Kare 2 Communicate

Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Welcome to Kare 2 Communicate’s Pediatric Occupational Therapy! We’re here to help you understand this special type of therapy, its associated disabilities and milestones, and what to expect during therapy sessions.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy can benefit children with various disabilities, including

Autism Spectrum Disorder,
Down Syndrome,
Cerebral Palsy,
other genetic disorders,

It can also help children with

learning disabilities,
attention deficit disorders,
sensory processing disorders,
and motor skill delays.

Remember, every individual is unique, and therapy is tailored to meet their individual needs.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Down Syndrome

Cerebral Palsy

Other Genetic Disorders

Learning Disabilities

Motor Skill Delays

Attention Deficit Disorders

Sensory Processing Disorders

Other Disorders

What is Occupational Therapy?

Pediatric Occupational Therapy aims to help children gain independence while strengthening their development of:

fine motor,
sensory-motor,
and visual motor skills.

All of which are essential for functioning and socializing.

This therapy is often recommended for children who may be experiencing challenges in these areas.

What to Expect in Occupational Therapy

In Pediatric Occupational Therapy, expect a lot of fun, engaging, and meaningful activities!

Therapists use play-based techniques to encourage children to develop new skills. Each session is tailored to the child’s needs and can include activities to improve fine motor skills, sensory-motor skills, and visual motor skills.

Parents and caregivers are an integral part of the therapy process. You’ll be involved in setting goals for your child and will be given strategies to help your child continue their development at home.

Remember, the journey of development is not a race, but a beautiful process of growth and discovery. We’re here to support you and your child every step of the way!

Milestones in Occupational Therapy

Developmental milestones are behaviors or physical skills seen in infants and children as they grow and develop. These include

fine motor skills like grasping objects,
sensory skills like responding to sounds,
and visual motor skills like following moving objects with their eyes.

While every child develops at their own pace, significant delays in reaching these milestones can be a sign of a developmental disorder. Pediatric Occupational Therapy can help children reach these milestones at their own pace in a supportive and nurturing environment.

For a detailed breakdown of milestones, click here.

Language Development

Birth to 6 months

Reacts to loud sounds
Turns head toward a sound source
Watches your face when you speak
Vocalizes pleasure and displeasure sounds (laughs, giggles, cries, or fusses)
Makes noise when talked to

6 – 12 months

Initiates vocalizing to another person
Has different vocalizations for different emotional states (e.g. anger, contentment, hunger)
Understands “no-no”
Babbles (says “ba-ba-ba” or “ma-ma-ma”)
Tries to communicate by actions or gesture
Imitates novel sounds or actions
Understands 3 to 50 words
Vocalizes during play and to the mirror

12 – 18 months

Attends to a book or toy for about two minutes
Follows simple directions accompanied by gestures
Answers simple questions nonverbally
Points to objects, pictures, and family members
Says two to three words to label a person or object (pronunciation may not be clear)
Tries to imitate simple words
Requests objects by pointing, vocalizing, or using word approximations
Answers simple wh-questions (who, what, when, where and why) with a vocal response
Average receptive (understands) vocabulary of 200 words or more by 18 months
Average expressive (spoken) vocabulary of 50 to 100 words by 18 months

Meet Your Therapists

Maddie Keeton: Occupational Therapist (OT) *details coming soon!

Teresa founded KARE 2 COMMUNICATE (K2C) to assist families in Chapel Hill, Durham, Roxboro, and surrounding areas with obtaining quality speech therapy services in 2015, added special instruction services in 2020, and Occupational Therapy in 2022.

As an SLP, Teresa works with children in their natural environments, including homes, preschools, and daycare centers. The practice focuses on making sure that every client receives the most appropriate services and that K2C maintains a high standard of excellence. Providing solutions that allow children to reach their full potential in all areas of social, communication, behavioral, cognitive, motor, and motor skills. Our goal is to enhance the success of all our clients.

Teresa is a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist who holds a Master’s degree in Communication Disorders, is ASHA-certified (CCC), and is licensed in the state of North Carolina. She participates in continuing education on relevant, timely topics as well as on current therapy techniques and approaches to provide up-to-date services according to best practices.