Occupational Therapy is a health profession concerned with promoting health and well-being. The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in occupations(activities) that give meaning and purpose to their lives. For children, these activities may include using their hands for play, dressing, feeding, toileting, bathing, following routines, and moving around their homes, communities, preschools/daycares/schools. Occupational therapists working in paediatrics help children who have been challenged by developmental difficulties, injury or disease to develop, function and participate in everyday life.

Together with the child and the child’s family/caregivers, the occupational therapist will assess each child in order to determine goals and strategies that address the child’s needs, abilities and environment.

An occupational therapist’s education, training and clinical experience provides expertise in the following areas:

• Fine Motor Skills – hand function, eye/hand coordination, pre-writing/writing, skills, manual dexterity, grasp patterns
• Activities of Daily Living Skills – dressing, feeding, grooming, hygiene
• Perceptual/Cognitive Skills – design copying, matching, sequencing, color and number concepts, space and position concepts, memory.
• Sensory-Motor Skills – body image, body concept, motor planning, bilateral, integration, laterality, tactile sensitivity, sensations of movement
• Posture Control – positioning and posture control to increase function
• Splinting – fabricate splints for neurological or orthopaedic concerns
• Play Skills – age appropriate toys, social interaction, functional play
• Specialized Equipment – assistive devices, mobility equipment, assistive technology, home modifications, accessibility

Occupational Therapy, in collaboration with Physical Therapy and Speech Language Pathology, offer specialized teams in the following:

• Technical Aids Team
• Seating and Mobility Team
• Feeding Team

Our occupational therapists are registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of B.C.