3 ways to decide if your child needs occupational therapy

Hi read, I've had a lot of conversations lately with friends about their children.  The question always seems to come up: "How do I know if my child needs occupational therapy services?" (First, if you don't know what OT is exactly, you can read the blog post I wrote here.) Here are 3 things you can do to decide if your child needs OT: 1. Observe other children.  No one likes to play the "comparison game" in life, but you can learn a lot about typical child development by watching other kids.  Next time you are on the playground or in a social setting, observe other kids and see how they act.  You'll see kids at any age have a wide range of development of motor skills, social skills, and thinking skills.  Observing other kids will help you understand your own child's skills and behaviors within the context of overall child development. 2. Talk to your friends.  Don't be afraid to express any concerns you have about your child's development to your good friends. A close friend will hopefully share their honest opinion with you if you ask them for their advice.  Listen to their experiences raising kids and to their answers when you ask them about your own child's development.  It truly takes a village to raise great kids, and we need to be more honest with our friends about our concerns and struggles and our children's needs...so we can all support one another in this journey of parenting!  3. Do online research about typical development for your child's age-range.  There is WAY too much information on the internet, so here are some good sources I've curated for you: CDC Child Development Charts for ages 0-5 years CDC Milestone Tracker app  Physical development in 5-10 year-olds (and a BUNCH of other great articles on child development- LOVE this site!)  The Pathways website is another wonderful resource for child development resources on a variety of topics. If you do all of the above but still aren't sure about your child's development, call us for a free 15-minute phone consult at 510-269-7617 so we can help you decide next steps.   Wishing you all the support you need to help your child grow up into a happy and healthy adult in the future! Best, Laura Figueroa   P.S. If you have questions about your child's development that you'd like us to cover in a future email, drop us a line and let us know! Visit our website Copyright © 2022 Outdoor Kids OT, Inc., All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted-in to receive updates about Outdoor Kids OT programs. Our mailing address is: Outdoor Kids OT, Inc. 1380 Dwight Way Berkeley, CA 94702 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.