10 Things OTs at FAC Can Help With
1. We work on handwriting. FAC OTs treat underlying difficulties including visual motor skills, hand and core strength, and fine motor coordination in conjunction with programs such as Handwriting Without Tears to improve children’s handwriting and pencil grip.
2. We work on self regulation. FAC OTs work on skills such as frustration tolerance, coping strategies, and body awareness to improve self regulation through programs including the Zones of Regulation, the Alert Program, and the Five Point Scale.
3. We work on sensory processing. FAC OTs can address under and over-sensitivities to a variety of senses such as touch, sight, sound, and movement. We offer a play based approach to integrate these sensory experiences and often incorporate specialty auditory programs such as Therapeutic Listening, Integrated Listening Systems, the Safe and Sound Protocol, and Quickshifts to improve outcomes.
4. We work on independent living skills. FAC OTs can help clients with dressing, grooming/hygiene, bathing, and toileting. For older children who are working on transitioning to more independent living situations, our OTs can help with living skills such as laundry and light house work, light meal preparation, and basic money management.
5.We work on reflexes. FAC OTs help to integrate primitive reflex patterns that may be impacting a person’s sensory processing, self-regulation, attention, motor skills, or anxiety level.
6. We work on play skills and social skills. FAC OTs use a play based approach and often incorporate peers during treatment to address play and social skills such as creative play, turn taking, sharing, and conversational skills.
7. We work on visual skills. FAC OTs can work on visual skills such as scanning, tracking, and visual memory that are crucial for tasks including reading and writing, playing sports, and learning in the classroom.
8. We work on attention, organization, and problem solving. FAC OTs can help develop modifications and work on strategies to help children with their organization, attention, and problem solving so they are more successful in carrying out their every day tasks. We offer specialty programs such as Interactive Metronome which can also help with these skills
9. We work on feeding. FAC OTs can help clients who have sensory aversions to food which result in very limited diets. Our OTs can also help children who have motor planning difficulties that make chewing and moving food around in their mouths difficult.
10. We work on sleep. FAC OTs can use sensory strategies and help families set up nightly routines to decrease the time it takes for children to fall asleep and increase the time they stay in bed.
