Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists help build skills for daily living, including fine motor skills, sensory processing, self-care, handwriting, and adaptive behavior.
Occupational therapy (OT) helps people develop, recover, or maintain the skills needed for daily living and independence. For children with disabilities, OT commonly addresses fine motor skills (writing, cutting, buttoning), sensory processing challenges (sensitivity to textures, sounds, or movement), self-care skills (dressing, feeding, toileting), visual-motor integration, and regulation of attention and behavior.
Occupational therapists use purposeful activities and play-based approaches to help children build these skills. For example, an OT might use therapeutic swinging activities to help a child who is sensitive to movement, or use fun hand-strengthening exercises to improve a child's ability to hold a pencil. Sensory integration therapy, a specialized approach many OTs use, can be particularly helpful for children with autism or sensory processing differences.
OT services can be accessed through schools (as part of an IEP), Regional Centers, private clinics, hospitals, or home-based programs. Many occupational therapists offer telehealth sessions as well. If your child struggles with everyday tasks that other children their age can do, an OT evaluation can help identify areas where support would be beneficial.
Eligibility
Individuals of any age who have difficulty with daily living activities, fine motor skills, sensory processing, or other functional skills due to a disability, developmental delay, injury, or medical condition.
Typical Timeline
Private OT wait times range from 2-12 weeks depending on the clinic. School-based OT begins after the IEP is finalized. Insurance authorization typically takes 1-2 weeks.
Documents You May Need
- Physician referral (if required by insurance)
- Health insurance information
- Previous OT evaluations or reports
- School IEP or IFSP if applicable
- List of current medications
What to Ask For
- Do you have experience with sensory processing challenges?
- What does a typical therapy session look like for my child's age?
- How do you measure progress and how often will I get updates?
- Do you offer clinic-based, home-based, or telehealth sessions?
- What activities can we practice at home between sessions?
Age Groups
Providers Offering This Service
Pacific Behavioral Health
Private practice specializing in ABA therapy, psychological evaluations, and social skills groups for children and adolescents.
SF Unified School District - Special Education
Provides special education services including IEP development, specialized instruction, and related services for students ages 3-22.
Stanford Children's Health - Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
Multidisciplinary diagnostic evaluations and treatment for developmental delays, autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities.
Community Gatepath
Lifespan services including pediatric therapies, early intervention, adult employment, and family support on the Peninsula.