What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) helps children and teens build the skills they need for daily routines at home, school, and in the community. Support may focus on flexible thinking, social understanding, self-awareness, sensory and motor skills, and strategies for managing big feelings.
Did you know?
The word “occupation” in occupational therapy doesn’t necessarily mean the physical ability to do a job – for children especially, “occupation” is a general term used to describe daily tasks, and occupational therapy supports the development of a broad range of physical, emotional and social skills.
How can occupational therapy help?
Occupational therapy helps kids and teens build the skills they need to thrive in their daily lives, supporting growth in areas such as:
- Self-regulation
- Sensory processing
- Social communication
- Impulse control
- Planning and organization
- Working memory
- Gross motor skills
- Visual perception
- Handwriting
- Activities of daily living
- Picky eating/restrictive eating
“Everything from getting dressed in the morning to brushing teeth at night feels like a battle.”
Book occupational therapy supportOccupational therapy at Red Oak
Our occupational therapists (OTs) help kids and teens build the skills they need for everyday life—from managing emotions and routines to developing motor, sensory, and social skills. Support is tailored to each child and may stand alone or be part of a holistic plan alongside speech-language pathology, psychology, executive function coaching, or academic support.
We draw on a variety of proven approaches, choosing what best fits your child and family:
Zones of Regulation™
A framework that helps children understand and manage their emotions and behaviours by categorizing them into four coloured zones, promoting self-awareness and regulation.
Social Thinking™
A program that teaches children how to interpret social cues and develop appropriate responses, enhancing their social skills and interactions.
Sensory Integration
A therapy that helps children with sensory processing issues by engaging them in activities that challenge and improve their ability to process and respond to sensory information.
How Does Your Engine Run: Alert Program™
A program that helps children and adults understand and manage their self-regulation. It teaches how the body can feel like a car engine running high, low, or just right, and offers strategies to adjust alertness levels for various activities throughout the day.
Handwriting Without Tears™
A comprehensive, research-backed curriculum designed to make learning to write easy and effective for students from Pre-K to 5th grade. It combines explicit instruction with guided practice and multisensory learning to engage visual, audio, and kinesthetic learners.
Therapeutic Listening®
A sound-based intervention that helps individuals with sensory processing and self-regulation issues. By using electronically modified music, it provides unique sensory input to improve attention, behaviour, and overall physiology. The program is tailored to each individual’s needs and can be integrated with other therapies to enhance its effectiveness.
SOS Feeding Program
A transdisciplinary program designed to assess and treat children with feeding difficulties. It distinguishes between picky eaters and problem feeders, offering tailored strategies to help children develop a healthy relationship with food.
Occupational therapy process
1. Assessment
Our occupational therapists use a play-based and engaging approach, combining standardized tests, questionnaires, and observations to understand your child’s unique needs.
2. Goal Setting
We work together with families to identify meaningful and practical treatment goals that reflect everyday priorities.
3. Therapy Sessions
Sessions include individualized activities, playful interactions, and evidence-based OT strategies to build skills in areas such as self-regulation, motor development, daily routines, and social participation.
4. Family Collaboration
Parents are active partners in the process. We share strategies, resources, and tools that make it easier to support your child’s progress at home.
5. Ongoing Support
We provide continuous monitoring and adapt goals as needed, while collaborating with other practitioners to ensure care is comprehensive and well-coordinated.
Parent support in occupational therapy
Parent involvement is an integral part of OT at Red Oak. By understanding your child’s needs and the factors that shape their behaviour, you can better support them at home and strengthen treatment outcomes.
We provide language, strategies, and guidance tailored to your family. Parents receive brief feedback at the end of each session, with the option of dedicated parent sessions by phone, virtually, or in person—depending on your needs.
Our occupational therapy team
Our team of registered occupational therapists excel at creating personalized programs to support children and teens in developing the skills necessary to thrive at home, school, and in the community.
