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Occupational Therapy
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy (OT) at Jumpstart Center is a vital service that supports children in building the physical, cognitive, emotional, and sensory skills they need to succeed at home, in school, and in life. OT is not just supportive—it’s essential for school readiness, self-care, focus, and functional independence.
Using structured, play-based activities, our occupational therapists help children overcome challenges that impact their ability to learn, pay attention, regulate emotions, participate in classroom routines, and perform everyday tasks.
Occupational Therapy
Who Can Benefit from Occupational Therapy?
OT is ideal for children who:
- Struggle with school readiness or adapting to classroom routines
- Have difficulty with focus, attention, or task completion
- Show signs of sensory sensitivities or seek excessive sensory input (e.g., crashing into things, spinning, avoiding textures or sounds)
- Struggle with fine motor skills like writing, buttoning, or using utensils
- Display delays in gross motor development such as balance, coordination, or posture
- Experience difficulty with self-care tasks like dressing, brushing teeth, or feeding
- Exhibit challenges with emotional regulation or frustration tolerance
- Have trouble with play and social interaction skills
- Have a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, developmental delay, or motor planning disorders
- Have been identified as having dysgraphia, with handwriting and written expression difficulties
Occupational Therapy
What Does Occupational Therapy Involve?
- Initial Assessment & Goal Setting: Every therapy journey begins with a comprehensive assessment of your child’s motor, sensory, cognitive, and functional skills. Based on the results, a personalized therapy plan is created.
- Fine Motor Skills Development: Support for grasp strength, pencil control, scissor use, and object manipulation to help with writing, drawing, and daily tasks.
- Dysgraphia Intervention: Targeted support for children with handwriting difficulties, including letter formation, spacing, grip, and written organization, using evidence-based strategies to build confidence and function in the classroom.
- Sensory Integration Therapy: Activities to help children respond appropriately to sensory input (touch, movement, sound, etc.), enhancing focus, emotional regulation, and participation.
- Gross Motor & Postural Control: Exercises to improve coordination, strength, core stability, and balance—essential for sitting upright in class, playing safely, and moving confidently.
- Visual Motor & Hand-Eye Coordination: Targeted tasks to support skills like copying from the board, tracking objects, catching a ball, and completing puzzles or visual assignments.
- Functional Independence Training: Practice with daily living skills such as dressing, eating, and hygiene to promote confidence and autonomy at home and in school.
- Attention & Self-Regulation Support: Therapists use individualized strategies to help children maintain attention, manage impulses, and respond appropriately to challenges or transitions.
- Social & Emotional Skills Through Play: Through guided play, children build resilience, practice turn-taking, follow rules, and navigate both structured and unstructured social settings.
- Primitive Reflexes Integration: Therapy that helps integrate retained reflexes to support better coordination, focus, and learning readiness in children with developmental challenges.