Step 1: Evaluation and Assessment
Step 2: Review evaluation & plan with caregiver
Step 3: Start Treatment sessions if indicated!
Step 2: Review evaluation & plan with caregiver
Step 3: Start Treatment sessions if indicated!
Fine Motor & Handwriting
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Fine motor skills develop the small (but important) muscles in the hands. Fine motor skills start developing as early as 1-2 months of age and effect coordination, dexterity, and strength for important skills such as self-feeding, handwriting, typing, scissor use, opening and closing containers, typing shoes, opening and closing buttons, snaps, and zippers and so much more!
Check out this before and after handwriting sample from a 5 year old client after just 4 months in OT: |
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Sensory
Some children have difficulty taking in and interpreting sensory information and, in turn, reacting to that information. Children who have sensory difficulties sometimes have trouble with focus & attention, reactions, self regulation, social skills, hyperactivity, feeding difficulties, or body awareness.
Seeking or avoidance tendencies can stem from any of the eight senses:
At Cove Child Development we evaluate children to determine which stimuli they are sensitive to, then work with the families to coach and develop strategies in the home, we work with children to use a play-based approach providing a safe environment for children to be exposed to various stimuli they may be sensitive to while teaching the mechanisms to cope with sensory stimuli.
Seeking or avoidance tendencies can stem from any of the eight senses:
- Visual (seeing)
- Auditory (hearing)
- Olfactory (scent)
- Gustatory (taste)
- Tactile (touch)
- Interoception (relays sensations from the organs)
- Vestibular (balance and coordination)
- Proprioception (motor control and posture)
At Cove Child Development we evaluate children to determine which stimuli they are sensitive to, then work with the families to coach and develop strategies in the home, we work with children to use a play-based approach providing a safe environment for children to be exposed to various stimuli they may be sensitive to while teaching the mechanisms to cope with sensory stimuli.
Plagiocephaly & Torticollis
Torticollis is a tightening (shortening) of the muscles on one side of the neck. Plagiocephaly is a flattening of the head. If left untreated Plagiocephaly or Torticollis can cause difficulties in feeding, coordination, posture, delayed gross motor development, and decreased visual motor skills. Fortunately there are many positional and environment changes we can make to help prevent and treat cranial abnormalities. We work with children under the age of 6 months for these conditions.
Self Help Skills
Self help skills (adaptive skills) are age appropriate, real-life skills such as grooming and hygiene, getting dressed, safety awareness, food handling, age appropriate chores, following school rules, managing money, managing time, and social skills. We break down the skills needed in order to complete these tasks and work with our clients on developing these skills. We help motivate children on keeping up with their adaptive skills with charts, picture schedules, and visual step by step directions.
Focus, Attention, Working Memory
Occupational therapists help children improve focus, attention, and working memory—key skills needed for learning, following directions, and completing tasks. These cognitive functions allow children to stay engaged, process information, and recall details when needed.
Therapists use structured activities, movement-based strategies, and sensory techniques to enhance attention and memory. Interventions may include visual schedules, mindfulness exercises, task breakdowns, and memory games to support organization and retention. They also address underlying factors such as sensory processing, self-regulation, and executive functioning to help children sustain focus and manage distractions.
Therapists use structured activities, movement-based strategies, and sensory techniques to enhance attention and memory. Interventions may include visual schedules, mindfulness exercises, task breakdowns, and memory games to support organization and retention. They also address underlying factors such as sensory processing, self-regulation, and executive functioning to help children sustain focus and manage distractions.
Visual Motor Development
Occupational therapists help children develop visual-motor integration, which is the ability to coordinate visual input with motor output. Strong visual-motor skills are essential for everyday tasks like handwriting, cutting with scissors, catching a ball, and completing puzzles.
Therapists use engaging, play-based activities to strengthen these skills, such as tracing, drawing, building with blocks, and using mazes or puzzles. They also work on eye-hand coordination, spatial awareness, and motor planning, ensuring children can efficiently process visual information and translate it into accurate movements.
