What is Occupational Therapy?
What are occupations?
Everyone has occupations.
I am a pediatric occupational therapist, this is my occupation. Occupations are daily life activities that make up one’s day, anything that is meaningful to you! I also teach dance and Pilates classes, as well as, paint and play the piano in my free time. These are some of my meaningful occupations. For kids, their occupations are to play, learn, socialize, take care of themselves, and grow into functional, independent adults.
What do I, as a pediatric occupational therapist, do?
As an occupational therapist, I provide modifications and adaptations to activities and environments in order to promote success and independence in your child’s life. I focus on your child’s daily occupations and help them to achieve the skills needed to grow into independent and functional adults. I provide services not only for children who have significant delays, but also for children who need a little extra support. As your child grows, expectations rise and certain milestones, such as crawling, building blocks, writing, feeding and dressing themselves, are expected to be achieved, which can be extremely difficult. I can help your child take on these challenges, and use their strengths to build the necessary skills in order to achieve success.
What are my goals for pediatric occupational therapy?
The ultimate goal of occupational therapy is for your child to succeed!
My goal is to help your child gain independence in their daily activities, whether that be schoolwork, self-care, social skills, cognitive skills or motor skills. Occupational therapy puts your child’s abilities and strengths first in order to boost self-esteem and create a sense of accomplishment. I will not only work with your child, but will help to equip your child with the tools they need in day-to-day life.
Why should parents want OT for their kids?
Every parent wants the best for their child.
Every parent wants their child to succeed. Worrying about your child is a normal part of parenthood. Sometimes little things may get in the way of your child’s development, such as the ability to pay attention, illegible handwriting, difficulty socializing, being under or oversensitive to their environment, and much more. Though these difficulties can vary in severity, there impact on the parent and child can be significant. If you feel your child is struggling to master particular developmental milestones, please reach out to me. I will help you be proactive by professionally assessing and treating your child’s needs.
Learn more about the Occupational Therapy Program
About the Author: Christina Davino, MOT, OTR/L
Christina Davino is an occupational therapist, who received her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences, and Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University. Christina is certified through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and a licensed occupational therapist through the State of Connecticut’s Department of Public Health. Christina has years of pediatric experience in various settings, including outpatient clinics, schools, and sensory gyms. She has additional experience in special needs child care, as well as integrating children with Sensory Processing Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders into dance classes with typically developing peers.
You can email Christina at info@frankenbergerassociates.com.