Redirecting Energy: Tackling Maladaptive Behaviors at Occupational Therapy Camps

 

Overview:
Learn about the specialized strategies employed at OT summer camps to redirect and transform maladaptive behaviors into constructive habits.

Key Points:

• Recognizing triggers and patterns of maladaptive behaviors.
• Role of structured camp routines in behavior modification.
• Personalized interventions for individual campers.

Does your child have constant meltdowns and tantrums at home and in public?
Are you having a difficult time calming your child down?
Do you find it difficult to discuss with other parents how they manage their kids’ emotions?

If so, no need to stress any further…

Occupational therapy services might just be the perfect fit for your child. While searching for pediatric occupational therapy services near me, you may stumble upon a fantastic clinic near the DMV area called Triumph Therapeutics. At Triumph we have created a summer camp specifically for tackling maladaptive behaviors in children.

 

Recognizing triggers and patterns of maladaptive behaviors

You may be wondering how emotions are focused on in occupational therapy.

Recognizing and regulating emotions are all connected to executive functioning skills which are big factors in our daily lives. Executive function skills help us to plan, organize, and complete tasks. “When we are emotionally dysregulated, it can be challenging to focus on tasks, make decisions, and interact with others. Poor emotional regulation can lead to executive dysfunction, which can impact our ability to plan, organize, and complete tasks effectively.” 

Discussing topics such as mental health and emotions can be challenging for many children and parents. However “Children experience a range of emotions and face various stressors in their lives, and it is crucial to ensure they have the support they need to navigate these challenges”.

 

Personalized interventions for individual campers

At our occupational therapy camp at Triumph Therapeutics we are able to target emotional regulation skills by providing strategies and tools that work specifically for your child. Some examples include introducing Zones of Regulation, sensory integration, movement breaks, deep breathing, etc. By introducing these strategies we can help promote mental health and healthy coping strategies to help regulate your child’s emotions.

If you are concerned about sending your child to a group camp due to their neurological, behavior, or physical differences, then it might be reassuring to know that occupational therapists are experts who provide personalized interventions and can adapt equipment to fit your child’s needs.

Some examples of common diagnosis we see in occupational therapy includes:

• ASD
• Down Syndrome
• Sensory Processing Disorders
• ADHD
• Delayed Milestones

Now you might be curious on how we use our expertise when working with your children.

Let me provide an example… Some children with ASD or autism spectrum disorder have sensory processing differences. This means that they can be over-responsive or under-responsive to various senses. In fact, research shows “behavioral and emotional problems have been associated with sensory processing differences”.  This is why you may notice your child having meltdowns while at home, school, playground, grocery stores, etc. Therefore, we can utilize a series of strategies such as sensory integration, noise canceling headphones, fidgets, weighted materials, movement breaks, and more to help your child regulate their emotions when feeling overstimulated.

Hence having personalized therapy plans are significant factors on why occupational therapists are able to target specific goals regarding each child. This way you can feel confident sending your child to our camps.

Role of structured camp routines in behavior modification

In order to tackle maladaptive behaviors, we have planned a series of activities to promote emotional regulation.

In our sessions we plan on using tools such as:

• Visual boards
• Prompting
• Emotional Regulation strategies
• Social stories
• Peer play games

All these tools can benefit your child’s experience and expectations for what is to come during our sessions. While engaging in daily routine tasks, setting up expectations using visual boards and verbal reminders can help create easier transitions and reduce anxiety in children.

Lean more about Camps offered

Each individual camp at Triump therapeutics has programs to target specific topics. If you are interested in receiving more information about our Occupational therapy camps or other therapy related services then grab your phone and contact Triumph Therapeutics today to learn more.