Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Personalized, Experienced Care By An Established. Schedule A Free Consultation.

Convenient Locations

135 Columbia Turnpike #302
Florham Park, NJ 07932

1801 E. 2nd St.
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076

Why do parents choose Alta Pediatrics?

Personalized

At Alta Pediatrics you are not just another number. We value each patient as a unique individual and a member of our community. Your therapist knows you and your child's name, ask for updates on what you are observing, and provides updates on what they are observing during the session.

Play Focused

Play is at the center of our sessions and your child will improve over time through play-based therapy. Whether that is in the sensory gym, running through an obstacle course, playing games, or working on their fine-motor skills what feels like play is your child developing skills and enhancing their abilities.

Experienced

All therapists are trained and experienced in their specific field (occupational and speech therapy) and have specific experience with a pediatric population. Therapists have graduate level degrees, participate in research projects, and attend continuing education to ensure they stay up-to-date on the latest and most effective evaluation and treatment techniques.

Collaborative

We believe communication and collaboration are key. We work with you as the primary caregiver to provide clear updates on progress and goals each week after the session ends. In addition, we can communicate with other stakeholders that are providing care to your child. By coordinating with speech therapists, school staff, ABA, and other specialists we ensure that there is a holistic view of the care your child is receiving.

How Do Occupational Therapists Help Children?

OT helps children in many ways. Occupational therapists work with children to develop the skills necessary for successful participation in daily activities, such as self-care, play, and learning. They address a wide range of challenges, including fine and gross motor difficulties, sensory processing difficulties, social and emotional challenges, and cognitive or attention difficulties. Through a combination of play-based therapy, exercises, and activities, occupational therapists help children develop their motor skills, sensory processing abilities, social and emotional skills, and cognitive abilities. They also work closely with parents and caregivers to provide support, education, and resources to help them support their child's development. Overall, pediatric occupational therapy aims to help children achieve their fullest potential and promote their participation in meaningful activities, leading to a more fulfilling and independent life.

What Are the Benefits?

Improves gross motor skills

Improves fine motor skills

Increases independence in activities of daily living

Addresses sensory processing difficulties

Increases overall strength and stability

Enhances social and play skills

Improves executive functioning skills

Provides caregiver and teacher education

Occupational Therapists Use A Variety of Interventions To Help Children

Sensory Integration Therapy

Create structured daily routines for the morning, afternoon, and evening. Use visual checklists with photos (not clip art) of your child doing each step of a task, or a picture of the completed task, depending on how much support is needed.

Integrate Physical Activity Into Your Child's Day

OTs also love to teach students how to incorporate movement into learning when possible. For example, have your child practice math facts or study for a test while jumping on a trampoline or standing on a balance board. Or, create a treasure hunt with spelling words and have your child practice writing each word where they found it.

Incorporate Sensory Strategies to Improve Self-Regulation

Children with low sitting tolerance may benefit from using active seating, such as ball chairs, inflatable wedges, or wobble discs. They can also use a foot fidget on the chair to help maintain focus or hand fidgets so long as they don’t become yet another distraction. Your child’s OT can help determine appropriate fidgets for home, community, and classroom.

Infants

Our individualized approach to OT Supports your infant's unique needs and abilities.

Toddlers

Fun and engaging therapy for 1 and 2 year olds that will help your toddler achieve milestones.

Preschool Aged

OT can help 3 to 5 year olds with the skills they need to get ready for Kindergarten

School Age

A kid's occupation is to grow, learn, do schoolwork, and play.

Treatment Approaches Differ By Years of Age

Occupational Therapy can help children at every stage of development. Each child is unique and no treatment plan is the same.

Testimonials & Reviews

Hear why parents choose Alta Pediatrics

I'm so glad I found Kim when I did... she is great with my 4 year old daughter and I am seeing so much progress just within a couple months. Highly recommend!

KATIE S.

