When should my child start occupational therapy?
Ergotherapy in childhood can be prescribed for babies. As a rule, however, occupational therapy does not take place before the age of four. Exceptions are often children who have motor problems.
These may be congenital disabilities. In addition, children with Down’s syndrome are also in occupational therapy at a very early age to work on muscle tone. For older children, the earlier an existing problem is treated by occupational therapy, the better. For this reason, occupational therapists work in kindergartens and elementary school to compensate for developmental delays as early as possible, so that children do not lose touch with their peers.
Does the therapist have to have special training?
A certified occupational therapist who has been granted permission to use the occupational title of occupational therapist does not require further training for any special field. Accordingly, the occupational therapist can choose which specialist area he wants to work in. For example, pediatrics or geriatrics.
Many therapists choose a specialty in which they are particularly interested and make it their focus. In order to gain special expert knowledge in the selected field, the therapists often take part in numerous further training courses. The therapist always has the possibility to change the specialty, often this offer is also taken advantage of to broaden their own horizon.
Which therapeutic approach is used?
Occupational therapy offers a variety of therapy approaches for children, because children are prescribed occupational therapy for a variety of reasons. Accordingly, a therapy approach and a corresponding social form is chosen depending on the child’s deficit and resources. In the following, some typical, i.e. frequently offered therapy approaches are briefly presented: For children who suffer from motor activity limitations, there is also a whole range of therapy options, just as for children who go to occupational therapy because they have psychological or behavioral problems.
- This includes sensory integration therapy. This therapy is especially for children with a learning disorder due to a processing disorder of sensory perception. Sensory integration is part of the normal development.
All information that is received by the sensory organs is connected to other areas in the brain and processed. To ensure this process, which is disturbed in some children, occupational therapy with this form of therapy is recommended.
- Another form of therapy for children is that of Lauth and Schlottke. This developed approach is used for children with attention disorders.
They are taught to use cognitive therapy to enable them to work independently. This includes an independent control of actions, a planned approach to tasks, self-reflexive actions, etc.
- In the Marburger concentration training, the ability to concentrate is promoted and developed with children in a group where there is only positive feedback. Furthermore, there are special therapy approaches for children with ADHD and ADD.
