The definition of “occupation” is how we spend our time; when working or at home, during relaxation or fun, that which fulfills us, gives us purpose, and allows us to interact with the world around us to the best of our ability.

Occupational therapy begins with this definition. It first evaluates where an individual is and then treats the area of deficit to its natural normal range.

– Sensory function (vestibular, tactile, proprioception)
– Reflex integration
– Fine motor skills: hand strength, grasp, release, reach and hand function
– Visual motor skills: eye hand coordination
– Perceptual motor skills
– Self-care skills: dressing, grooming
– Range of motion
– Oral motor
– Behavior issues due to processing
– Coordination issues

Once areas of delays are determined, an individual, customized program with both short-term and long-term goals is crafted. The purpose of treatment is to restore an individual to normal function to live a full life.

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle modality used to release restrictions in the fascia. The fascia is a protective covering all around muscles, glands, organs, body tissue, brain and spinal cord. It is a continuous sheet that looks something like plastic wrap. Restrictions are crinkles in the “plastic wrap” (fascia). A restriction can affect a body’s range of motion, function, or motility (organs). It can affect sensory function and motor abilities.

Craniosacral therapy uses 5 grams or less of pressure to determine movement of cerebrospinal fluid in and around the central nervous system. The therapist assesses symmetry, quality, amplitude, and rate of movement. The therapist’s role is to relieve undue pressure to assist the natural movement of the fluid and related soft tissue to help the body self-correct.

Since it uses such a gentle approach, you would see issues resolve in an easy, comfortable way for a child. A child feels calmer as skills progress. Our aim is to get a child back on track fast to the path that they are supposed to be on.

CST can help with:

– Tongue, lip, and cheek ties
– Breastfeeding issues
– Torticollis
– Plagiocephaly
– Lactation issues
– Sensory processing disorder (SPD)
– Seizures
– Autism
– Cerebral palsy
– Erb’s palsy
– Failure to thrive
– Chronic ear infections
– Colic
– Reflux
– Digestive disorders
– Hydrocephalus
– Motor coordination
– Learning disabilities
– Connective tissue disorder
– Emotional issues
– Immune disorders

– Breastfeeding

We will address what is impacting your child’s ability to use their jaw, lips, and tongue. We will consider issues that interfere with your baby’s seal and milk intake. We will also look at your child’s ability to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing. Our commitment is to make your time breastfeeding easy and effortless so you and your child can sigh with contentment and love.

– Bottle feeding

– Purée and solid foods

– Spoonfeeding and baby-led weaning (BLW)

– Picky eating

There is always a reason a child will not eat. The myth out there is: if a child is hungry enough, they will eat, and that unfortunately is not true. In the mouth, you can have places of high sensitivity, low sensitivity, or a combination and our therapists will assess where your child’s sensitivities are located so that we can address issues with accuracy. We will look at your child’s individual sensory system and create a map for normalizing sensitivities and a plan for successful integration of foods, including vegetables and proteins.

We begin by assessing for weakness, tone irregularities, and asymmetry that affect feeding. We will determine how your child is moving food in their mouth and swallowing.

We will address stages of feeding development and progress your child to the appropriate skill level. We strive to make munching, chewing, and biting food a snap! 

We provide therapy for children who have difficulty with sensory integration and construct individualized treatment plans to address issues in sensory systems. We offer a variety of age-specific tests to identify the core of your child’s issues because no two children are the same when it comes to sensory integration. Our commitment is to efficiently and productively provide a resolution to your child’s sensory integration issues to allow them to flourish.

This includes, but is not limited to:

Vestibular

This system is made up of the 3 semicircular canals in the inner ear and registers movement in lateral, forward/backwards, and rotational planes.

If a child has issues in this area, some of the following behaviors could result:

– Car sickness
– Sitting down when walking across a door threshold
– Never getting enough of swinging, or alternatively, unable to tolerate swinging
– Poor balance
– Difficulty with changing of head position (e.g., washing hair) or maintaining head position
– Fear of heights or climbing

Proprioception

This system is the muscle system and it gives us the power to move. It provides information about the relationship of one body part to another and gives us a relationship to others and objects; it is how we interact with our environment.

If a child has issues in this area, some of the following behaviors could result:

– Child is very weak and fatigues easily
– Child deliberately bumps and crashes into objects
– Stomps feet on ground
– Constantly chewing on items
– Holds pencil too tightly or too lightly; messy written work
– Will kick, bang, hit, or bite
– Stabilizes against furniture or adults
– Clumsy and frequently drops objects
– Locks joints to maintain posture

Tactile

This system is the first to develop in the body and deals with light touch, pressure, vibration, temperature, and pain. It keeps the brain organized and develops the ability to protect our bodies and discriminate against the touches of our world.

If a child has issues in this area, some of the following behaviors could result:

– Avoids expression of affection such as hugs
– Has difficulty standing in line
– Dislikes holding items
– Uses mouth, not hands, to explore
– Touches people or objects excessively
– Reacts aggressively when touched by others
– Reacts to clothing
– Picky eater
– Isolates and is a “loner”
– Resists change
– Overreacts to pain, or alternatively, does not notice injuries

This technique is designed to release restrictions that occur in the organs of the body. These restrictions can affect the organs’ natural ability to eliminate toxins, restore health, cleanse the body, and maintain the body’s homeostasis. This aids difficulty with colon, stomach, liver, pancreas, and bladder.

This is a sound-based program to empower children to develop skills in sensory areas such as auditory processing, respiration, vestibular, space orientation, language, and academics, to name a few.

This is a vestibular-activating program that we utilize to alter a child’s ability to process movement information. It aids in a child’s ability to regulate and coordinate eye movement (tracking).

This approach is based on the concept that we hold memory and emotions in our tissues that were encapsulated at the time of great trauma. This trauma could be physical blows, virus vaccinations, negative emotions, and words at time of accident.

These events create a type of muscle restriction that interferes with function. The purpose of this release is to increase function and create a freedom of ease in high-charge situations to leave the past behind.