Every child is born to shine, blossoming in their own unique way at their respective timeline. Your toddler, too, might develop the ability to master select new skills at quite a remarkable speed while still requiring comparatively more time to cruise past others successfully. While coming to terms with the fact that the observed innate variation is complete, parents are left with doubts about what to expect as the child matures.

Because your child’s development doesn’t follow a straight line, probing the root causes of the irregularities can be extremely challenging. Those random signs of frustration, such as trying to avoid tasks on purpose or requiring additional assistance, could be temporary stumbling blocks. Assessing these behaviors could indicate developmental delays.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy: Personalized Intervention

Pediatric occupational therapy is a customized, expert-backed intervention aimed at strengthening a child’s overall development by reshaping foundational skills. Intervening through a professionally curated therapy, key areas of progress are addressed, providing guidance on where your child needs additional support and ensuring they are entitled to engage in age-appropriate activities.

Tailored solutions that guarantee a personalized intervention ensure your child becomes a well-groomed, educated, and well-developed individual who can confidently thrive in their daily life. Schedule a call with our intake team today, or navigate our service pages to learn more about our tailored therapy programs.

Developmental Delays: How Pediatric Therapists Help?

Pediatric therapists intervene professionally only after appropriately utilizing these developmental milestones as essential guidelines. These markers indicate how critical skills develop over time.

Milestones should not be confused with any given deadlines. Each child has a core of their routine growth and developmental patterns that exhibit varying degrees of natural variation. Attached herewith is a general age range therapists could use to assess when foundational skills commonly begin to surface.

12 to 18 months

• Drinking via a straw.
• Imitating children while they actively engage.
• Quick transitions happen from sitting on the floor to standing without a fall.
• Transitioning further from standing to sitting on the floor and not falling.
• Holding a thick crayon or pencil.
• The page turned into a cardboard book.
• Pulling off socks and shoes.
• Stuff oneself with finger foods.
• Objects transferred to different containers.
• Engaging with a toy using hands and mouth.
• Going for an independent walk.
• Interested in discovering simple play routines.

2 to 3 years

• Low surface jumps, typically a curb.
• Forward jumps by a minimum of four inches.
• Moving upstairs without a rail.
• Throws a ball three feet in the air
• A ball is kicked three feet forward.
• Push bike ride, not using pedals.
• From runs to climbing, loves safe explorations
• Regular open cup drinking habits.
• Zips and unzips clothes if latched primarily.
• Taking their clothes off themselves.
• Assisting in dressing tasks.
• Scribbling, not going off the paper.
• Building block tower via 4-6 blocks.
• Performing an activity normally, sitting down, looking at the book, etc.
• Keen interest in discovering playground equipment.
• Making use of feeding utensils.
• Copying actions while playing.

3 to 4 years

• No rail, moving upstairs, one foot on each step.
• Riding a tricycle.
• Hopping on a single foot.
• Performing an easy jump from a nearly two-foot height.
• Secure climbing in a jungle gym.
• Easily grasp a pencil or a crayon, just as an adult would.
• Screwing and unscrewing jar lids.
• Proper eating with utensils.
• Accurately pouring from container to container.
• Simple puzzle solved.
• Simultaneous dressing and undressing.
• Cut the paper into halves using scissors in a straight line.

4 to 5 years

• Walking downstairs without a rail.
• Standing on every foot for nearly five seconds, maintaining proper posture and balance.
• Going for a two-wheeled bike ride with training wheels.
• Walk backward nearly four feet.
• Shoes perfectly put on, not the laces.
• Neat coloring of a circle.
• A person with more than three body parts drawn.
• Hassle-free dressing and undressing.
• A square and a cross copied.
• Simple shapes are being cut out easily.
• Buttoning and unbuttoning clothing.
• Showcasing no interdependency for activities including toilet visits, handwashing, etc.
• Heavy pretense and deceptive mood
• Engaging proactively in cooperative play.
• Daily routines and transitions followed smoothly.

Reaching Early School Age

• Attentiveness maintained for seated activities.
• Completely independent zipping.
• Copying some letters and shapes, including a triangle.
• Independent teeth brushing.
• Effective usage of hands for writing and finishing classroom tasks.
• Pro-active participation in group activities.

Developmental Delays: How They Impact Your Child

Most toddlers are heavily dependent on gross motor skills, sensory regulation, coordinated activities, and uncompromised attention, which help them actively participate in and successfully navigate their daily tasks with ease and effortlessness.

A child is struggling to keep pace, failing to progress, lacking sufficient skills, and not delivering when tested in critical areas of development. Causing developmental delay and an inability to participate in routine activities at home and at school, the child is also found to be vulnerable when exposed to certain social settings.

Developmental skills compound over time. Early struggles do create a ripple effect, further hardening the acquisition of more complex associated skills. For a toddler who has difficulty with early fine-motor tasks, even beginning with an activity as simple as scribbling with a crayon, the child is bound to face steeper hurdles.

The possibility of any such developmental delays, including movement, attention, or sensory regulation, must be addressed professionally by experts in a timely manner, thus preventing further disruptions to the child’s capacity for complex social interactions, challenging academic demands, and classroom expectations.

Possible Signs of Developmental Delays

Recognizing early signs of developmental delays gives parents the flexibility to intervene promptly. Completing a comprehensive evaluation with an experienced pediatric occupational therapist can be significantly beneficial for your child who is struggling to cope with day-to-day activities. Occupational therapists excel at strengthening a child’s foundational capabilities, which determine their long-term success.

The possible warning signs leading to a professional intervention include:

• Finding difficulty in staying seated, engaging in group activities, social interactions, or during meals.
• Restrained approach in exploring new environments, toys, or hands-on play.
• Finding it challenging to follow instructions or complete tasks.
• Requiring significantly more help than usual for effectively maintaining self-care routines.
• Easily overwhelmed or feeling immediate frustration.
• Refraining from any group activities.
• Higher stress levels hinder transitions between activities.

Methods Adopted by Occupational Therapists- Treating Developmental Delays

Occupational therapists are experienced professionals who, through their expertise, provide premium, customized assistance primarily aimed at building the skills needed to lead a holistic, fulfilling, independent life. Intense training programs help fortify the child’s progress in critical areas of development. These include:

• Fine Motor Skills: Enhancing the overall physical strength.
• Sensory Processing and Regulation: Assisting a child to effectively process any inputs they receive in the form of touch, taste, smell, hear, etc, making them feel regulated, up and ready for receiving more information.
• Fine Motor and Hand Skills: Grasping skills refined, creative abilities improved, utensil use coordinated, and effective classroom kit management.
• Following Directions: Emphasizing proper direction-following, correct turn-taking, and keeping them engaged.
• Daily Routine Independence: From dressing and feeding to making personal belongings more systematic, independence in daily routines helps manage transitions more effectively.

Contact Theracare Pediatrics Services for Assistance

The right support framework is the pre-requisite for propelling your child’s comprehensive developmental journey. From searching for speech therapists to finding your occupational therapists, a dedicated support staff professionally handles your child, guaranteeing holistic support that streamlines their development. Theracare Pediatrics Services is always at your disposal. We ensure every child has their unique capabilities and blossoms on their own timeline.

We feature a highly qualified team of over 250 Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapists covering every corner of Arizona. Our primary goal is to ensure a premium therapy provider is always available, even in the most rural areas. Our therapists undergo rigorous quarterly training, guaranteeing they utilize the latest evidence-based research to help your child achieve their specific goals.