Sensory Processing & Autism: How Occupational Therapy Helps Kids Thrive | Brighton Center

For some children, everyday activities that seem simple to others can feel overwhelming. Getting dressed in the morning becomes a battle.

Mealtimes are stressful. Classroom activities feel impossible to navigate. Sensory experiences that other children barely notice can trigger meltdowns or complete shutdown. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone—and occupational therapy can help. At Brighton Center, our occupational therapy services help children build confidence in their activities of daily living, including playing, learning, sleeping, eating, and engaging socially with caregivers and peers at home, school, and in the community. We've been helping San Antonio families since 1969, and we've seen firsthand the remarkable transformations that happen when children receive the right support at the right time.

WHAT IS PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?
Occupational therapy focuses on helping children participate fully in the "occupations" of childhood—all the activities that fill their days. For children, these occupations include self-care tasks like dressing, feeding, and hygiene. They include play and social interaction with family and peers. They include learning and participating in classroom activities. And they include navigating sensory experiences throughout the day. When children struggle with these foundational activities, it affects their confidence, their relationships, and their ability to learn and grow. Occupational therapists are specially trained to identify the underlying challenges and develop strategies that help children succeed.

SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH SENSORY AND DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES
For children with developmental challenges such as autism or sensory processing disorder, everyday activities can feel overwhelming. Sounds that others barely notice may be painfully loud. Clothing textures may feel unbearable. Transitions between activities may trigger anxiety or meltdowns. Social situations may be confusing and exhausting. Our occupational therapists help children develop the skills they need to navigate these challenges. We help children understand social cues and develop self-regulation strategies. We build awareness of their surroundings and help them manage their responses to sensory input. We teach strategies designed to help children stay calm, focused, and engaged—even when their environment feels overwhelming. These aren't just coping mechanisms. They're foundational skills that children will use throughout their lives.

BUILDING INDEPENDENCE THROUGH DAILY LIVING SKILLS
During occupational therapy sessions, children learn self-care abilities that build confidence and independence from a very early age. The specific skills we work on depend on your child's age and developmental level. For babies, therapy might focus on learning to bring a pacifier to their mouth, holding a bottle independently, or developing the hand skills needed for self-feeding. For toddlers and preschoolers, we work on dressing skills like managing buttons and zippers, feeding skills including using utensils effectively, and hygiene tasks like handwashing and tooth brushing. For older children, occupational therapy might include organizing school materials, managing personal belongings, and participating successfully in group activities.

FINE MOTOR SKILLS FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS Fine motor skills—the ability to use small muscles in the hands and fingers with control and precision—are essential for school success. Many classroom activities require fine motor proficiency, and children who struggle in this area often fall behind academically or avoid writing and art activities altogether. Our occupational therapists help children develop proper pencil grip for writing and drawing, scissor use for cutting activities, and utensil handling for lunch and snack time. We identify when children might benefit from simple tools or modifications that can make these activities easier and more accessible, such as pencil grips, adapted scissors, or specialized utensils.

CUSTOMIZED PLANS FOR EVERY CHILD At Brighton Center, we recognize that every child is unique. We create customized therapy plans for each child based on their specific needs, whether they need support with motor development, sensory processing, classroom readiness, or a combination of areas. Our occupational therapists collaborate with speech therapists and physical therapists to provide well-rounded care when needed. If your child has needs across multiple areas, our team works together to ensure goals align and strategies reinforce each other. This integrated approach means faster progress and better outcomes.

🔗 SCHEDULE AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EVALUATION: 🌐 Website: https://www.brightonsa.org 📞 Call Us: 210.826.4492 📋 Request Services: https://brightonsa.org/pediatric-ther... Serving San Antonio and Bexar County, Texas 🏠 Home-Based and Center-Based Services Available