Cerebral Palsy and Occupational Therapy

Fact Checked

Occupational therapy helps children with cerebral palsy function better with the tasks of daily living and develop greater independence. Occupational therapists guide children and parents through various types of therapy using different tools and individualized treatment plans.

What Is Occupational Therapy?

According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), occupational therapy helps people of all ages learn how to improve their abilities to do the everyday activities they want to or have to do.[1]

For children with cerebral palsy, occupational therapy can help them with everyday school tasks, eating and drinking, dressing, hygiene, and other tasks they need to learn for daily use.

How Can Occupational Therapy Help with Cerebral Palsy?

Occupational therapists create individualized plans that address a child’s needs, limitations, and goals. These are just some of the specific ways occupational therapy can benefit a child with cerebral palsy.

Visual Impairment

Many children with cerebral palsy experience visual impairment. Some children may have severe impairment, whereas others may have mild impairment, but regardless of severity, therapy can assist in helping them with their daily tasks.

Occupational therapy, in particular, helps by carrying out sensory-perceptual-motor (SPM) training, which helps stimulate the senses to perform daily tasks more easily.

In addition, an occupational therapist may use visual input tools and cues, as well as verbal directions, to assist children in carrying out necessary daily activities.

Cognitive Impairment

Occupational therapy is also beneficial to children with cerebral palsy who have cognitive impairment. Daily routines with reminders help cognitively impaired children with everyday chores such as remembering to dress, brushing their teeth, and other tasks needed to get ready for the day.

Motor Impairment

Motor impairment affects children with cerebral palsy in numerous ways, which can make daily tasks difficult. For example, many children will have difficulties with daily hygiene, moving around, posture, and completing school tasks due to limitations in movement.

An occupational therapist assesses each child’s needs and tailors their therapy to meet personal goals. Some examples include stretching and guide motor output techniques, constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), which helps children with unilateral cerebral palsy, and neuromuscular facilitation techniques.[2]

Managing Daily Tasks

As mentioned earlier, occupational therapy assists with daily tasks such as eating, dressing, and hygiene and helps with motor movement skills. Other tasks occupational therapy can assist with include:

• Grasping objects
• Using a computer and other electronics
• Opening doors
• Writing
• Holding and reading books
• Playing
• Interacting with peers, caregivers, and parents
• School and daycare activities
• Sitting and standing up from tables and school desks

Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Parents and Caregivers

Children with cerebral palsy aren’t the only ones that can benefit from occupational therapy. With successful treatment, parents and caregivers also benefit from watching their children thrive both physically and emotionally. This process helps to reduce stress and provides a sense of peace as the child becomes more independent and productive.

Where Does Occupational Therapy Take Place?

Occupational therapy can take place in a variety of settings. While a large database of occupational therapists is available nationwide, some may be more specialized than others in your child’s specific needs. Common settings for occupational therapy include:

• Outpatient offices
• Inpatient medical centers
• In the home with a qualified occupational therapist
• Nursing centers
• Occupational therapy providers

Finding and working with a trained and licensed occupational therapist is crucial to quality occupational therapy. These therapists have expertise in assessing the child and acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses. They can then create an individualized plan to help the child achieve their goals.

Per AOTA, licensed occupational therapists are not only licensed in their state to practice occupational therapy but generally have a degree in one of the following:

• Social Services
• Health
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Human Development
• Anatomy & Physiology

Before anyone becomes an occupational therapist, each state in the nation must first be licensed. Licensing generally requires graduation from an accredited school, fieldwork hours, and passing the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy examination.

In addition to a licensed occupational therapist, many children will benefit from having additional assistants to help them succeed. Occupational therapist assistants may also need to become licensed (according to each state) and must complete related school and fieldwork.

What Happens During Occupational Therapy?

The first thing that happens is an assessment. Children with cerebral palsy undergo a complete, comprehensive assessment to ensure they get individualized treatment. Assessments usually include an occupational therapist testing the child’s:

• Motor skills
• Developmental condition
• Cognitive development and functioning
• Psychological needs
• Emotional needs
• Home and school environment

The therapist then creates an individualized treatment plan and implements it during sessions. They also provide children and parents with exercises and activities to do at home to complement therapy sessions.

Therapy sessions include exercises and tasks to practice improving function at home and elsewhere. The therapist will teach the child how to do them step by step, with clear instructions and adaptations as needed.

How to Find a Qualified Occupational Therapist

If you need assistance finding a licensed occupational therapist who works with children with cerebral palsy, healthcare providers can typically give you a referral.

Other options include contacting your city’s Health and Human Services department or browsing local phone listings. Remember, however, that you may need a referral from your child’s health care provider(s).