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Home
Occupational Therapy
Outdoor Play
Parents
Our Team
Blog
Parents
Educators
Families & Technology
Contact Us
When to refer to an OT for help:
Handwriting Concerns
Writes with too much pencil pressure, too little pressure
Irregular sequencing of strokes when forming letters
Poor pencil grasp
Problems with spacing, alignment and sizing of letters/words
Slumped posture; holds head close to paper
Lack of established hand dominance
Vision/Visual Perceptual Concerns
Difficulty copying from board
Reversal of letters or numbers after 7 years old
Unusual eye movements; difficulty with eye tracking
Difficulty discriminating, colors, shapes, doing puzzles
Difficulty writing on lines, poor alignment
Difficulty copying designs, numbers, letters
Difficulty with eye hand eye foot coordination
Fine Motor/Self Care Concerns
Difficulty with zipping, tying shoes,
Difficulty managing utensils, food packages, feeding self
Messy eater, difficulty swallowing, drinking from a straw
Needs assistance with toileting
Difficulty using both hands together
Lack of well-established hand dominance
Difficulty cutting with scissors
Difficulty coloring or drawing
Gross Motor Concerns
Postural concerns
Complaints of pain during physical activities
Stiff and awkward movements
Lacks age-appropriate strength and endurance
Lacks age-appropriate coordination (hop, skip, jump, run, etc.)
Clumsy—bumps into things, falls, unsafe mobility on playground, PE
Sensory Processing Concerns
Touch
Reacts emotionally or aggressively to touch
Finds some clothing distressing to wear
Avoids messy activities: glue, clay, paint
Scratches or picks at skin
Taste/Smell
Avoids certain tastes or food smells
Picky eater, especially regarding food textures
Strong reactions to certain smells: perfume, cleaners, etc
Movement
Becomes distressed when feet leave the ground
Avoids gross motor activities
Dislikes when head is upside down (e.g. somersaults)
Hearing
Difficulty functioning in noisy environment
Holds hands over ears or appears startled by everyday noises
Doesn’t respond when name is called, but hearing is OK
Tunes out during class discussions
Vision
Bothered by bright lights
Covers eyes to protect from light
Watches everyone as they move around the room
Has difficulty finding objects in desk or drawer
Sensation seeking
Enjoys making strange noises
Can’t sit still, fidgets, rocks in chair
Becomes overly excited during movement activity
Touches people or objects
Jumps from one activity to another
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