At FOCUS Therapy, our Fort Myers multidisciplinary pediatric therapy clinic, we work with children of all abilities to help them thrive in their daily lives. Whether your child is receiving ABA, speech, or occupational therapy, one of our core goals is ensuring they’re prepared for school. For children with special needs, school readiness can sometimes feel like a challenge, but South Florida occupational therapy (OT) is designed to address these challenges and help your child develop the skills they need to succeed academically and socially.

Occupational therapy plays an essential role in preparing children for school by focusing on areas such as handwriting, following instructions, organization, and self-care.

1. Handwriting and Fine Motor Skills

One of the most obvious areas where occupational therapy helps children prepare for school is in the development of fine motor skills, particularly handwriting. Many children with special needs, including those with autism or developmental delays, may struggle with the coordination and motor planning required for tasks like writing, cutting, and drawing.

Occupational therapists use targeted activities and exercises to strengthen the small muscles in a child’s hands and improve hand-eye coordination. For example, they may use tools like therapy putty, tweezers, or specialized grips to help children develop the fine motor control needed for tasks like holding a pencil or using scissors. By working on handwriting skills in OT, children are better equipped to participate in classroom activities that involve writing, from forming letters to completing worksheets.

Moreover, our Fort Myers occupational therapists teach children proper posture, pencil grip, and writing technique, all of which are essential for legible and efficient writing. A strong foundation in these areas can significantly reduce frustration and fatigue for children in the classroom, allowing them to focus more on learning.

2. Following Instructions and Classroom Routines

In school, kids are expected to follow multi-step directions, adhere to schedules, and participate in group activities. For many children with developmental delays and disabilities, following instructions can be a difficult skill to master, especially when there are sensory distractions or communication barriers.

Our South Florida occupational therapy services help children develop the ability to follow instructions by breaking down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Through structured play and activities, therapists teach children how to process verbal and visual cues, maintain attention, and follow through on tasks. This skill not only improves their ability to participate in classroom activities but also helps them transition smoothly from one activity to another.

For children with sensory processing challenges, occupational therapists may also work on strategies to help them regulate their sensory input, making it easier for them to stay focused and engaged in the classroom environment. By addressing these underlying challenges, OT helps children become more confident and independent in following classroom routines.

3. Organization and Task Management

Being organized is a critical skill for success in school. Many children with special needs struggle with organization and task management. Occupational therapy helps children develop executive functioning skills, which are the mental processes that allow us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks.

In OT sessions, children practice skills like sorting and categorizing objects, sequencing activities, and managing their time. For example, a therapist might use visual schedules or checklists to help a child understand what comes next in their daily routine. These tools can later be applied in the classroom to help children keep track of assignments, remember to bring necessary materials, or manage transitions between different subjects.

Developing organizational skills in OT ensures that children are better equipped to handle the demands of school, where they are expected to complete tasks independently and manage their time effectively.

4. Self-Care and Independence

Self-care is another area of focus in occupational therapy that directly impacts a child’s ability to succeed in school. In a school setting, children are expected to be able to handle basic self-care tasks such as dressing, toileting, washing their hands, and feeding themselves during lunch or snack time. For children with special needs, these tasks can sometimes be challenging due to motor coordination difficulties, sensory sensitivities, or developmental delays.

Our FOCUS Fort Myers occupational therapists work with children to build independence in self-care activities by breaking them down into manageable steps and using repetition to reinforce learning. For example, a child may practice buttoning and unbuttoning their coat, using utensils during meals, or washing their hands properly. Developing these skills not only boosts a child’s confidence but also reduces the reliance on teachers or aides for assistance with everyday tasks.

By fostering independence in self-care, occupational therapy helps children feel more comfortable and confident in the school environment, allowing them to focus on learning rather than being overwhelmed by daily routines.

Preparing for School Success with Pediatric OT

At FOCUS Therapy, we understand the unique challenges that children with special needs face when preparing for school. Through occupational therapy, we help children develop the essential skills they need to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Whether it’s mastering handwriting, learning to follow instructions, staying organized, or becoming more independent in self-care, OT provides children with the tools they need to thrive in the classroom.

If you have concerns about your child’s readiness for school, we are here to help. Our team of experienced occupational therapists will work closely with your family to develop a personalized therapy plan that supports your child’s development and prepares them for success in the classroom and beyond. We can also help parents prepare for IEP meetings and request necessary supports and accommodations to ensure their children thrive at school.

FOCUS offers pediatric occupational therapy in Fort Myers, Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.

