Occupational Therapy Can Help Your Child Overcome Learning Roadblocks
A declining academic performance is a problem that many children face. In one snapshot, 66 percent of sixth graders were thought to be reading at a less than proficient level. For children who suffer from issues like poor fine motor skills or ADHD, the rate of declined performance could be even higher. If you're the parent of a child in this category, you can work towards improving your child's performance with the enlistment of occupational therapy.
Fine Motor Skills
Writing is a fundamental learning milestone that has the potential to impact the academic development of a child from preschool and beyond. A prelude to good writing skills is the basic ability to grasp and hold writing instruments correctly, through the use of appropriate fine motor skills. A child who can't perform well in this area will face writing challenges that can hinder their progress.
For children who have difficulties in this area, an occupational therapist can help. A therapists will work alongside your child to improve their fine motor skills which serve as a key component necessary for improvement in this area.
Attention Concerns
Attention concerns, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affect a number of children. As much as 90 percent of all children diagnosed with this condition will experience educational setbacks at some point. Occupational therapy can address these attention issues and help your child improve their performance in school.
One of the most important benefits of this treatment is the fact that it teaches children helpful and effective ways to control their hyperactivity, which helps them focus easier in class and ultimately improve their academic performance. Gaining control of energy levels can produce benefits outside the classroom as well.
What's Involved?
Occupational therapists work in a number of different environments, including hospitals and schools. With a primary focus on sensory-processing deficits, cognitive skills, visual-perceptual skills and fine motor skills, therapist use rehabilitative practices to assist children with overcoming deficiencies in these areas. Treatment is tailored to the progression of each child in a non-invasive format, offering a more welcoming environment for children.
If you think your child can benefit from this treatment, it's time to start speaking with a specialist, like those at Advanced Physical Therapy Of South Jersey. A therapist will sit down with you and your child and review their health and academic records to formulate a treatment plan that can help them better achieve their academic goals, as well as those outside the classroom.