Tier OT Services, PC

04/06/2026

OT is OT, so why not just do it at school and make life easier, right? But here’s the scoop:

School-based OT is educationally driven.

It’s only provided if the child’s disability is impacting their ability to access or participate in their education. The OT’s job in this setting is to support function within the school environment, like:
• Holding a pencil to write
• Sensory supports
• Using scissors during class projects
• Organizing materials or managing transitions

It’s not about treating all developmental concerns, just the ones that interfere with educational access.

⸻

Outpatient OT is medically based.

This focuses on overall development and function, not just how the child does at school. It covers:
• Sensory processing challenges at home and in the community
• Fine motor delays that may not affect schoolwork (yet)
• Feeding concerns, dressing, toileting, self-regulation, etc.

Even if a child doesn’t qualify for school OT (because their delays don’t impact school performance enough), they might still have real functional delays that need outpatient support.

⸻

So why can’t school OT be used just for convenience?

Because it’s legally tied to educational necessity. It’s not meant to replace medical services, and schools aren’t allowed to provide therapy “just in case” or “to make life easier” even if we wish they could!

04/04/2026

ROTARY VESTIBULAR SENSORY ACTIVITIES

The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, sends signals to the brain about the position and movement of the head. It becomes active whenever the head tilts, turns upside down, spins, or moves quickly or slowly—for example, when running, swinging, or sliding.

Today we are focusing on rotary vestibular input -
Spinning around and turning the head (and fluid in the inner ear). This type of input is generally alerting and stimulating, helping with balance, muscle tone, and body awareness. It differs from linear input (discussed recently) and can be either organizing or disorganising depending on the individual’s sensory needs; excessive or intense input can lead to overstimulation, while some children with sensory processing challenges may be hyporesponsive and seek this input. Combining vestibular and proprioceptive input can be regulating.

Vestibular rotary activities can vary with an individual rolling (forward, backward, log), turning (like a spinning top), orbital (like a merry-go-round) on an axis and upside down/inversion (like a cartwheel). It can vary in intensity, stop/start jerky movements and duration. The vestibular system is very powerful and input should be closely supervised, especially for sensory seekers who may not know their own limits.

03/30/2026

LINEAR VESTIBULAR SENSORY ACTIVITIES

The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, sends signals to the brain about the position and movement of the head. It becomes active whenever the head tilts, turns upside down, spins, or moves quickly or slowly—for example, when running, swinging, or sliding.

Today we are focusing on linear vestibular input -
Forward/backward, up/down and side to side. Broadly speaking these actions can help someone to soothe and calm, alert and energise, or organise and regulate. Some children will also combine vestibular input with proprioceptive input to have these outcomes.

We lean into these activities to soothe babies - rocking a pram forward and backward, cradling them in our arms and gently moving, laying them in bouncers or hammocks.

Some activities allow for a combination of vestibular input such as the hammock swing. Allowing a child to direct their sensory input may also help them to include proprioception (eg. Pumping legs on the swing, pushing with arms on the scooter board, jumping on the trampoline). Stop/start activities will also bring alerting components.

03/28/2026

🔼 Swing Stability Pyramid ♎

♻️ ⚕️

03/28/2026

Cool!

03/21/2026

03/15/2026

03/13/2026

Hand separation, also called motoric separation of the two sides of the hand, is a key fine motor skill that allows the hand to balance power and precision. The ulnar side (ring and pinkie fingers) provides stability, while the radial side (thumb, index, and middle fingers) performs precise movements like writing, buttoning, or picking up small objects.

This coordination relies on muscles, joints, and ligaments working together across the wrist and finger joints (MCP, PIP, DIP). When the power side stabilizes, the precision side can move with control, enabling in-hand manipulation and refined grasp.

You see this skill in daily life—zipping coats, tying shoes, managing buttons, or holding objects in the palm while using fingertips. Difficulty with these tasks often signals a need to strengthen hand separation.

03/07/2026

❤️❤️❤️🙌