Occupational Therapists helping kids with Autism

April is Occupational Therapy Month. The job is unique and can help many, it’s helping one local boy who has Autism.

“Occupational therapy specifically means we look at motor development, social development. We took a look at how they’re taking care of themselves. So we identify the skills that a person needs to do an activity that they want or need to do,” says Bailey Porter, an Occupational Therapist.

Brenda Fritz’s son, Braeden, does occupational therapy at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

“He’s a sweet boy, very energetic, lovable and full of life. He was diagnosed with autism at age 5 and before that, he had been receiving occupational therapy,” says Fritz.

Which they say has been helping Braeden.

“I like to play with Legos a lot with my kids, so that’s working on fine motor skills, that’s working on following instructions, it’s working on visual perception abilities, being able to socially engage with me as well, so we’re going back and forth,” says Porter.

“I’ve seen significant growth. He grows exponentially every year and we definitely see that with the gains of occupational therapy. Functional skills, eating, dressing,” says Fritz.

Along with it being Occupational Therapy Month, it’s also Autism Awareness Month.