OTs working with children
What's it like being a children's Occupational Therapist?
Occupational Therapy can help children with various needs improve their cognitive, physical, sensory, and motor skills and enhance their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. OTs working in children’s services work with families, schools and nurseries, to help patients join in and be independent in daily activities. Sometimes children may have difficulties with concentration or play/hobbies which OTs can also help with.
For example, Abi is an Occupational Therapist working in the Neurodevelopmental Service at NCH&C. She helped children find ways to fidget so they don’t get told off in class. Jenny, an Occupational Therapist working in the Children’s Community Occupational Therapy team, taught a young child with a physical disability how to get off their chair independently so they could play on the floor.
OTs in Children’s Services work with patients to identify small interventions that have big impacts on gaining independence and confidence. Things like: teaching parents of premature babies the importance of tummy time for their baby’s development; providing supportive seating to allow children to sit to play and share meal times with their families; showing parents how to fold socks so children can put them on independently; how to use visual timers to help prepare for transitions; and getting families to make Playdoh food with their children so that they can practise cutlery skills.
Some of our Occupational Therapists who work with children.