Occupational therapists who work with children have education and training in child development, neurology, medical conditions, psychosocial development, and therapeutic techniques.
Occupational therapists focus on the child's ability to master skills for independence.
When your child is an infant, your immediate concerns relate to his health and growth, development of the basic motor milestones, social interaction with you and others, interest in things going on around him, and early speech sounds and responses. Due to hypotonia and weakness of the muscles of the cheeks, tongue and lips, feeding is difficult for some infants with Down syndrome. OTs suggest positioning and feeding techniques, and can be involved in doing feeding studies, if necessary. When your child is a toddler and preschooler, she will likely have some independent mobility and will be busy exploring her environment. To assist her development you will want to provide her with many opportunities for learning, you will want to encourage the beginning steps in learning to feed and dress herself, you will want her to learn how to play appropriately with toys and interact with other children, you will be encouraging speech and language skills, and you will continue to provide opportunities for refinement of gross motor skills.