Occupational Therapy for ADHD in Children: Supporting Focus, Regulation & Daily Success
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can significantly impact a child’s ability to succeed at school, manage emotions, build relationships, and participate in daily routines. While medication and psychological therapy are often part of the treatment plan, Occupational Therapy (OT) plays a powerful role in helping children with ADHD thrive in real-life settings — at home, school, and in the community.
How Occupational Therapy Helps Children with ADHD
Occupational Therapists work holistically to improve a child’s ability to function in everyday environments. OT focuses on building practical, real-world skills through personalised, play-based, and evidence-informed strategies.
1. Improving attention and concentration
OTs use engaging tasks and structured routines to help children build sustained attention and task-following skills — key challenges for those with ADHD.
2. Supporting emotional regulation
Many children with ADHD struggle to manage frustration, impulsivity, or sensory overload. OT provides calming strategies, visual aids, and movement breaks to help children understand and control their emotional responses.
3. Enhancing executive functioning
Skills like planning, organizing, memory, and sequencing are often delayed in kids with ADHD. OTs provide tools such as visual schedules, timers, and checklists to support independence in daily tasks.
4. Boosting fine motor and self-care skills
Children with ADHD may also experience delays in writing, dressing, or feeding. OT sessions help strengthen motor coordination and promote confidence in self-help activities.
5. Promoting positive behaviour and social skills
OTs collaborate with families and teachers to develop behaviour strategies, improve transitions, and encourage positive peer interactions in school and at home.
Why OT Is Essential for Children with ADHD
Occupational Therapy offers a functional, strengths-based approach that goes beyond managing symptoms — it empowers children and their families to develop skills that foster confidence, independence, and success.
What makes OT different?
- Focus on everyday participation, not just diagnosis
- Use of hands-on, play-based techniques to build skills
- Emphasis on parent involvement and home strategies
- Support across multiple environments — home, school, and community
- Collaboration with teachers, paediatricians, and psychologists
OT can also address co-occurring challenges, such as sensory processing issues, anxiety, or difficulties with handwriting and motor skills — all of which are common in children with ADHD.
Getting Started with OT for ADHD
You can access OT for your child with ADHD through:
- NDIS (for eligible participants with developmental or functional needs)
- Medicare (via a GP referral through a Mental Health or Chronic Disease Management Plan)
- Private health insurance
- Telehealth services for added convenience
Helping Your Child Thrive Starts Here
With the right support, children with ADHD can build the skills they need to succeed at school, at home, and in life. Occupational Therapy offers practical, compassionate guidance that meets your child where they are — and helps them move forward with confidence.
📞 Contact us today to book a free consultation and learn how our paediatric Occupational Therapists can support your child’s growth and development.
