Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services in Tulsa
Personalized, play-based therapy designed to support your child’s development at home, in school, and in daily life.
We begin with a thorough evaluation to understand your child’s strengths and challenges
Therapy is individualized, play-based, and focused on real-life skills
We collaborate with families and schools to support progress outside the clinic
How Our Occupational Therapy Services Work
Many children struggle to process sensory input, which can affect attention, behavior, coordination, and emotional regulation. These services help children feel more organized, calm, and ready to learn.
Sensory Processing & Regulation
Vestibular Stimulation
Vestibular input (the sense of movement, centered in the inner ear). Any type of movement will stimulate the vestibular receptors, but spinning, swinging, and hanging upside down provide the most intense, longest lasting input. Vestibular input is important as it is the first sensory system developed in the womb. Vestibular input is important for children's development because it helps them maintain balance and trunk control and also helps them to successfully interact with their environment for fine motor, visual motor (e.g. tracking a moving object), gross motor, sports activities and self-care activities. This input can be calming and organizing to the nervous system and can also create alertness if needed.
Visual
Eye-hand coordination skills, visual motor/perceptual, tracking and convergence skills are used by children in everyday activities. When these skills are below age level, a child can have difficulty with writing, reading, balance and leisure/sports activities.
Sensory Processing
Sensory processing challenges can affect how a child responds to sound, movement, touch, and visual input. Occupational therapy helps children better understand and organize sensory information so they can focus, regulate emotions, and participate more comfortably at home, school, and in daily activities..
Reflex Integration
Primitive reflexes, when not integrated, can effect several fine, visual and gross motor skills. They can also effect impulsivity. Exercises to integrate Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR), Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR), Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) and Moro Reflex are performed so that children can improve in many areas and overall quality of life.
Integrated Listening System (iLs) Program
iLs combines auditory, visual and balance activities to strengthen neural pathways for improved learning and processing. iLs is based on the fact that we can change our brain – we can essentially re-wire it through specific and repeated stimulation, a concept known as neuroplasticity. As in building strength and endurance with physical exercise, we are able to build neurological pathways and synaptic activity at any age.
iLs trains for brain/body integration through a staged approach, starting with the fundamentals of sensory integration and then extending through more complex cognitive functions, including language, self-expression and social skills.
Tactile
Using the tactile brushing program, tactile play, and different textures, children can increase tolerance to tags on clothing, food sensitivities and tolerance of different materials.
Motor skills impact everything from handwriting and dressing to playground participation. These therapies support strength, coordination, and confidence in daily activities.
Motor Skills & Coordination
Gross Motor Skills
Running, jumping, skipping, balancing, hopping and kicking a ball are all skills children want to achieve to play. These skills require coordinated movements, motor planning and focus.
Strengthening
Exercises to strengthen core muscles, neck, arms, legs, hands and fingers are performed to help improve function and independence in all daily activities.
Bilateral Coordination
Bilateral coordination refers to the ability to coordinate both sides of the body at the same time in a controlled and organized manner. Good bilateral integration/ coordination is an indicator that both sides of the brain are communicating effectively and sharing information. Children who have difficulty coordinating both sides of their body can have difficulty completing daily living tasks (dressing, tying shoes), fine motor activities (banging blocks together, stringing beads, buttoning), visual motor tasks (drawing, writing, cutting, catching/ throwing), and gross motor activities (crawling, walking, climbing stairs, riding a bike). “Crossing the midline” is an integral skill related to bilateral coordination. Crossing the midline refers to the ability to spontaneously cross over the midline of the body during motor completion/ functional tasks such as reaching for an object or drawing a cross on a paper.
Fine Motor Skills
Grip and pinch strength, dexterity, pencil grasp, in-hand manipulation and manual dexterity skills are also used by children every day. Any weaknesses or delays in these areas affect a child’s independence at home and in the classroom settings.
Handwriting
Not only do we address pencil grasp and legibility, but we also address formation of letters, size constancy and placement on line. A good foundation of handwriting skills is very important for children to be confident, independent writers.
Daily Living & Functional Skills
Occupational therapy helps children build independence in everyday routines like dressing, eating, classroom participation, and self-care.
Daily Living Skills
Dressing skills such as putting on shoes/socks, tying laces, manipulating buttons, hooks, zippers and belts are skills children are learning as they grow. Grooming, hygiene and brushing teeth are also daily activities that children need to learn to be independent in as they get older. Sometimes sensory processing difficulties can affect grooming and dressing skills.
Feeding / Oral Motor Skills
Using a battery operated toothbrush, exposure to new foods and increasing oral tone/awareness are areas that are also addressed.
Functional Skills
Walking in line, sitting still in class, counting money, telling time and peer relations is a short list of all the things children are doing and learning.
Attention, Behavior & Emotional Regulation
Challenges with attention, behavior, and emotional regulation often have underlying sensory or motor components. Therapy focuses on helping children regulate their bodies and emotions so they can participate more fully at home and school.
Attention Span
Learning organizational skills, using visual schedules and behavior/attention charts are used to help children improve attention and focus. Exercises for brain/body connections are also used to improve cognitive functions.
Manage Sensitivities,
Anxiety & Impulsivity
Through use of Yoga positions, Brain GymTM, anxiety strategies, stretching and breathing children can learn “tools” to help with self-control and dealing with fears. Difficulties in these areas can affect how they function in the classroom and in the home. With strategies, they can become more independent in their environments.
Not sure where to start?
We’re happy to answer your questions.
“I never would have believed how important crossing midline is for academic success - had I not seen it with my own daughter. She was struggling with reading and math. Within just weeks of starting OT with Miss Debbie and Miss Heather, her reading level shot up.”