What Actually Is Paediatric OT? (And How It Can Help Your Child Thrive)
Spoiler alert: we don’t help toddlers get jobs. But we do help kids build the skills they need to thrive, whether that’s brushing their teeth without a meltdown, navigating the school day, or finally keeping their shoes on.
Occupational therapy is one of those professions that sounds confusing until you need it. Then suddenly, it’s everything. So if you’ve ever been told, “Maybe an OT could help,” and immediately panicked and Googled, you’re in the right place.
Let’s break it down in real terms, without the jargon. Just a good old chat about what paediatric OT actually is, who it helps, and why your child might absolutely love it, especially when they realise therapy might involve a trampoline, slime, and bubble machines.
What Is Occupational Therapy?
“Occupational therapy” sounds like it belongs in a corporate HR department. But in the world of kids, their job, their occupation, is play, learning, being part of their family and community, and slowly growing into their independent little selves.
So our job as paediatric OTs? Helping children master the skills they need for their everyday life. We’re talking everything from using scissors and putting on socks to sitting at the dinner table without falling off the chair. Yes, really.
We're not here to fix kids. We’re here to understand what's tricky for them and support them in feeling more capable, calm, and connected.
Skills That OT Can Support
Here’s a more practical run-down of what we support kids with, and what that really means in everyday life:
Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills involve the small muscles in the hands and fingers that children use every day. These skills are essential for tasks like handwriting, cutting with scissors, colouring, managing zippers, tying shoelaces, and even opening lunchboxes. Children who struggle in this area might avoid drawing or writing, find it hard to keep up in class, or become frustrated with tasks that require precision. OT helps by strengthening hand muscles, improving coordination, and teaching strategies that make these tasks easier and more enjoyable.
Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills involve the bigger muscle groups and whole-body movements needed for strength, coordination, and balance. This includes activities like climbing, jumping, riding a bike, hopping, skipping, playing ball games, or navigating playground equipment. Some children may appear clumsy, bump into things often, or tire quickly during physical play. They might avoid group games or struggle with physical education. Occupational therapy uses fun, play-based strategies such as obstacle courses, balance games, and strength-building exercises to develop these foundational skills. Improving gross motor skills not only supports physical health but also boosts a child’s confidence in joining peers at play and participating fully in school and community activities.
Sensory Processing
Sensory processing refers to how the brain interprets and responds to information from the senses: touch, sound, sight, movement, smell, and taste. Some children are oversensitive to sensory input: loud noises, bright lights, scratchy clothing, or food textures can feel unbearable. Others may be under-responsive and crave input, constantly moving, crashing into things, chewing objects, or seeking pressure.
These differences in sensory processing can make everyday experiences feel overwhelming or chaotic, leading to difficulties with focus, behaviour, and participation in daily life. OT helps by identifying each child’s sensory profile and designing strategies like sensory diets, calming tools, and environmental changes. We support children to process and respond to sensory input in a way that helps them feel regulated, comfortable, and ready to participate, whether they’re in the classroom, at a birthday party, or just getting through the morning routine at home.
Emotional Regulation
Managing emotions is a vital life skill, but for many children and teenagers, it can be very challenging. Emotional regulation involves recognising feelings, expressing them appropriately, and calming down when upset. Difficulties might show up as frequent meltdowns, anxiety, anger, or shutting down in stressful situations. Through occupational therapy, children learn practical strategies to identify their emotions, use coping tools (like breathing, movement breaks, or visual supports), and build resilience so they can handle life’s ups and downs with more confidence.
Big feelings can be overwhelming, and they don’t always come with an instruction manual, especially for kids. Emotional regulation means recognising emotions, understanding what’s going on inside, and learning how to respond without feeling out of control. OT helps children and teens build these skills through fun, practical strategies: movement breaks to release energy, breathing exercises to calm the body, and sensory tools that help them feel grounded. Over time, we help kids tune into their feelings, express them in healthy ways, and bounce back from tricky moments with more confidence.
