Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT) helps children and adolescents live life to the fullest in their daily life activities. Participation in meaningful roles (e.g., student, friend, family member) and activities (e.g. bedtime routines, self care or hobbies) leads to enhanced emotional well-being and social competence. Social competence for kids includes getting along with others, making and keeping friends, coping with frustration and anger and following school routines.

OT assessments are catered to meet the functional needs of the family. There is an initial phone consultation with the parent or guardian as well as a family questionnaire re: developmental, medical and educational history. During a scheduled 50-minute appointment, clinical observations, tests and a Child Sensory Profile Questionnaire are administered. If the child needs therapy, goals are then developed in collaboration with the family after a second therapy session.

1:1 work and play with kids and their families in my Sacramento office or through TeleHealth. An essential part of my therapy program is collaboration with families during the sessions.
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Each therapy session includes:
• PACE, a brain-body readiness activity from Brain Gym®
• Active goal setting with the child and family
• Specific movement, sensory and bodywork activities to achieve the goal
• Emphasis upon the child’s self-awareness and self-regulation
• Playful movement activities to encourage integration and specific developmental needs

Therapy sessions typically run 50 minutes.

The length of therapy is specific to the needs of the child, family and the expected duration of the therapy plan. Sometimes, a child just needs one session to address a specific issue or to develop a home program. Some kids benefit from 6-8 sessions on a weekly or bi-monthly basis with a focus on the specific therapy plan. Other kids require more intensive therapy of more than 15 sessions.
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Many families contact me throughout the years for ‘tune up’ sessions with their child to address a specific need or issue.

I am a fee-based service and do not directly bill insurance. Venmo, check, cash or PayPal is accepted at the end of each session. Monthly receipts with insurance coding are provided upon request so families can submit it to their insurance company to request reimbursement. Insurance companies generally require a physician’s referral and a medical diagnosis. Be sure to contact your insurance company to get pre-approval if you hope to seek reimbursement. Although Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a very real challenge in many children’s lives, it is not yet considered a medical diagnosis.

I work with children from age 3, adolescents and adults. Parents and guardians of kids who participate in OT often request their own session to learn how to best support a cohesive relationship.

Kids benefit from OT who have challenges with:
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Emotional and Body Regulation
Difficulty finding and maintaining a calm-alert state; lots of meltdowns; difficulties with transitions; attachment or trauma issues; dealing with anxiety, frustration or anger.
Behaviors
Negative attention seeking; difficulty with limits and boundaries; aggressive in words or actions.
Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD)
Excessive fidgeting; sensitivity to touch, textures, movement, noises and/or tastes; sensory-seeking: always on the move or touching items, getting into people’s space.
Social abilities
Difficulty developing friendships; knowing how to play with other kids at recess, at the park, or on play dates.
Motor development
Using hands for writing, dressing or play; coordinating the large muscles for playground, recess and recreation-leisure activities

People with a Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) find it difficult to process sensory information, creating challenges with everyday tasks. For example, children may have sensory sensitivity (e.g. difficulty functioning in loud environments, sensitive to touch or textures and/or picky about foods) or may have sensory-seeking behaviors (e.g. squirmy, always on the go, always touching items). SPD can result in frustration, anxiety, tantrums, clumsiness, behavioral problems, school and/or social challenges.

While many of us may have mild sensory issues (e.g. movie theaters are too loud or certain clothes bother our skin), people with SPD have difficulties that greatly interfere with daily life and family life. A screening or evaluation can be administered along with a Sensory Profile to better understand the child’s sensory issues.
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Below is a sensory checklist from the SPD Foundation to get started:
SPD Foundation

I specialize in working with families and in developing ‘home play’ to incorporate therapeutic strategies at home. Parents are involved DURING the therapy sessions and learn many ‘take home’ ideas for bedtime and morning routines, behavior management, home programs, using positive language with their kids (Nurtured Heart Approach) and promoting the child’s self-awareness and self-regulation.