Additional Resources:

What is School Readiness (SR)? Florida Department of Education

More Blog Entries:

Fort Myers Occupational Therapy Helps Kids Acquire Life Skills, Jan. 5, 2024, South Florida Occupational Therapy Blog

Parents of children with speech-language delays or disorders are familiar with the role of Fort Myers speech therapy in improving communication. However, what you may not realize is that speech therapy can also play a crucial part in helping your child develop strong literacy skills.

Whether your child struggles with reading, writing, or both, private speech therapy can provide targeted, individualized support that goes beyond the speech therapy services they might receive in school. This starts even before they actually start reading. We lay the foundation that ultimately contributes to reading and writing skills, contributing in the long-run to each child’s academic success.

The Connection Between Speech and Literacy

Speech and language are closely tied to literacy. In order to read and write effectively, children need strong foundational language skills.

Our Fort Myers speech therapy services help our patients build these skills with a range of approaches. Among the skillsets we target:

• Phonological Awareness. Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken words, which is critical for learning to read. For instance, a child needs to know that words are made up of individual sounds, or phonemes, before they can begin to match letters to sounds. Many children with speech or language delays struggle with phonological awareness, and this can directly impact their ability to decode words while reading. Speech therapists work on improving phonological skills by teaching children to identify, blend, and manipulate sounds, laying the groundwork for successful reading.
• Vocabulary Development. A strong vocabulary is essential for reading comprehension. When children have limited vocabulary, they may struggle to understand what they are reading. Our Fort Myers speech therapy services help children expand their vocabulary by introducing new words and concepts in a structured, meaningful way. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and speech-language pathology assistants (SLP-As) also work on teaching children how to understand and use words in context, which is crucial for both reading comprehension and expressive language.
• Listening and Comprehension Skills. Reading is not just about decoding words. It’s also about understanding the meaning behind them. Speech therapists help children develop listening comprehension skills by focusing on understanding spoken language, following directions, and interpreting narratives. These skills are directly transferable to reading comprehension, as children need to make sense of written text in the same way they do spoken language.
• Grammar and Sentence Structure. Many children with speech-language delays also struggle with syntax (the structure of sentences). Understanding grammar and sentence structure is important for both reading and writing. In speech sessions at FOCUS Therapy, children practice forming grammatically correct sentences, learning how to combine ideas and convey them clearly. These lessons not only help improve spoken communication but also enhance writing skills by teaching children how to organize their thoughts on paper.

How Private Speech Therapy Offers More Targeted Support

While many children with speech-language disorders receive some speech therapy services in school, there are several advantages to seeking private therapy to address literacy challenges.

As parents, we know it’s so important for our children to have meaningful friendships – when they’re small and as they grow. For children with autism, navigating social situations can be challenging. But that doesn’t mean they can’t form lasting friendships. One of the key areas we focus on in ABA Therapy (Applied Behavior Analysis) is social skills development—a vital building block for successful communication, interaction, and friendship-building.

At our Fort Myers ABA therapy clinic, we believe that every child has the potential to connect with others and form positive relationships. ABA therapy is an evidence-based approach that can help your child develop the essential social skills needed to engage with their peers in meaningful ways.

Why Social Skills Matter

Social skills are crucial in day-to-day life. They allow us to communicate effectively, understand and respond to others’ emotions, and engage in cooperative play or conversation. For children with autism, these skills don’t always come naturally. It’s tougher to build friendships.

You might have noticed that your child prefers solitary play, struggles with maintaining conversations, or experiences difficulty reading social cues. At FOCUS, our ABA therapy in Southwest Florida addresses these challenges by breaking down complex social behaviors into smaller, teachable components. These are then practiced in a structured, supportive setting. Over time, children begin to generalize these skills and apply them in real-life interactions.

Many studies have shown that ABA therapy can help children with autism master skills key to social functioning. For instance, a 2023 study published in Frontiers in Psychology revealed ABA therapy techniques were pivotal in helping kids:

• Accept a request to change behavior
• Wait for their turn to speak
• Help others/their peers
• Knock on a door before entering
• Play creatively and symbolically
• Play functionally
• Play socially – with objects and kids
• Use game rules
• Appropriately seek physical interaction
• Behavior as expected in a variety of social situations

How Our Fort Myers ABA Therapy Supports Social Skills Development

ABA therapy uses positive reinforcement to encourage and teach appropriate behaviors. This includes social skills. Every child is unique, so their therapy plan is tailored to address their specific needs and goals.

Some of the ways our dedicated BCBAs & RBTs help kids develop these important skills: