Occupational Therapy addresses function and promotes independence through skill development, and adaptation of activities, equipment or the environment.

Occupational areas of focus are self-care (activities of daily living), productivity  (learning and educational activities) and leisure (play). Occupational Therapy also addresses the functional abilities required for daily living such as, motor, sensory, cognition and psychosocial performance areas.  Deficits or delays in these performance areas may be addressed by OT intervention. Occupational Therapists are registered with the College of Occupational Therapy of British Columbia.

Getting To Know Your Child

As a first step the OT may:

• Ask you to share knowledge of your child’s development.
• Observe your child in everyday activities.
• Play with your child.
• Complete developmental checklists.
• Use standardized assessments in selected skill areas.

Occupational Therapists Have A Special Interest In:

• How children use their bodies, especially arms and hands to control and manipulate objects. Consequently, play activities involving the use of fine motor skills are often the focus.
• Children’s visual and perceptual skills; how they coordinate their eyes and hands; and how they manage the space around themselves including how they process and respond to sensory information.
• Play Skills - learning appropriate use of toys, learning to play independently and with others.
• Children’s response to learning opportunities and how they best learn and organize activities.
• Children’s interests, coping behaviours, self-image and their ability to pay attention and socialize with others.
• Self care skills such as dressing, toileting, feeding, sleeping and personal hygiene.
• The adaptation of equipment or the provision of technical aids, which may help to maximize independence.
• Safety Awareness.

Statistics for 2009-2010

Showed that the Occupational Therapy Department received 330 referrals and served 266 children.