At Smart Start we are committed to providing occupational therapy services that help children who are experiencing difficulties with the integration of their developing sensory systems. We are a relationship-based setting and we tailor our services to address the individual needs of each child. Our goal is to look beyond behavioral manifestations and dig deeper, to find the “core deficits” that explain why the child maybe having difficulties in: sitting, attending, calming, staying engaged in an activity, is rough with friends, is clumsy, has feeding problems or is a “picky eater”, is slow to warm up, has difficulty in new situations, doesn’t like changes in routines, is too passive and quiet, cannot process verbal directions, difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep, texture sensitivities and aversions. Some children have a few of these symptoms and some have quite a number.
All of us have sensory issues, and we have learned to make accommodations, but some children are having difficulty and need the support of therapy to help them climb the developmental ladder. In some children the issues may be mild and for some more extreme, but in either case therapy helps children get better, better able to learn and grow and to get to the JOB of being a kid!
Occupational Therapy services are delivered here at SmartStart in our Gym and on our outdoor play equipment or in a group in their classroom environment. The sessions are 50 minutes in length and are most often delivered once or twice per week. In addition, our therapist will provide you with a “Sensory Diet”, these are things to do at home that will bring the skills learned here to your home. If you are also receiving other services at SmartStart be assured that your therapists are coordinating and collaborating to ensure that your child is getting a cohesive therapy package.
