Often times, SLPs will ask parents if they have done an OT (Occupational Therapy) evaluation when starting therapy or after therapy has begun. When a therapist asks you about this, it is often to get a better understanding of your child and potentially recommend a service that is out there that helps many kids and can help with what we are working on as well! Occupational therapists help kids with their find motor skills as well as their emotional regulation. The emotional regulation piece is something that can help with their speech therapy sessions! Some children have a hard time with understanding and responding to their emotions and what their body needs in the moment. Some children will fidget or need to move more than others and seek out certain experiences (spinning, deep pressure, etc.). Others seem to be “tired” and are hard to motivate to participate with activities. This can impact their social experiences and learning. Occupational therapists are great at helping children to learn what their body needs to get them ready to learn and feel good.
This is an important piece when looking at the kids we see for speech, language, and feeding therapy. If a child is not at a state where they learn best, it can impact progress immensely. As an SLP, I turn to the Occupational Therapists working with my kids to find out what I can do in my sessions to help them get to that “just right” spot for learning. If an OT has recommended that a kid I see is helped with deep pressure or hugs, I will take breaks during our session to make sure they get hugs or wrap them in a blanket as a “burrito” to get them back to feeling “good” when we are working on things that are hard. If a child needs some spins to get more motivated and engaged, I will try my sessions on a spinning chair or pick them up and spin them between activities and trials! While we try to make speech/language/feeding fun, it is often hard work for our kiddos and that can be frustrating for them. This is when we can use a fun activity that we have talked with the OT about to take a “break” and feel better! It is always important to consult with an OT about your child’s specific needs! Each child is so different and Occupational Therapists are great with developing personalized plans!
If you have any questions about Occupational Therapy and what it is, how it can help, if it would be helpful for your child, or where you can find one, reach out to any of us and we are happy to help!
-Bam Bam-