Occupational Therapy

In-Home or Clinic-Based Pediatric Occupational Therapy

WellCare Occupational Therapy Specialists make therapy feel more like play. They help children succeed with essential daily activities, like getting dressed, brushing their teeth, writing their name and playing with friends.

Occupational Therapy focuses on a sensory approach, a motor approach or a combination to improve a child's ability to take in and use experiences of touch, taste, sound, sight and movement.

Treatment includes play and social skills, incorporating hand strength, grasp, cognition and following directions.

Activities are fun and develop skills like hand-eye coordination and improve cognitive skills, social development and the establishment of self-care routines so that children can perform daily tasks more independently.

Meet Our Therapists

What can an Occupational Therapist do?

Evaluate the child's level of performance
Observe the child's natural environment to determine how it may be modified to promote maximal learning
Develop a plan of treatment in coordination with other health care professionals who are treating the child
Teach age appropriate self-care routines, play skills, social skills, and sensory regulation
Educate about stages of physical, mental and behavioral development Consult: with individuals involved in the child's daily life

What can parents and families do?

Stay educated about the child's treatment plan
Be involved with your child's therapy and progress
Follow through with suggested activities to encourage further development

For specific questions about your child, contact us today!

Meet Our Occupational Therapists

Kristen MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapy Team Coordinator

Bio

Welcome to our team! Come back to learn more.

Ari, OTR, OTD
Occupational Therapist

Bio

Arielle completed their doctoral degree in occupational therapy in May 2023 at Washington University School of Medicine. Prior to attending graduate school, Arielle earned her BA in Psychology and Irish Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Arielle loves creating and sharing experiences of joy, wonder, and comfort with children of all ages and abilities. She loves learning about each child’s unique perception of the world, and she especially loves supporting children in engaging in play and humor. Arielle would much rather sit at the kid’s table rather than at the adult’s table during any event!

Arielle was born and raised alongside their twin sister, Rachel, in Oakland, California and has dreamed of working with children and in therapy services since she was a preteen. Arielle volunteered at a therapeutic horseback riding center for children and adults with disabilities throughout her four years as an undergraduate at Washington University, and since then has worked with children in several settings, including as an assistant teacher at a private school and as a respite-care provider for two Denver, Colorado, families with autistic children. Outside of work, Arielle loves spending time with their two standard poodles (Winston and Francis), hiking, horseback riding, bouldering, and making art.

Jason MS, OTR/L
Senior Occupational Therapist

Bio

Jason is from Buffalo, New York, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and History from Canisius College in 2008 and his Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from D’Youville College in 2019.

He began his career working with individuals with special needs in a residential setting in 2008. This experience helped him better understand the role that traumatic experiences have on children and the challenges related to effectively managing difficult behaviors. In 2009, he used these experiences as a caseworker in the city of Buffalo, providing in-home services to families in crisis. Those he worked with were confronted with an array of difficult challenges such as those related to the impact of developmental disability, mental illness, or chemical dependency.

Jason became a certified instructor of tai chi in 2015 and has experience teaching in the community. He is interested in the rehabilitative potential of tai chi as well as the possible benefits granted to those with neurodevelopmental disorders. Occupational therapy has allowed Jason the opportunity to combine his unique background and experiences to support and enrich the lives of those he serves.