Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Back to School...the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!



When I was still in school, I remember that Staples commercial that would come on around this time of the year. Remember the one that had the elated parent shopping for school supplies, as the children are grim-faced, clearly not happy about the end of summer? I dreaded that commercial as a student! Staples used the holiday-themed song by Andy Williams, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” which, while clever, made me cringe at the thought of returning to school even more. Go here to reminisce and check out the commercial:



No matter how much cringing they may do, children are returning to school this fall. This is a good time for parents and teachers to observe how children are handling the demands of the classroom and homework. If you notice handwriting difficulties, poor cutting or coloring skills, difficulty with organizational skills, or decreased attention, it may be helpful to bring these concerns to your child's pediatrician and ask for a referral to occupational therapy.


Pediatric occupational therapists at Fauquier Health can offer support to your child if they are having difficulties in areas of both school and home. If your child already receives occupational therapy in the school system, we are able to work in conjunction with their IEP and provide them with supplemental occupational therapy services consistently each week. This has the potential to help them improve at an even faster rate!


On the other hand, many children may not qualify for school-based occupational therapy but still have difficulties that lie within the realm of occupational therapy. As an outpatient facility, our pediatric occupational therapists at Fauquier Health have a broader area of practice than school-based therapy, as the skills we work on are not limited to the school setting. We have the potential to address school-related needs in addition to other skills your child may need help with, such as self-care, coordination, strengthening, etc.


Written by one of our pediatric occupational therapists: Justine Davis, MSOT, OTR/L.

If you feel your child would benefit from occupational therapy & would like to learn more, please give us a call at 540-316-2680. Or to submit an inquiry via email, click on the button below.
We wish you and your children a happy back to school day!