Occupational therapy

In its simplest terms, occupational therapy helps people across their lifespan participate in the
things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations).
Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate
fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and
providing support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.
With occupational therapy:

●        fine motor skills develop

●        eye–hand coordination improves

●        children master basic life skills such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing teeth, and
self-feeding.

●        children acquire positive behaviours and social skills

●        children obtain special equipment to help build independence. These include wheelchairs,
splints, bathing equipment, dressing devices, and communication aids.

●        occupational therapists teach children how to cope with emotional situations

●        occupational therapists instruct caregivers in regard to mealtime intervention for
children who have feeding difficulties

In summary, the primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the
activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by working with people to
enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or
by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement.

Compiled and adapted from:
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/occupational-therapy.html
https://www.aota.org/About-Occupational-Therapy.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_therapy