Occupational Therapy – Developing Strength for Tomorrow

Occupational Therapy makes it possible for infants, children and adolescents with injuries, physical challenges or developmental disabilities to live their life to their full potential given essential skills that increase their quality of life and a sense of independence. At Driscoll Children's Hospital’s Rehabilitation Center, occupational therapy is specifically designed for those who need frequent or high-intensity therapy. An interdisciplinary focus and a facility specifically equipped to handle rehabilitation help ensure that accidents, disease or developmental disabilities will not keep any child from reaching his or her full potential.

What Occupational Therapy Offers

Occupational therapy focuses treatment around purposeful activities or occupation. For children, this means specific life skills and tasks, rather than job-related functions. Occupational therapy helps patients further develop or regain skills through specific exercises and task-related activities.

Occupational therapists collaborate with other therapists, physicians and specialists to maximize each child’s potential with specific programs customized to each patients unique needs.

Therapists use age-appropriate play and activities to focus on strengthening and enhancing fine motor skills, range of motion, muscle strength and flexibility, positioning and posture, and other areas as needed.

Who Can Benefit From Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy can benefit infants, children and adolescents who have:

Rehabilitation needs, such as brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple trauma and neurologic insult or dysfunction
Orthopaedic conditions, including limited range of motion or mobility, decreased strength and endurance, fractures, burns, sprains, and strains
Connective tissue disease, such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Neonatal conditions in high risk infants
Learning disabilities, including delayed fine and gross motor development
Sensory dysfunction
Multiple handicapping conditions, such as:
- Cerebral palsy
- Muscular dystrophy
- Spina bifida
- Congenital anomalies
- Residual disabilities related to trauma or infection

Customized to Each Patients Needs

We create a customized occupational therapy program, based on the child’s individual needs.

Initial evaluation measures development objectively to create a program best suited for the patient. Therapists evaluate muscle strength, joint range of motion, reflexes, posture, gait, gross motor skills, wheelchair and adaptive equipment needs.
Customized treatments helps each child maximize his or her potential for development, strength and movement with the latest combination of rehabilitation and habitation techniques.
Ongoing consultations with patients, family, parents, teachers, physicians ensure appropriate therapeutic intervention, appropriate equipment and the best environment for the child.

How Occupational Therapy Meets Patients Needs

Early therapeutic intervention, in all cases, helps reinforce development, promote a healthy self-concept, strengthen cognitive processes and prompt emotional maturation.

Occupational therapy for patients of all ages can increase independence and social adjustment.
The ability to provide high-intensity therapy allows patients to return home while still receiving the frequency and intensity of therapy they may need on a daily basis.
By strengthening essential life skills, occupational therapists aid the child and his or her family to maximize their potential.

All-In-One Advantage

Occupational therapists at Driscoll Children's Hospital use a strong interdisciplinary approach to improve all of the patient’s sensory motor functions. They also work closely with specialists and therapists in other areas to create a comprehensive program for each patient. Reinforcing independence in functional activities through instruction and home-based exercise programs can increase progress made by occupational therapy patients.

Family-Centered Care – Partners in Treatment

Our occupational therapists believe strongly in the power of family encouragement and involvement. Parent or those close to the patient are encouraged to attend therapy sessions.

Instructing and educating the parents can often be as important as the skills and practice the child receives. The family plays an important role in reinforcing and following through with the therapies at home. Therapists will work with the family to identify and help obtain any appropriate equipment the child needs o function at home.

A Staff Committed to Meeting Your Needs

The success of occupational therapy depends on the staff who are both well educated and committed to the success of each patient. All our therapists hold bachelors or advanced degrees from university programs and attend additional training courses each year to further their specialized knowledge.

For Additional Information

Joan Bell - Supervisor
Occupational Therapy

Driscoll Children's Rehabilitation and Medical Center
3533 S. Alameda Street
Corpus Christi, Texas 78411
Phone: 694-KIDS (5437)
Fax: (361) 694-4821

Driscoll Children's Hospital is committed to providing service to all children.

To determine if a child qualifies for financial assistance or for support with insurance pre-authorization, contact Driscoll Children's Hospital’s Patient Financial Services at
(361) 694–5111.

Making an Appointment / Referral
A physician prescription or referral is required prior to making an appointment. A referral form can be obtained by calling (361) 694-4533 or (361) 694-6135.

Referrals can be faxed to (361) 694-4821

For More Information
To make an appointment or for more information, call (361) 694-KIDS (5437).