According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), "in addition to dealing with an individual's physical well-being, occupational therapy practitioners address psychological, social, and environmental factors that may hinder an individual's functioning in different ways. This unique approach makes occupational therapy a vital part of health care for some children".

The Role of an Occupational Therapist:

Occupational therapists use play to enhance a child's fine motor skills and muscular strength. They also address feeding and oral motor skills, self-care skills, positioning, adaptive equipment, splint fabrication and use, sensory integration techniques, and assist individuals in acquiring the knowledge, needed to perform.

Occupational therapists use brushing and joint compression as an intervention technique. This method of therapy provides deep tactile input to help organize the sensory system and increase focus and level of alertness. Using this technique daily every two hours and prior to activities can reduce fear, anxiety, or resistance.

One of the activities that occupational therapists address is enhancing fine motor skills so that kids can grasp and release toys and develop better handwriting skills. Occupational therapists also address hand-eye coordination to improve play skills, such as hitting a target, batting a ball, or copying from a blackboard.

An Occupational Therapist can also:

• help kids with behavioral disorders learn anger-management techniques (i.e., instead of hitting others or acting out, the children would learn positive ways to deal with anger, such as writing about feelings or participating in a physical activity)
  
• help children with severe developmental delays to learn some basic tasks, such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and feeding themselves
  teach children with physical disabilities the coordination skills required to feed themselves, use a computer, or increase the speed and legibility of their handwriting.