Occupational Therapy
Children may benefit from an occupational therapy evaluation if they are struggling with any of the following:

Using both sides of the body in a synchronized fashion Riding a bike, skipping, jumping jacks ball skills Pouring liquids without spillage

Dressing self Utensil use when eating Apprehension when attempting novel activities Craves rigid routine Imitating body positions Completing multi-step craft activities

Fine motor skills such as cutting & tying shoes Awkward pencil grasp Slow copying speed Incorrect letter formation Inconsistent word spacing Hand fatigue after writing for short periods

Attention and alertness Over or under active Fear of feet leaving the ground "Daredevil"; dangerous at times Poor core strength & balance Low or high muscle tone Rocking body or shaking head while seated

Chewing on nonfood objects Playing too rough; difficulty being gentle with pets Breaking objects frequently Bumping into people and objects accidentally Liking clothes to be extra tight

Toe walking Disliking grooming activities such as haircuts, shampooing, & nail cutting Sensitivity to clothing texture, positioning of socks Avoiding messy play Overreacting to unexpected touch or cuddles

Limited food repertoire, extremely picky eater Defensive reactions to food textures and tastes, may gag easily Difficulty chewing Overstuffing mouth with food Disliking toothbrushing or having face washed

Overwhelmed response to loud, public spaces such as school gyms Distraction caused by barely noticeable sounds such as clocks, fans Overreacting to loud, unexpected noises such as fire drills Difficulty filtering out important sounds (teacher's voice) Needing directions to be repeated

Positioning head very close to book/desk when reading & writing Copying notes from the board Remembering things they have seen Complaining that a worksheet or background is too "busy" Difficulty locating items in plain view Losing place or fatiguing easily when reading Reversing words or letters (after 2nd grade)
