What is Occupational Therapy? — A Guide for Parents | Sweet Waters OT
For Parents
What is Occupational Therapy?
A Guide for Parents
What is Paediatric Occupational Therapy?
- Paediatric Occupational Therapy helps children develop the skills they need for everyday life, learning, and independence — including playing, writing, eating, dressing, participating socially, and managing emotions and behaviour.
How OT can help your child
- Sensory Processing — Helps children make sense of sensory information and respond calmly
- Emotional Regulation — Supports emotional control, coping strategies, and self-confidence
- Participation & Independence — Builds skills for daily routines, social interaction and independence
- Visual Perception & Cognition — Develops attention, memory, and planning essential for school readiness
- Gross Motor Skills — Balance, coordination, posture, core strength, motor planning and body awareness
- Fine Motor Skills — Handwriting, pencil control, hand strength and coordination
Signs your child may benefit from OT
- Premature birth or traumatic birth history
- Delays in early developmental milestones
- Struggles with attention and concentration
- Highly active, difficulty maintaining focus
- Avoids or has difficulty writing, drawing or colouring
- Struggles to get dressed and brush teeth
- Difficulty with coordination or balance
- Avoids playground equipment
- Emotional outbursts or difficulty regulating emotions
- Sensitivities to sounds, textures or touch
- Picky eating, gagging and vomiting
"Scientists have recently determined that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain — UNLESS it's done through PLAY. In that case, it takes 10–20 repetitions!" ~ Dr Karyn Purvis