Youth occupational therapy services
Occupational therapists work with children who have difficulties carrying out their daily activities appropriate for their age group (e.g., drawing, cutting, dressing, eating, writing, playing, doing a puzzle).
To understand which challenges (e.g., fine motor difficulties, sensory issues or other factors) interfere with a child’s ability to carry out daily tasks, the occupational therapist conducts an assessment in order to pinpoint, in collaboration with the parents and the child (depending on their age), the intervention priorities and objectives. Depending on the child’s needs, the occupational therapist can offer individual or group therapy based primarily on play and other activities.
The occupational therapist can also act as a consultant to help implement the intervention plan with other health, daycare or school professionals.
The occupational therapist works closely with other health professionals (e.g., physiotherapists, speech therapists, pediatricians) to help in the diagnostic process and to refer the child to specialized services (e.g., rehabilitation centre). The occupational therapist in the youth program also participates in screening as well as prevention and health promotion to help in youth development.
The occupational therapist in the youth program participates in screening, as well as health promotion and prevention activities, to support the development of young children.