Needs more practice than other children to learn new skills Tires easily, has low muscle tone and poor posture Difficulty safely navigating playground equipment Poor fine motor skills for writing, drawing and cutting Difficulty using eating utensils Unable to complete clothing fasteners (button, zip, snap, tying shoes)
Avoids writing tasks or has poor handwriting legibility
Holds pencil with an awkward grasp Tires quickly during writing tasks Has difficulty coloring within the lines or drawing Writes with heavy pencil pressure or too lightly Reverses letters and numbers (beyond 2nd grade)
Overly active and unable to slow down. Constantly in motion.
Difficulty self-calming or regulating emotions Easily distracted or has difficulty focusing attention Over-reacts to touch, sound, tastes and smells. Extremely picking eating. Will eat fewer than 15 different foods.
Has difficulty handling unexpected changes and transitions between activities
May become over-focused and unable to shift to the next task Difficulty following multi-step directions Easily frustrated or gives up easily Poor self-esteem, lack of confidence If any of these problems are interfering with your student's level of success at home or school, then occupational therapy may be helpful. Visit www.playitforwardtherapy.net to learn more about how OT can help kids reach their potential.