Screening & Evaluation

Any behavior which seems inappropriate may indicate a need for professional evaluation. Pediatric occupational therapists are skilled in identifying clusters of symptoms that may indicate sensory processing disorders or other types of developmental disorders that may require further evaluation. Please contact us to schedule a free screening of your child.

Symptoms

Symptoms to look for when evaluating your child’s behavior:

  • Slow to reach developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling, walking, etc.
  • Unusually over or under active
  • Excessive seeking or avoiding of sensory stimulation
  • Over-sensitive to clothing textures, being touched, or messy hands
  • Trouble with hand and finger coordination
  • Intense dislike of or gagging on food with certain textures
  • Messy eater, spills food from mouth or stuffs food
  • Poor social skills
  • Difficulty transitioning from one activity to another
  • Clumsiness
  • Uses too much or too little force when playing or using objects
  • Difficulty with puzzles and shape sorting
  • Inability to follow simple directions
  • Lack of awareness of danger or safety issues
  • Difficult sucking, swallowing, or chewing
  • Chewing on non-food items; not related to teething
  • Seems under-sensitive to pain
  • Poor posture, constantly propping self up
  • Difficulty learning new motor tasks, experiences frustration
  • Messy handwriting

Evaluation

HOW CAN I GET A CHILD EVALUATED?

You may refer your child without a professional. Many of our patients are referred to us by physicians or Child Development Services Agency (CDSA). Frequently, other adults in a child’s life such as daycare providers, teachers or relatives observe behaviors which concern them and make a referral for evaluation. With the parent’s permission, they call us and schedule a free screening. We evaluate the child and offer a comprehensive report on our findings. The report also indicates short and long term goals we believe we can achieve through therapy

HOW DO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS DETERMINE WHETHER PROBLEMS EXIST?

The skills children should have at certain ages are fairly well determined. Occupational therapists use standardized testing, clinical observations, and input from caregivers to identify any challenges a child may have. Depending on the types of difficulties reported, assessment can include evaluation of sensory processing, postural development, motor planning and coordination, fine and gross motor skills, cognitive skills and visual perceptual development. Occupational therapists will also consider the quality of the child’s performance, how a child functions across different settings, and to what degree a child’s difficulties are impacting his ability to participate in the activities of daily life. This assessment can clearly identify if and how therapy would be beneficial. Occupational therapy assessment can also help to identify problems that may need further evaluation and referral to other specialists such as physicians, physical therapists or speech-language pathologists.

Diagnosis

We help your children by determining which of these conditions they may have:

  • Autism
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Developmental delays
  • Birth defects
  • ADHD/ADD
  • Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
  • Behavioral problems
  • Spina Bifida
  • Issues related to prematurity
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Genetic Disorders
  • Orthopaedic Problems
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Down Syndrome

TREATMENT TECHNIQUES WE USE

  • Beckman Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention
  • Sensory Integration and Praxis Test Administration
  • Wilbarger Brushing and Sensory Diet
  • Greenspan Floor Time
  • Handwriting Without Tears
  • MORE Connection by Patti Detter
  • Developmental Approach
  • Handy Learning Approach to Hand Development
  • Neurodevelopmental Treatment
  • How Does Your Engine Run

CREATIVE HANDS SERVICES ARE COVERED BY INSURANCE

Creative Hands participates with Medicaid and several other private insurance providers such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Tricare, MedCost, United Healthcare, First Health & Healthcare Savings. Occupational Therapy is a tax deductible medical expense.