Monday, June 29, 2015

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Managing Moebius Syndrome

Does your child have Moebius Syndrome? If so, there are many ways pediatric occupational therapy may help him live more comfortably and attuned with the world around him. This type of treatment is basically focused on helping children learn their environment to help them grow up to become independent and productive adults. In many cases, it is best used in conjunction with physical and speech therapy.


Motor skills. Occupational therapy may help children with Moebius Syndrome cope with the difficulties associated with limb deformities in such activities as dressing up, tying shoes, brushing teeth, showering, and buttoning, as well as writing or playing games. Learning these basic skills could help the child develop self-confidence, and be a stepping stone to developing other self-sustaining skills later on.

Visual skills. For strabismus, the occupational therapist may design activities that promote the use of side vision in addition to visual pursuit, with the objective of improving sensory integration as well as brain processing. These may involve hitting a ball, walking on a beam while looking straight ahead, eye patching to strengthen the suppressed eye, and many more.


Social skills. Occupational therapy may also help children with Moebius Syndrome improve their  self-concept, and in the process, increase their confidence in making friends or engaging with others. Occupational therapy does not only aim to help kids develop the ability to perform learning task; it also deals with behavioral skills and social interaction.