The occupational therapy unit at the Assessment & Therapeutic Centre (ATC), which opened on 31 January 2021, takes a practical approach to restoring lost motor and sensory functions. Its aim is to help children with disabilities gain the greatest possible independence in everyday activities, while improving cognition and attention span.
Therapists draw on several established approaches depending on each child's needs. Neuro Developmental Therapy (NDT) is used for children with neurological impairments, while Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) supports children on the autism spectrum and those with sensory processing difficulties.
Alongside these, the unit applies task-oriented and bio-mechanical approaches, matching the method to the child rather than the child to the method. Appropriate aids and equipment are used together with hands-on training so that skills learned in therapy carry over into daily life.
For families across Bhubaneswar and the surrounding districts of Odisha, having occupational therapy under the same roof as physiotherapy, speech therapy, and diagnostic services means fewer separate visits and more continuity in each child's care.