Pediatric Life Skills Development

Building independence for daily routines

At Daviess Community Hospital’s CORE Center, our pediatric occupational therapists help children develop the life skills they need for everyday independence. Life skills (also called Activities of Daily Living [ADLs] and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living [IADLs]) include dressing, grooming, utensil use, morning/evening routines, and classroom organization. Therapy is play-based, family-centered, and available in Washington and Odon, Indiana. Families visit us from Daviess County and across Southern Indiana.

Who may benefit

Consider a pediatric OT evaluation if your child has difficulty with:

• Dressing and fasteners (buttons, zippers, snaps, tying shoes)
• Grooming and hygiene (toothbrushing, hair brushing, handwashing, nail care)
• Utensils and cups; opening snack/lunch containers
• Backpack and clothing management (coats, boots, hats, lockers/cubbies)
• Morning/evening routines and transitions between activities
• Organizing materials; following visual schedules; staying on task
• Toileting readiness (routines, posture/positioning, self-help steps)

If your child has bedwetting, constipation, overactive bladder, or recurrent UTIs, see Pediatric Pelvic Floor Therapy for specialized care.

Skills we develop

Our therapists design individualized, routine-based plans to strengthen:

• Fine motor and bilateral coordination for fasteners, laces, grooming tools
• Hand–eye and visual-motor integration for dressing, utensil use, and classroom tasks
• Sensory processing and self-regulation to tolerate clothing textures, grooming, and transitions
• Core strength and posture for dressing, toileting positioning, and seated tasks
• Executive function for routines (sequencing steps, visual schedules, organizing materials)
• Caregiver coaching with simple home strategies that fit your family’s day

Therapy is engaging and play-based, using motivating activities to build confidence and participation in mornings, mealtimes, school, and community outings.

What to expect

Evaluation

We review medical and developmental history, observe fine-motor, sensory, and routine participation, and map a typical day (morning routine, school demands, evening activities). Together we define meaningful goals for home and school.

Personalized plan

Your therapist creates a plan that fits your child’s age and routines. Sessions use fun, purposeful activities to practice dressing, grooming, utensil use, organizing materials, and transitions. You’ll receive easy home strategies and visuals to support carryover between visits.

Progress you can see

We track improvements in speed, accuracy, tolerance, and independence, adjust goals as your child grows, and—with your permission—coordinate with your pediatrician, school team, and other therapists.

Locations and scheduling

CORE Center | 421 E. Van Trees Street, Washington, IN
CORE Center at North Daviess | 800 S. West Street, Odon, IN

Call (812) 254-8889 to schedule a pediatric OT evaluation or ask about referral requirements.
Many insurers require a physician referral—our team can help you determine next steps.

We welcome families from Washington, Odon, Jasper, Vincennes, Loogootee, Petersburg, Bloomfield, and neighboring communities across Southern Indiana.

FAQs

What are ADLs and IADLs?
ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) are basic self-care tasks such as dressing, hygiene, and eating. IADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) are next-level life skills that support independence—like managing morning/evening routines, organizing school materials, opening lunch containers, using visual schedules, and planning multi-step tasks. Our pediatric OTs address the underlying skills (fine motor, visual-motor, sensory, posture, sequencing) and build practical home/school routines so progress carries over.

Will therapy just “practice the task”?
No. We treat the skills that make the task possible (strength, coordination, regulation, sequencing) and then integrate those skills into real routines with caregiver coaching.

Do you coordinate with schools?
Yes. With your permission, we share practical recommendations to support the same routines in the classroom (coats/zippers, lunch containers, organizing materials).

How long does therapy take?
It varies based on your child’s needs and goals. Your therapist will outline a plan and expected timeline after evaluation.