the paper when copying from the board or another paper
• Has difficulty with right and left
• Fidgets in chair/falls out of chair
• Takes a long time to learn new skills or relies heavily on adult support to complete tasks
• Shows poor impulse control or poor personal space with peers
• Is easily distracted or has difficulty focusing at school, may show difficulty with following directions
• May fatigue easily when completing school work
• Has difficulty with regulation of energy/arousal level
• Reverses letters or numbers when writing
• Melts down after school or being in a busy environment
• May be overly responsive to sensations or under responsive to sensations (visual, auditory, movement, etc.)
• Is easily distracted by things they see or hear
• Is constantly moving, jumping, crashing, or bumping into objects and others
• Is unsafe during play
• Is unable to or has difficulty with emotional regulation
• Struggles with coping with change or handling transitions; easily overwhelmed in busy environments
• Clumsy or lacks safety awareness
• Is not reaching developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling, and walking
• May struggle to learn at an age appropriate level
• Has difficulty developing play and social skills