Occupational Therapy for Toddlers

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

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 Toddlers?

Does your toddler have frequent, intense tantrums that seem to last longer than other kids his/her age? Does he/she have a hard time playing with new toys? Does your toddler struggle to participate in daily activities or self-care tasks, such as feeding him/her self and dressing? If you answered yes to any of the above, then occupational therapy might be appropriate for your child.

Occupational therapists will work with both you and your child to address gross motor, fine motor, sensory processing, communication, feeding and play skills that may be impacting your child’s ability to participate in daily routines and tasks.

What are the benefits of Occupational Therapy for Toddlers?

Develop co-regulation strategies to implement with your child. This will help during moments of distress.

Develop strategies to help identify when a melt down may happen, helping you & your child through their moments of really big feelings.

Identify and treat any sensory-processing challenges that may be impacting your child’s development.

Teach both you and your child emotional-regulation strategies. This will give you both a game plan for the obstacles of everyday life.

Address fine-motor delays which may be impacting utensil use during meal times and difficulty with toy manipulation.

Target motor-planning which may be causing challenges with dressing skills and navigating new places such as a park.

Develop play skills so that your child can interact appropriately with other children his/her age and play with a variety of toys.

Occupational Therapy For Toddlers By Age

12 to 15 Months

Between 12 and 15 months, toddlers learn a lot about their world by shaking and banging things and putting them together in piles or towers then knocking them apart. They may be able to point to the people and things they know when you ask them. Your toddler may start to drink from a cup and continue to improve in self feeding by picking up different types and textures of food.

15 to 18 Months

By 18 months, most toddlers have a lot more control over their hand and arm movements and may try to help you dress them.
Your toddler may attempt skills such as using a pencil or spoon, or drinking from a cup. They will also gain more control of the movements needed for those skills that will enable them to start picking up very small objects, such as small stones or parts of toys. It is very important to watch what your toddler picks up in case they try to swallow it or put it in their ear or nose.

18 to 24 Months

Around this time, toddlers are keen to do more things independently. For example, your toddler is learning to feed themselves using a spoon and cup, and maybe even a fork – there might even be fewer spills than before! Your toddler might try to help when getting dressed and undressed. At this age, it’s easier for your toddler to take off socks, shoes and clothes without buttons. Generally, your toddler might show signs that they’re ready for toilet training from 2 years on. But some children start to show signs of being ready earlier, at around 18 months.

About Alta Pediatrics

Alta Pediatrics is a leading pediatric therapy clinic, offering pediatric therapy for babies, toddlers, and children of all ages. We are committed to helping children lead their happiest, healthiest lives. At Alta Pediatrics, 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.

Our Practice

Testimonials & Reviews

Hear why parents choose Alta Pediatrics

"The team at Alta Pediatrics are phenomenal. To say they have been life savers would not be an exaggeration. They go above and beyond to help you understand your child's needs and how to support them both in and out of the home. I recommend Alta Pediatrics without any hesitation."

JACQUE Q.

"Professional therapists with heart.
My son enjoys his sessions and the therapists always end the sessions with an update of how the session went and what was worked on."

DANA L.

"We have had an AMAZING experience at Alta. Kim and her staff are highly skilled and passionate about their work and we have seen immediate improvements in our child. Not to mention, he absolutely loves going! We are so grateful that we have found Alta Rehab and highly recommend it to anyone in need of OT services."

LIZ L.

Developing skills. Enriching Abilities

Here's how we create real and lasting change

1 EVALUATE

Our team of therapists conduct a thorough evaluation of your baby to determine areas of strengths, areas of difficulty, and the root causes of these difficulties to focus therapy sessions accordingly and improve development of skills.

2 APPLY

Activities are created to engage the baby, address areas of difficulty, and practice new skills. Parents and caregivers are provided with strategies to work with their baby at home and school to ensure carryover of skills for quicker learning and development of these skills.

3 PROGRESS

We work together with parents to set realistic, measurable goals to address areas of difficulty and ensure progress. We use engaging and motivating toys, games, and play to create a positive environment for your baby, improve their confidence, learn new skills, and reach their goals.

Occupational Therapy For Toddlers

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

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