Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs, are the activities defined by occupational therapists as the common tasks we all do to live an independent life. For children who are developmentally delayed for any number of reasons, these ADLs can be more difficult to achieve than it is for their peers, since many of them require the fine motor skills that can take longer to develop.
If you notice your child is lagging behind, our occupational therapy services for Monmouth and Ocean County families can work wonders, both by providing support in the classroom and parental guidance outside of it.
Five Categories of ADLs
ADLs are broken down into five basic categories:
- Personal Hygiene: Bathing, grooming, oral and hair care
- Toileting: A person’s mental and physical ability to use the bathroom independently
- Dressing: Having the motor skills necessary to physically dress and the mental capacity to select the proper outfits
- Feeding: Being able to independently feed oneself
- Ambulating: The measure of a person’s ability to move from one position to another and to walk independently
Allcare Therapy Services addresses each one of these as necessary, with a custom plan for each child that helps them get back on track as quickly as possible. With a strong background in neurodevelopmental treatment, sensory integration, and the SOS approach to feeding, we combine oral, motor, behavioral, medical, sensory, and nutritional factors into the treatment of your child.
IADLs and DADLs
As children get older, other ADLs start to come into play, such as Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (iADLs) and Domestic Activities of Daily Living (dADLs). iADLs include things like shopping, transportation, preparing meals, using a phone, cleaning, and managing finances. dADLs include care for others and pets, exercise, hobbies requiring dexterity, and socialization.
While many of these aren’t directly worked on for the children at Allcare, the basic ADLs that are addressed build the framework to be able to perform iADLs and dADLs later in life. If you suspect your child may be developmentally delayed, contact us today to speak to a certified OT and get a professional evaluation!