5 Signs Your Child May Need Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Parenting is a fun-filled job. However, the job becomes uphill and challenging if the child fails to keep up with the milestone markers. For kids who have difficulties in carrying out day-to-day activities or do not typically develop like other developing children of their age, chances are that they may be experiencing developmental delays and may require medical intervention. If you are a parent to a young child showing signs of delays, you must scout for a pediatric occupational therapy near me. 

Signs To Watch Out For

Every child is unique and develops at their pace. But medically, each development is tagged to a time frame. Children who fail to keep up with the pace often lag in the long run. An occupational pediatric therapy near me will help your child cope. Here are certain signs one needs to be wary of:

• Development Delays :

Development milestones are the learning linked to a particular age. For instance, a child must learn to sit up between four and seven months and begin to walk by age 1. A developmental delay pushes these timelines beyond safe margins. The child, thus, lacks the basic skill set and does not learn at an age-appropriate level.

• Motor Skills :

From basic movement, balance, and strength development to taking small, fine motor skills that involve the use of toes, fingers, and wrists, proper development of motor skills is important for taking up day-to-day activities. Inefficacious development in both gross and fine motor skills may require an in-depth assessment to determine why. 

• Speech Disorders :

This is a vast domain that includes a range of speaking and language difficulties. Voice disorders linked to pitch issues or speech issues like stuttering can make communication difficult. Professional centers offering speech and occupational therapy can help out with such issues by carefully working on the problem areas. One can avail of teletherapy speech services if a certified center for stuttering therapy near me is not feasible. 

• Sensory Challenges :

The five human senses – taste, touch, smell, seeing, and hear, put up a great human defense. If your child shows signs of developmental delays in any of the five senses, chances of learning disabilities are high. If your child is overly sensitive or under-sensitive to things around, it’s good to get the matter professionally evaluated. 

• Visual Processing 

When the eyes and the brain work in coordination, the visual processing takes place. However, challenges and learning difficulties surface if the child experiences difficulties in any of these. If your child has difficulty with the spacing and sizes of letters, recognizing letters, tracking and crossing midline, etc. an occupational therapy may help sort the issues. 

Final Thoughts

If you feel your child is lagging behind in certain ways, speak to your pediatrician for advice. They are quick to catch the early signs of developmental delays and recommend pediatric occupational therapy services for your child. Certified centers like the LA Speech Therapy Solutions in Los Angeles help figure out the learning gaps and work on them to help them effectively overcome their shortcomings.