Occupational Therapy Resources

Selected resources from our occupational therapists to support you in the care of your child.

Recommended reading

The Role of Occupational Therapy with Children and Youth
Occupational therapy practitioners work with children, youth and their families to promote active participation in activities or occupations that are meaningful to them. Occupation refers to activities that may support the health, well-being and development of an individual (AOTA, 2008). For children and youth, occupations are activities that enable them to learn and develop life skills (e.g., school activities), be creative and/or derive enjoyment (e.g., play) and thrive (e.g., self-care and care for others) as both a means and an end. Occupational therapy practitioners work with children of all ages (birth through young adulthood) and abilities.

Talking to your child about having special needs
Isn't every kid special? We think so, but what do we mean when we say "kids with special needs?" This means any kid who might need extra help because of a medical, emotional, or learning problem. These kids have special needs because they might need medicine, therapy, or extra help in school – stuff other kids don't typically need or only need once in a while.

Links and resources for specific conditions

Attention deficit hyperactive disorder

Autism

Cerebral palsy

DiGeorge syndrome

Down syndrome

Dystonia

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Emotional disorders

Encephalopathy

Epilepsy

Feeding

Fetal alcohol syndrome

Fragile X

CDC (information, resources, articles, facts, research and more)
National Fragile X Foundation
Genetic Home Reference
NIH – National Human Genome Research Institute
March of Dimes

Hand injuries and disorders

Hearing loss

Hemiplegia

Learning disabilities

Marfan syndrome

Stroke

Spina bifida

Traumatic brain injuries

Visual perception

Visual perception (PDF)

Additional resources

Quick reads:

"Kids Who Feel Too Much" Parents magazine

Books and documents you might find helpful:

The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz
The Out of Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Kranowitz
Tools for Tots by Diana Henry, Maureen Kane-Wineland, and Susan Swindeman
Academic success & social participation (PDF)
Backpack facts: what's all the flap about? (PDF)
Backpack strategies for parents and students to help prevent injuries (PDF)
Building play skills for healthy children and families (PDF)
Child development milestones (PDF) – Hitos en el desarrollo del nino (PDF)
Development problems in children (PDF)
Establishing bedtime routines (PDF)
How to pick a toy: checklist for toy shopping (PDF)
Is your child positioned for school success? (PDF)
Learning through play (PDF)
Tips for homework success (PDF)

Support groups

Cook Children's Support Groups