Joanne Figone MA, OTR

629 East D Street,  2nd Floor
Petaluma, CA 94952

joanne@joannefigone-otr.com

Phone - 707 782 9467 
Fax - 707 765 2045

What is pediatric occupational therapy? 

Occupational therapy for children is concerned with improving the infant and child’s ability to engage in typical activities of childhood—self-care (eating, dressing, and grooming), play, and school activities. These are the occupations of childhood.

Pediatric occupational therapists view the child holistically assessing the child’s abilities, the environment and demands of the task in order to provide the child with the most appropriate treatment to improve function.  

The child’s abilities may be affected by medical conditions, neuromuscular conditions, sensory processing, and developmental challenges.

The goal is to help the child acquire the skills needed for daily life and school performance, while also helping the child develop confidence and self esteem.

Population served:

Children from birth to 16 years who may have the following issues:

• Feeding difficulties -  sensory or motor based
• Fine motor incoordination -  difficulty with cutting, drawing, grasp and release of objects
• Poor handwriting
• Large motor incoordination - difficulty with balance, skipping, jumping, and ball skills
• Sensory processing disorders - hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli, poor self-regulation, poor motor planning
• Poor self-care skills - dressing, hygiene and grooming, and self-feeding
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Poor play skills
• Visual perceptual difficulties
• Developmental delays
• Neuromuscular disorders – cerebral palsy, muscle weakness