28/01/2022
The Importance of Occupational Therapy in Early Intervention
he first 3 years of life are a critical time for brain development, especially if a child is delayed or restricted in development. If a child needs support to develop optimally, occupational therapy can help.
Evidence shows that early intervention is vital for children under 5 years old. Occupational therapy can help improve their motor, cognitive, sensory processing, communication, and play skills. The goal is to enhance development, minimize the potential for developmental delay, and help families to meet the special needs of their infants and toddlers.
Occupational therapy is one of several services that may be provided as part of early intervention. It benefits children with many specific conditions (e.g., autism, motor coordination difficulties and sensory processing), in addition to children with no clear diagnosis.
In Guildford handwriting Clinic we are passionate about early intervention for our younger children who might find hitting their milestones a little tricky.
What occupational therapy practitioners actually do in early intervention?
We work in partnership with Teachers, SENDCOs, Parents, the student and other nursery staff to support participation of the children in nursery activities. We see children in context, so we tend to observe children in play ground, classroom, during the lunch time. We aim to provide evidence informed, effective and responsive OT input in your nursery.
The practitioner evaluates the child and then identifies things that parents and caregivers can do throughout the day to reinforce a skill and improve sensory processing or enable new learning.
