April is Celebrate Occupational Therapy Month and we have an amazing team of occupational therapists (OTs) at Phoenix Children’s.
We provide skilled rehabilitation services to children and young adults from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to outpatient rehab. Our team of passionate therapists work closely with you and your child to provide education, training and support so they can participate in the parts of life they care about most.
Occupational Therapists help children develop the skills they need to participate in everyday activities, like playing, learning, feeding, dressing and bathing. Through play and therapeutic interventions OTs help children and adolescents who may have difficulty with things like coloring, catching a ball, or using utensils because of physical, developmental, or emotional challenges. Occupational Therapists help children improve their fine motor skills (like using their hands), eye hand coordination, attention, sensory processing, and ability to interact with others and their environment. They also support children in building independence so they can feel confident and succeed in academics, at home, and in social situations.
Here are a few of the key places you will find our Occupational Therapists at Phoenix Children’s:
- Intensive Care Units: In Phoenix Children’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) - Strong Early Mobilization Program, our OTs work closely with your child’s critical care and rehabilitation teams to provide opportunities to get them up and moving as soon as possible after an injury or illness. We’re also here for your child in the cardiac and neonatal intensive care units (ICUs), providing the gentle and specific support your child needs to thrive.
- Acute Care: Whether your child is in the hospital for a major surgery, a new illness or a trial of an exciting new treatment from one of our many Centers of Excellence, our OTs come to you. Working directly with your child's doctor, OTs provide support for your child's daily self-care and activities to enhance independence in a safe, respectful manner.
- Inpatient Rehab: If your child’s body is ready for an extra challenge before going home, our OTs —in collaboration with the entire Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation team on Phoenix Children’s CARF-accredited inpatient rehabilitation unit —will be there with the resources, technology and skills needed to make it happen.
- Outpatient Rehabilitation: Our outpatient OTs are here for you, across Phoenix Children’s various valley locations. From multidisciplinary team specialty clinic evaluations—designed specifically to service your child’s diagnosis/needs—to intensive rehabilitation treatment, our outpatient OTs can help your child explore, identify and succeed in the parts of life most important to both of you.
We are privileged to do the job we do and look forward to caring for your child when they need us.
