28/10/2026
When a child is struggling, it’s easy to focus on the behaviour we can see. But behaviour is often communicating that something underneath is hard.
As paediatric OTs, we get curious about the why — regulation, sensory needs, communication, executive functioning, skills, environment or expectations.
For example, a child who “won’t” get dressed in the morning might be navigating uncomfortable clothing, difficulty transitioning, too many steps at once, or simply not having the capacity for that demand in that moment.
Instead of “Why won’t they?” we can ask:
“What’s making this hard right now — and what could make it easier?”
Maybe that means offering two clothing choices, laying clothes out the night before, reducing verbal instructions, allowing more time, or supporting the transition together.
Kids do well if they can — our job is to understand what they need to help them get there.