"Kim is top-notch, super patient and is so reassuring. She really gets to know kids and develop a relationship with them."

OLIVIA M.

The OT practitioner is flexible and accommodating with scheduling. She is responsive to our concerns and goals.

JASON S.

About Alta Pediatrics

Alta Pediatrics is a leading pediatric therapy clinic, offering pediatric therapy for babies, toddlers, and children of all ages. With two clinic locations in Florham Park and Scotch Plains, Alta Pediatrics is committed to helping children lead their happiest, healthiest lives. We take an individualized approach to therapy because we understand that each child is unique with very specific needs. For this reason, no two therapeutic programs are alike. If your child needs our services, we will work closely with you to select the best therapies for them, creating a customized program specific to your child’s needs and your family’s goals. Let your child’s journey begin today by contacting us to learn more.

About Our Practice

Developing skills. Enriching Abilities. Improving Behavior

What Conditions Does Occupational Therapy Help With?

ADHD

As therapists we can help children with ADHD improve their attention, focus, and organization skills.

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

We work with children who have ASD to help them develop social, communication, and motor skills.

DEVELOPMENT DELAYS

Children who are experiencing delays in their developmental milestones, including fine and gross motor skills, language and communication skills, and cognitive skills.

SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER

Children who have difficulty processing sensory information, such as being overly sensitive to touch or sound, or having difficulty with balance or coordination.

ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING

Activities of Daily Living encompass the basics of self-care, which are prerequisites for maturation and healthy independence. ADLs include bathing, dressing, feeding, and toileting.

HANDWRITING DIFFICULTIES

Handwriting requires countless complex skills such as vision, attention, fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, muscle memory, core strength, sensory integration, and posture.

We're here to help your child. Get in touch with us today.

Get Started

Frequently Ask Questions

About Pediatric Occupational Therapy

What is pediatric occupational therapy?

OT that addresses kiddos. Typically, kiddos are seen for developmental conditions and the approach is considered habilitative, which is the development of skills and function that they otherwise would have had a difficult time or been unable to develop without services. Pediatric OT addresses the occupations and skills that are most important to kids including play, education, sports and other leisure activities, and ADLs (getting dressed and other self-care).

How can therapists help ?

Therapists help address kiddos development. They evaluate and assess whether a child is at a developmentally appropriate level in all areas and with all of their occupations. If there are any developmental delays or deficits, the OT will plan and implement interventions to address family and child focused goals to ensure they continue to progress in their development and can perform all of the tasks or occupations required throughout their lives. All of the Occupational Therapists at Alta Pediatrics are certified by The National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

Does my child need therapy?

If you are asking if therapy is right for your child it is best to get an informal screening or initial evaluation for your child to determine a formal need for occupational therapy. If you feel your child is missing or slower in meeting developmental milestones, having difficulties with their occupations such as school and school tasks, play, sports, or ADLs like getting dressed and other self-care, then occupational therapy can help address these concerns. There are many underlying reasons a child has difficulty with these occupations or reaching developmental milestones and an occupational therapist can help assess these areas and provide interventions to improve function and overall development.

How does OT help autism?

Those who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) benefit from a multi-disciplinary approach, often receiving services from occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and applied behavior analysis. It is important for these service providers to coordinate treatment plans and goals and provide an interdisciplinary approach to ensure the best treatment outcomes and goal attainment. Pediatric occupational therapy, in particular, helps those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder with sensory integration and improved function in developmentally appropriate activities, whether that is getting dressed, handwriting, staying seated for school,visual perception, functional communication, core strength, or fine motor skills. Occupational therapists work with both those with an ASD diagnosis and their parents or families to determine goals, provide strategies or activities to continue at home, and communicate with other service providers to ensure goal alignment.

Start the journey to bring about real, lasting change for you and your child

Speak With A Care Coordinator

Schedule Evaluation

Get Started with 1:1 Therapy

Get Started