By improving visual-motor skills, occupational therapy helps children gain confidence and independence in school, play, and self-care tasks. If a child struggles with activities requiring precise coordination, OT can provide personalized strategies and interventions to support their development
Therapists use engaging, play-based activities to strengthen these skills, such as tracing, drawing, building with blocks, and using mazes or puzzles. They also work on eye-hand coordination, spatial awareness, and motor planning, ensuring children can efficiently process visual information and translate it into accurate movements.
By improving visual-motor skills, occupational therapy helps children gain confidence and independence in school, play, and self-care tasks. If a child struggles with activities requiring precise coordination, OT can provide personalized strategies and interventions to support their development
Rolling, Crawling, Walking Bootcamp
We help children develop the strength, coordination, and motor skills needed to achieve important movement milestones like rolling, crawling, and walking. These foundational skills are crucial for mobility, exploration, and overall physical development.
Therapists use play-based exercises, positioning techniques, and guided movement activities to encourage proper muscle activation and coordination. They may work on core strength, balance, and weight shifting to help babies and toddlers progress through developmental stages. For children experiencing delays, PTs provide personalized interventions to support motor planning and build confidence in movement.
By addressing movement challenges early, physical therapy helps children gain independence and reach their milestones at their own pace.
Therapists use play-based exercises, positioning techniques, and guided movement activities to encourage proper muscle activation and coordination. They may work on core strength, balance, and weight shifting to help babies and toddlers progress through developmental stages. For children experiencing delays, PTs provide personalized interventions to support motor planning and build confidence in movement.
By addressing movement challenges early, physical therapy helps children gain independence and reach their milestones at their own pace.
Speech & Language Development
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) support early language development by helping children build foundational communication skills. Strong language skills are essential for expressing needs, understanding others, and engaging in social interactions.
SLPs use play-based therapy, modeling, and interactive activities to encourage speech and language growth. They focus on areas such as building vocabulary, improving sentence structure, increasing social communication, and enhancing listening and comprehension skills. Strategies may include using gestures, visual supports, repetition, and engaging games to make learning fun and meaningful.
Early intervention is key to fostering communication success. Speech therapy empowers children to develop strong language skills, boosting their confidence and ability to connect with others. If a child has difficulty with speaking, understanding, or engaging in conversation, an SLP provides tailored strategies to support their development.
SLPs use play-based therapy, modeling, and interactive activities to encourage speech and language growth. They focus on areas such as building vocabulary, improving sentence structure, increasing social communication, and enhancing listening and comprehension skills. Strategies may include using gestures, visual supports, repetition, and engaging games to make learning fun and meaningful.
Early intervention is key to fostering communication success. Speech therapy empowers children to develop strong language skills, boosting their confidence and ability to connect with others. If a child has difficulty with speaking, understanding, or engaging in conversation, an SLP provides tailored strategies to support their development.
Speech: Articulation
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help children develop clear and accurate speech sounds through articulation therapy. Articulation refers to how sounds are produced using the tongue, lips, teeth, and vocal tract. Difficulties with articulation can impact a child’s ability to be understood by others, affecting confidence and communication.
SLPs use targeted exercises, visual and verbal cues, and play-based techniques to help children practice correct sound production. Therapy may focus on isolating specific sounds, improving mouth and tongue coordination, and gradually integrating clear speech into everyday conversation. Strategies such as modeling, repetition, and multisensory feedback help children learn and refine their speech skills.
With structured support, children can improve their pronunciation and overall speech clarity, making communication easier and more effective. If a child struggles with mispronunciations or unclear speech, an SLP can provide individualized therapy to help them speak with confidence.
SLPs use targeted exercises, visual and verbal cues, and play-based techniques to help children practice correct sound production. Therapy may focus on isolating specific sounds, improving mouth and tongue coordination, and gradually integrating clear speech into everyday conversation. Strategies such as modeling, repetition, and multisensory feedback help children learn and refine their speech skills.
With structured support, children can improve their pronunciation and overall speech clarity, making communication easier and more effective. If a child struggles with mispronunciations or unclear speech, an SLP can provide individualized therapy to help them speak with confidence.