Social Interaction
Forming friendships and navigating social situations can be tough for some children. They may struggle to read body language, join group play, take turns in conversations, or handle conflicts with peers. These challenges can sometimes lead to isolation, anxiety, or low self-esteem. Occupational therapy helps by building social-emotional awareness, practising conversation and play skills, and using fun, structured role-play or group sessions to explore real-life scenarios. Over time, children develop more confidence, empathy, and resilience, so they can form stronger, more positive relationships with others.
Daily Living Skills
Daily living skills are the foundation of independence. These include dressing, brushing teeth, feeding themselves, organising school bags, following routines, and managing responsibilities at home. For teenagers, this extends to study habits, managing time, learning cooking skills, handling money, or preparing for future work and independence. OT also supports self-care routines like toileting, showering, and grooming, breaking each task down into steps, building habits, and using visual supports or environmental strategies where needed. As children develop these skills, they feel more confident, independent, and proud of their progress.
Visual Motor and Perceptual Skills
These are the skills that connect what the eyes see with how the body moves. They include copying from the board, completing puzzles, drawing shapes, tracking words across a page, and understanding spatial concepts. These are the foundations for successful participation in school and play.
School participation
From sitting on the mat at group time to following instructions, taking turns, transitioning between tasks, and using classroom tools, we help children develop the skills they need to access learning. For teens, this includes organisation of schoolwork, planning assignments, and managing the demands of multiple teachers and subjects.
Basically, if it’s part of daily life, whether at home, school, or in the community and your child finds it tricky, we probably help with it
How Do I Know If My Child or Teen Might Benefit from OT?
You might notice some of the following signs in your child:
Avoids messy play or gets distressed by everyday sensations like sand, clothing tags, hair washing, or noisy environments.
Constantly moves or fidgets, struggles to sit still, or seeks out crashing, climbing, and spinning activities.
Delays in fine motor skills, such as trouble using cutlery, holding a pencil, tying laces, or managing buttons and zippers.
Frequent meltdowns or strong emotional responses to small changes in routine or transitions between activities.
Easily overwhelmed in busy environments like classrooms, parties, shopping centres, or group activities.
Takes longer than peers to learn daily routines like dressing, toileting, brushing teeth, or packing a school bag.
Difficulty maintaining attention, following multi-step instructions, or completing tasks from start to finish.
For some children, these challenges are subtle. They may not appear disruptive but still quietly struggle to keep up with their peers, avoid certain tasks, or seem anxious about new experiences. Others show their overwhelm more clearly, through outbursts, avoidance, or refusals.
And for teens, OT can support with:
Managing energy, emotions, and stress: especially during times of high school pressure or hormonal changes.
Executive functioning, including planning, time management, prioritising tasks, and working through assignments.
Building independence in cooking, laundry, managing a wallet, using transport, or preparing for part-time work.
Navigating social situations, from making friends and reading body language to coping with social anxiety or online safety.
Understanding their sensory needs, and learning how to self-regulate in a way that supports their wellbeing.
Balancing screen time, sleep, and physical activity with strategies that are realistic and tailored to their lifestyle.
Our work with teens always focuses on building trust, giving them a voice in their goals, and ensuring therapy feels relevant to their life. We’re not here to lecture them, we’re here to empower them.
So whether your child is four or fourteen, if something in daily life feels persistently hard, for them or for you, there’s a good chance OT can help.
Where Does OT Happen?
That depends on what your child or teen needs! It can happen in:
A clinic (with swings, trampolines, and loads of fun gear)
At home (to support routines like mealtimes, dressing, bedtime)
At school or daycare (to help with classroom participation, transitions, and peer interaction)
In the community (for real-world practice like playgrounds, shops, or public transport)
We go where it makes the most difference.
Do I Need a Referral?
Nope! You can self-refer. You can also access OT through:
NDIS
Private health insurance
Medicare referrals from your GP
Or just reach out to us directly
Not sure what’s right for you? We’re happy to chat and guide you through it.
Why It Matters
Paediatric OT is about building confidence, independence, and connection. It’s about helping children and teens feel good in their bodies and minds, and helping families feel less stressed and more supported.
Because when a young person feels capable and understood, everything else gets just a little bit easier.
