Occupational Therapy Promotes Optimal Functioning for Children

Pediatric occupational therapy helps young patients discover their full potential and attain optimal function. Our dedicated therapists at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital’s occupational therapy program help children with the following conditions:

• Autism
• Brain tumors and other cancers
• Cerebral palsy
• Congenital disorders
• Craniofacial anomalies
• Developmental disabilities
• Learning disabilities
• Orthopedic conditions
• Neuromuscular conditions
• Feeding and swallowing disorders
• Other complex medical conditions

Personalized Activities and Individualized Therapy

Pediatric occupational therapists at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, use a holistic approach to therapy, considering each child’s and family’s physical, social, and emotional needs when developing the plan of care. Working as a team with parents and other healthcare providers, we engage infants, toddlers, children and adolescents in personalized activities to optimize functional independence. Our pediatric occupational therapists help to improve the skills necessary for activities of daily living, including:

• Fine motor development and coordination
• Motor planning and coordination
• Oral-motor skills, feeding, and swallowing
• Range of motion
• Sensory processing
• Strength
• Visual-motor skills

Treatment activities and techniques used in pediatric occupational therapy may include:

• Casting/splinting
• Developmentally appropriate games/play
• Developmental handling
• Dressing, grooming, toileting, and other activities of daily living
• Feeding
• Handwriting
• Sensory integration
• Cognitive rehabilitation

An Interdisciplinary, Team Approach to Treatment

Our pediatric occupational therapists work closely with other UH pediatric specialists such as gastroenterologists, neurologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, orthopaedic surgeons, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, nurses, and social workers in a team approach, addressing each child’s unique needs. We provide outpatient services at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and in the outlying community.

Therapies for Children with Craniofacial Anomalies

Occupational therapists with Pediatric Rehab Services at UH Rainbow Babies & Children Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio often work closely with children diagnosed with craniofacial disorders such as:

• Cleft lip and/or cleft palate
• Facial trauma
• Rare syndromes, such as: Pierre Robin Sequence, Apert syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, hemifacial microsomia, Stickler syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome, and others

As part of the interdisciplinary craniofacial team, our occupational therapists evaluate children with craniofacial anomalies to help identify developmental delays and feeding disorders. They make recommendations for outpatient therapy services, develop individualized plans of care to address sensory, motor, and cognitive deficits, and work with our speech-language pathologists to address any feeding or swallowing disorders.