Pediatric Occupational Therapy

At Corewell Health Children’s, occupational therapy is focused on helping children gain the functional skills they need to participate fully in school, play, and all the important activities of daily living. Exercises, assistive devices, and other techniques are used to help kids overcome daily obstacles and be as self-sufficient as possible. We create personalized treatment plans tailored to your child’s unique needs.

An occupational therapist might work with your child if they have any injury or condition that limits their ability to perform daily life skills like dressing, eating, or doing schoolwork. This includes, but is not limited to:

Behavioral and cognitive conditions

These conditions affect a child’s thinking, feeling, or ability to regulate emotion or action, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or learning disabilities.

Developmental disorders

Conditions that impair physical, cognitive, language, or behavioral development, such as autism spectrum disorder or Down syndrome.

Feeding disorders

We focus on feeding and swallowing disorders from birth to adolescence, including sensory-based challenges, breast- and bottle-feeding difficulties, and oral-motor structural and functional variations.

Movement and motor control disorders

Reduced range of motion or difficulties controlling movements.

Neurological conditions

Problems with the structure or functioning of the brain, spinal cord, or nervous system, such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida.

Sensory processing disorders

Conditions that alter a child’s ability to interpret or react appropriately to certain sensory information — for example, being extra sensitive to sound.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Physical, cognitive, or emotional symptoms that result from a concussion or other sudden force that injures the brain.

Visual motor control and functional vision challenges

Conditions that interfere with a child’s ability to control eye movements, see clearly, or process visual information (such as using their vision to coordinate hand movements, or distinguish between letters and shapes).

Our occupational therapists use advanced techniques to help children overcome challenges and develop their life skills. These include:

Feeding therapy

Techniques and tools to help kids improve their feeding and swallowing skills, including VitalStim® neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy to help kids learn how to swallow effectively.

Fine and gross motor skill development

Helping kids develop the motor skill necessary to accomplish daily tasks, whether they require big movements (like running and jumping) or small ones (like writing or buttoning a shirt).

Functional positioning techniques

Exercises and treatments that help kids improve posture and restrict unwanted muscle spasms and movements. Examples include serial (temporary) casting or splinting of the arms, kinesiology taping, and core strengthening exercises.

Independence for self-care routines

Teaching kids the skills they need to manage self-care activities like dressing, bathing, and eating.

Play and school-related skill development

Activities and therapies focused specifically on helping kids gain skills needed to learn, play, and be successful in school.

Prosthetic arms

Our team at the Variety Myoelectric Center in Royal Oak helps children with arm amputations or deficiencies obtain, use, and maintain battery-powered prosthetic arms that use electronic sensors to control hand motions. We help families explore coverage and funding options, so that this life-changing technology is available to all regardless of insurance status. The center is a partnership with Variety - the Children’s Charity of Detroit.

Sensory integration therapy

Children with sensory processing disorder (such as hypersensitivity to light, sound, or touch) learn to regulate their responses through therapeutic activities or coping strategies.

Social skill development and emotional regulation

Helping kids build social skills so they can interact and communicate with others calmly, confidently, and effectively.

Visual function integration therapy

Therapies focused on improving hand-eye coordination, often by practicing fun and age-appropriate activities like coloring, tracing, or throwing.