Allied Rehab’s pediatric occupational therapists utilize a holistic, child centered approach with continuous family involvement to best address your child’s needs. At our core, we are problem solvers, idea generators, and all around valuable tools in any family’s tool belt.

Pediatric occupational therapy is most commonly used for addressing fine motor and handwriting concerns. Fine motor tasks are tasks that utilize the small muscles in the hands to do very precise and coordinated actions. Although parents often address kindergarten readiness and related skill development across ages, fine motor demands are seen in children’s day to day lives. The ability to orient and put on shoes and clothes, manage pants for toileting, open containers, and find joy in age appropriate crafts and toy manipulation are all important fine motor and visual motor integration skills that promote a sense of accomplishment and well-being in children. 

Addressing sensory processing differences

Our therapists within Allied Rehab of Wake Forest, NC are educated in the many sensory systems and the behaviors associated with increased sensory needs. Whether you are seeking pediatric occupational therapy for sensory needs or skill development, we always consider sensory strategies to help young minds with emotional self regulation as they work through challenging tasks. Although we provide valuable in clinic sensory treatment, we love educating families on sensory strategies, including a collaborative approach to the creation of a sensory diet, for the very best outcomes.

Symptoms/Diagnosis:

  • ADHD/ADD
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Developmental Delay
  • Down syndrome
  • Feeding/eating concerns
  • Hand/wrist injuries
  • Picky eating
  • Poor handwriting
  • Prematurity
  • Sensory Processing Disorder

What Treatments do we offer?

  • Functional Play
  • Fine motor training
  • Handwriting remediation
  • Kindergarten readiness
  • Self-care skills
  • Visual-motor integration
  • Upper body strengthening
  • Sensory processing
  • Feeding therapy

Sensory Processing Treatment

  • Your child may have a sensory processing disorder or sensory integration problems if he/she:
  • Complains that being held feels prickly rather than comforting
    Has difficulty tolerating/seems fearful of swinging, moving over uneven surfaces, or seems unsure of their footing
  • “Acts out” or is considered “over the top” when around other children
  • Cries or hides at loud gatherings or restaurants
  • Seems overly picky about eating varied textured foods
  • Spins, taps, jumps, bangs excessively
  • Cannot tolerate having hands/face messy, having hair/nails cut, brushing their teeth, wearing certain types of clothing or tags

Our Occupational Therapists can perform an evaluation and offer treatment and input for parents and teachers to help our children perform at their best! 

Feeding Therapy

If your child demonstrates significant dietary restrictions due to pickiness or is struggling with transitioning between food texture stages they may benefit from evaluation and treatment from an occupational therapist.

Does your child:

  • Eat only a limited range of textures/types of foods
  • Become upset or need to clean immediately if food is on hands/face
  • Demonstrate specificity with brands foods
  • Have specific preferences around visual presentation of foods (i.e. how food is cooked/cut, the type of plate used, color, etc.)
  • Show increased sensitivity to food temperature
  • Gag or vomit on non-preferred foods
  • Show signs of stress or anxiety around foods or mealtimes

Where to begin for pediatric occupational therapy

We offer free screenings to children between 1-12 years old for speech and occupational therapy. Occupational and Speech therapy problems can surface at any time during a child’s development. Early detection and intervention is the most effective way to address these developmental challenges. We share screening results with the parent(s) and will discuss if a full evaluation is needed. See frequently asked questions here. Give us a call or email [email protected] to schedule a convenient time to screen your child. You can also fill out our form here with your information and we will contact you at our earliest convenience.