How to Know When to Seek an Occupational Therapy Evaluation for Your Child

Learn the signs that indicate your child might benefit from an occupational therapy evaluation at any age.

1. Understanding What Occupational Therapists Do. Occupational therapists work with children who have trouble with everyday activities that are important for their age. This includes fine motor skills like writing or buttoning clothes, gross motor coordination, sensory processing, self-care tasks, and social skills. They help children develop these abilities through play-based activities and specialized techniques.
2. Red Flags for Infants and Toddlers (0-2 Years). Watch for delays in reaching for toys, difficulty transitioning between activities, extreme reactions to sounds or textures, trouble with feeding or sleeping, delayed crawling or walking, or seeming unusually floppy or stiff. Also notice if your child avoids certain textures, has difficulty calming down, or shows little interest in exploring their environment.
3. Warning Signs for Preschoolers (3-5 Years). Look for difficulty with self-care tasks like dressing or using utensils, trouble with playground equipment or riding a tricycle, avoiding art activities or getting very messy, difficulty sitting still for short periods, problems with transitions between activities, or seeming clumsy compared to peers. Notice if your child struggles with simple puzzles, has trouble following multi-step directions, or shows extreme reactions to clothing textures.
4. Concerns for School-Age Children (6+ Years). Signs include difficulty with handwriting or using scissors, trouble organizing belongings or completing tasks, avoiding sports or physical activities, problems with attention and focus in school, difficulty making friends or playing cooperatively, or struggling with age-appropriate self-care. Also watch for children who seem overwhelmed in busy environments, have trouble with time management, or show persistent academic struggles despite adequate intelligence.
5. Sensory Processing Red Flags at Any Age. Be alert to extreme reactions to everyday sensations like covering ears frequently, avoiding certain food textures, disliking being touched or hugged, seeking excessive movement or crashing into things, having meltdowns in crowded or noisy places, or seeming unaware of pain or temperature. These behaviors might indicate sensory processing challenges that occupational therapy can address.
6. How to Request an Evaluation. Start by talking to your child's pediatrician about your concerns. They can provide a referral to an occupational therapist. You can also contact your local early intervention program (for children under 3) or your school district (for children 3 and older) to request an evaluation. Private occupational therapy clinics also offer evaluations, though insurance coverage varies.