Occupational Therapy
Our highly trained and specialized occupational therapists provide services to support how children participate in their daily activities. Helping children to obtain their highest level of independence.
Areas of treatment and specialization
Visual and motor integration
Ocular motor development
Handwriting
Motor control coordination
Self care
Play skills
Dressing
Grooming and hygiene
Eating and swallowing
Sensory integration
Fine and gross motor development
Motor planning
Socialization
Executive functioning skills
Wondering if occupational therapy could benefit your child?
Download our free parent screening tool to learn more about areas that OT services helps and to determine if your child could benefit from services!
Developmental Milestones
0-3 months
Reacts to loud sounds
Cry differs based on needs
Smiles at parent/caregiver
Turns head towards sounds
Makes eye contact
Coos and smiles
Pushes up on arms while on tummy
opens fists
Tolerates tummy time for short periods
Brings hands to mouth
Visually tracks toys side to side while lying on back
Able to keep head at midline/centered while lying on back
Enjoys different types of movement
Can be calmed with rocking, soothing noises, and touching
Happy if not hungry or sleepy
Latches during feeding on nipple or bottle
Sucks and swallows well with minimal loss from side of mouth
4-6 months
Opens mouth to spoon
Shows interest in food
Begins eating smooth, pureed foods
notices toys with sounds
Babbles (ex: da,da,da)
Laughs
Reacts to sudden noises
Maintains eye contact with familiar person during play
Supports self with hands in sitting
Rolls tummy to back, back to tummy
Accepts all weight in legs when supported in standing
Plays with feet with both hands while lying on back
Transfers toys one hand to the other when lying on back
Explores toys with both hands
Raises hands to be picked up
Isn’t upset by common everyday sounds
Can be calmed
Able to prop on elbows and pick up head during tummy time
7-9 months
Independent sitting
Reaches for toys in sitting without falling
Turns head to track while sitting
Uses finger and thumb to pick up small objects
Imitates others in simple play
Crawls on hands and knees with alternating movement
Turns several pages in board book
Enjoys musical toys
Moves to explore surroundings when on the ground
Maintains head forward when being pulled from lying to sitting
Investigates toys and surrounds (shape, size, textures)
Able to drink from straw
Holds and drinks bottle when seated in highchair
Is full for longer periods after eating
Demonstrates strong reactions to smells and tastes that are new
Begins to progress through more textures (lumpy, mashed)
Variety of sounds and syllables used in babbling increases
Recognizes sound of name
Interested in play with others
Uses simple gestures (shaking head for “no”)
Imitates sounds
Able to follow a few simple routine commands when paired with a gesture
10-12 months
Claps hands
Purposeful release of objects
Able to hold/self-feed with bottle in upright position
Walks with one handheld assist
Pulls to stand and cruises
Stands without support
Takes multiple steps independently
Moves in and out of different positions to explore
Crawls towards desired toy
Self feeds with fingers
Able to drink from open cup
Starting to explore using utensils
Increased variety of smells and tastes that are preferred
Enjoys games like pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo
Uses “mama” and “dada” meaningfully
Turns to sounds
Points to objects of interest
Responds to simple command ("come here")
Uses gestures (waving, reaching out with arms)
Uses one- two simple words
Responds to “no”
Turns head to name
13-18 months
Pointing with index finger
Able to put objects into containers
Able to kick a ball
Walks independently with minimal falls
Stacks two blocks
Able to squat to pick up a toy or object
Helps with dressing
Sleep schedule is regular
Uses 5-10 words
Puts gestures and sounds together
Follows simple directions regularly
Interest in pictures
Able to identify 1-2 body parts if named
Understand 50 words
Points to familiar objects and people in pictures
Responds to yes/no questions with head shake
Holds and drinks from an open cup
Increased variety of foods eaten
Increased variety of food textures eaten
Able to eat coarsely chopped foods
19-24 months
Self feeds with spoon
Completes simple shape sorter toy
Walks and runs well
Explores variety of environments
Enjoys swinging and movement play
Minimal mouthing of toys
Can participate in small group with peers
Enjoys playing with new toys
Likes to sit and listen or look at a book
Maintains balance to throw and catch ball
Minimal loss of food during chewing and swallowing
Scoops with spoon, Stabs with fork, (not efficient until after 24 months)
Eats a wide variety of foods
Uses at least 50 words
Identifies 3-5 body parts
Imitates new words regularly
Uses simple pronouns
Begins to use two word phrases and questions ("where dog?" "go bed")
Follows 2-step direction for familiar task (“Pick up book and bring it to me”)
2- 3 years old
Snips with scissors
Able to imitate lines or circles
Balance on one foot for 5-10 seconds
Catch a medium ball
Walks with heel toe pattern, does not toe walk
Coordinates hands and fingers
Appropriate strength and endurance to play with peers
Able to use hands together for play (swinging a bat, opening a container)
By 3 able to snip with scissors, while moving forward across paper
Enjoys bath time
Tolerates diaper changes without crying
Tolerates schedule/routine changes
Able to self soothe when upset
Acknowledges and responds to injury/pain
Able to maintain eye contact with others and demonstrate interest and awareness during interactions
Has a word for almost everything
Talks and requests with 2-3 word phrases
Uses plurals
Uses “in” and “on”
Understands “yours” and “mine”
Understands “why” questions
Most speech is understood by family and friends (36 months)
Able to eat the same foods as their family (by 36 months)
Self feeds with utensils well
Able to wipe face/mouth during mealtime
Tolerates mealtime at table with family/peers for appropriate duration
4-6 years old
Answers who? what? why? where? questions
Able to talk about activities from their day
Uses 4+ word sentences
Enjoys a variety of age appropriate toys
Able to locate items that are pointed at
Doesn’t put non food items in mouth
Demonstrates safety awareness
Uses appropriate force during play with pets and peers and when using and holding objects
Maintains balance on uneven surfaces
Able to maintain attention and play with one toy or theme for 15 minutes
Able to cut paper in half, cut circle within ½” of boundary line, cut square within ¼ of boundary line (5 years)
Able to imitate/draw cross, square (4 years), diagonal lines, and triangle (5 years)
*Folio & Fellow (2000). Peabody Developmental Motor Scales
*Parham, D. et al (2007). Sensory Processing Measure
*Pathways.org (2021) Milestones & Abilities