What Is Paediatric Occupational Therapy? A Parent's Guide

If you've ever searched "what does an occupational therapist do" or wondered whether paediatric occupational therapy could help your child, you're not alone. These are some of the most common questions parents ask when they first hear about OT — and with good reason. The title "occupational therapist" can be confusing because the word "occupation" doesn't mean work in the way adults understand it.

For children, occupations are the everyday activities that fill their day: getting dressed, eating breakfast, playing with friends, drawing, sitting in a classroom, managing big emotions, and going to the playground. A paediatric occupational therapist helps children build the skills they need to participate confidently in these daily activities.

At Square One Therapy Hub in Kogarah, our occupational therapists work with children and families across the St George region and wider Sydney — including Carlton, Hurstville, Ramsgate and Sans Souci — supporting kids through play-based, family-centred therapy.

What does an occupational therapist do?

An occupational therapist (OT) is a university-trained allied health professional who helps people participate in the activities that matter to them. In paediatrics, that means working with babies, children and adolescents to develop the physical, sensory, cognitive, social and emotional skills needed for daily life.

According to Healthdirect Australia, occupational therapists help people of all ages overcome barriers that prevent them from doing everyday activities. For children, those barriers might show up as difficulty with self-care, learning, movement, sensory processing, behaviour or social participation.

A paediatric OT's role typically includes:

• Assessing a child's strengths and challenges through observation, standardised assessments and parent interviews
• Setting goals with the family around meaningful daily activities
• Delivering therapy through play, practice and graded activities
• Adapting tasks or environments so the child can succeed
• Collaborating with parents, teachers, carers and other health professionals
• Supporting NDIS planning with reports such as Functional Capacity Assessments

What is paediatric occupational therapy?

Paediatric occupational therapy is the specialised branch of OT focused on children from infancy through adolescence. It recognises that children learn best through play, and that development happens in the context of family, school and community life.

The Raising Children Network explains that occupational therapy for children can support areas such as play, self-care, school skills and social participation. Therapy is tailored to each child's needs and often looks like purposeful play — but every activity is chosen to build a specific skill.

At Square One Therapy Hub, our OTs support children with:

• Fine motor skills — holding a pencil, using scissors, doing buttons and zips
• Gross motor skills — balance, coordination, ball skills and playground participation
• Self-care and daily living — dressing, toileting, feeding, toothbrushing and hygiene
• Sensory processing — responding to sounds, textures, movement and busy environments
• Emotional regulation — managing frustration, anxiety, transitions and big feelings
• Attention and organisation — following routines, completing tasks and sitting for activities
• School readiness — pre-writing skills, classroom participation and independence
• Social skills — turn-taking, sharing, joining in play and reading social cues

How occupational therapy helps with daily "occupations"

The best way to understand what an OT does is to look at the activities children do every day.

Dressing and self-care

Getting dressed involves a surprising number of skills: balance, fine motor control, sequencing, body awareness and planning. A child who struggles with buttons, zips or knowing which way clothes go may become frustrated or avoid dressing independently. An OT breaks the task into manageable steps, builds underlying skills and may recommend adapted clothing or visual schedules.

School participation

School is one of the most complex occupations a child has. It requires sitting still, listening, writing, packing a bag, navigating the playground and managing social demands. A paediatric OT can assess where a child is having difficulty and provide strategies for the classroom, home and therapy sessions. Learn more about our school readiness assessments and paediatric occupational therapy services.

Emotional regulation

Some children feel overwhelmed by everyday experiences — loud noises, unexpected changes, sensory input or social situations. OTs use sensory strategies, co-regulation techniques, visual supports and coping skills to help children recognise, express and manage their emotions in safe, practical ways.

Play and social participation

Play is the primary occupation of childhood. It is how children explore, learn, make friends and develop creativity. OTs support children who find play challenging — whether due to motor difficulties, sensory preferences, limited ideas or trouble joining peers — so they can connect and have fun.

What happens in a paediatric occupational therapy session?

Sessions at Square One Therapy Hub are designed to be engaging, child-led and goal-focused. Your child's OT will:

1. Build rapport through play and conversation
2. Assess skills using standardised tools and clinical observation
3. Set goals with you and your child around meaningful activities
4. Use play-based activities to practise targeted skills
5. Provide home strategies so progress continues between sessions
6. Review progress regularly and adjust goals as your child grows

Therapy might happen at our Kogarah clinic, via telehealth, or in consultation with your child's school or childcare setting.

When should my child see an occupational therapist?

Parents often wonder whether their child is "just a bit behind" or whether an assessment would help. Some common signs that paediatric OT may be beneficial include:

• Avoiding or becoming distressed during self-care tasks like dressing or toothbrushing
• Difficulty with handwriting, drawing or using scissors
• Clumsiness, frequent trips or bumps, or trouble with playground equipment
• Sensitivity to noise, textures, smells, movement or busy environments
• Trouble sitting still, paying attention or following routines
• Big emotional reactions that are hard to calm
• Difficulty making friends or joining group play
• Delays in school readiness skills
• A diagnosis such as autism, ADHD, developmental delay or sensory processing differences

If you're unsure, a conversation with an OT can help you decide whether assessment or therapy is the right next step.

How is paediatric OT different from physiotherapy or speech pathology?

While there is overlap, each profession has a primary focus:

• Occupational therapy focuses on participation in daily activities — self-care, school, play, sensory processing and emotional regulation.
• Physiotherapy focuses more specifically on movement, strength, coordination, gait and gross motor development. Learn about our paediatric physiotherapy services.
• Speech pathology focuses on communication, language, speech sounds, social communication and feeding. Learn about our paediatric speech pathology services.

At Square One Therapy Hub, our OTs, physiotherapists and speech pathologists work closely together so families receive coordinated, multidisciplinary care when needed.

NDIS and paediatric occupational therapy

We welcome self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants for paediatric occupational therapy. We can also provide Functional Capacity Assessments and progress reports to support NDIS planning and reviews.

Book a paediatric occupational therapy appointment in Kogarah

If you're searching for answers about what an occupational therapist does and whether OT could help your child, we're here to help. Square One Therapy Hub is a family-centred paediatric allied health clinic in Kogarah, supporting children across Sydney's St George and Sutherland Shire regions.

Contact us today to book an appointment or ask a question about paediatric occupational therapy.