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Occupational Therapy
The Occupational Therapy (OT) department provides specialized evaluation and treatment for children to develop or regain maximum independence in daily living skills and enhance participation in developmental and school activities.
Our experienced pediatric OTs are proficient in working with children ranging from medically fragile infants to teenagers recovering from traumatic injuries. Our treatment sessions are child centered using a supportive and playful approach.
Services include:
- Comprehensive evaluation of child’s capabilities and needs
- Establishment of individualized treatment plan in collaboration with caregivers
- Treatment to regain or develop the skills necessary to achieve the highest level of function and independence
- Collaboration with families and caregivers to adapt tasks, modify environments, or recommend equipment to maximize child's participation in daily activities
- Recommendations for durable medical equipment needs (bath equipment, seating and positioning needs) through the Seating & Mobility Service
Areas of treatment may include:
- Assistive technology
- Cognitive rehabilitation/executive function skills
- Computer access and written communication
- Developmental skills
- Eye-hand coordination and visual-motor skills
- Family and child education including home exercise and activity programs
- Fine motor and upper extremity skills
- Hand and upper extremity splints/orthotics
- Intensive upper extremity program for children with hemiparesis (click here for more information and upcoming dates)
- Rehabilitation technology including e-stim and motion sensor feedback devices
- Self-care skills (dressing, hygiene)
- Seating and Mobility Service
- Wheelchair mobility skills (manual or power)
To make a referral for outpatient therapy services, please click here to download our referral form.
Contact Information:
- Julie Knitter, Director of Occupational Therapy and Assistive Technology
- jknitter@blythedale.org
- (914) 831-2503
Occupational Therapy Staff

The occupational therapists at Blythedale Children’s Hospital are dedicated, accomplished professionals with specialized knowledge in pediatrics. They are passionate about providing the best possible care for each child so they can perform the tasks they want and need to do. They work collaboratively with each child’s family and care team to build shared understanding of child’s abilities and needs, set child-centered goals, and provide training and education for carryover of skills.
Treatments We Support
Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology expands opportunities for children with special needs to increase participation in school settings, build social interactions, and access their environments in a variety of specialized ways. Blythedale’s dedicated team includes Assistive Technology experts from speech...
Learn moreAcquired and Traumatic Brain Injury
Blythedale Children’s Hospital is a longtime leader in the treatment of children recovering from brain injury including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), post-infectious diseases such as meningitis or Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (ANMDAR), brain tumors and stroke. The extraordinary...
Learn moreCancer Rehabilitation
A customized therapeutic regimen enables patients to regain their strength and function while undergoing or recovering from surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. We recognize the vital importance of an ongoing relationship with the child’s referring oncology team, and we participate...
Learn moreCardiac Rehabilitation
As more infants and children are undergoing complex cardiac surgical procedures to repair congenital conditions such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, tetralogy of fallot, transposition of the great vessels, coarctation of the aorta, or cardiac injury due to myocarditis or traumatic injury,...
Learn moreComplex Chronic Conditions
Many children come to Blythedale with multiple, complex chronic conditions that impact their function. These chronic conditions - including cerebral palsy, CHARGE syndrome, congenital and chromosomal abnormalities, severe epilipsy - can complicate recovery after surgeries, acute illnesses or...
Learn moreComplex Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
Patients are admitted for acute medical and rehabilitative inpatient care following major trauma (such as head and spinal injuries, extensive soft tissue trauma/burns, vascular injuries, major muscle/ligament injuries, amputations or fractures), extensive scoliosis surgery, selective dorsal...
Learn moreComplex Wound and Burn Management
The child’s clinical team works collaboratively with parents and other caregivers to identify developmentally appropriate medical and therapeutic goals. This team is also committed to meeting the psychological and social challenges that accompany burn and wound treatment and recovery,...
Learn moreNeuromuscular Disorders
The goal of our Neuromuscular Disorders program is to help children maximize their functional abilities through comprehensive medical care and rehabilitation, utilizing state-of-the-art technology, environmental modifications and adaptive equipment. Following an intake evaluation, the child’s...
Learn morePost Acute Neonatal Care
Whether requiring ongoing medical management and rehabilitation due to extreme prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, congenital cardiac disease, pulmonary hypertension , hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, short gut syndrome, feeding disorders or other complications occurring in the neonatal period...
Learn morePre/Post Organ & Stem Cell Transplant
These children require the highest level attention of a multidisciplinary team of pediatricians, pediatric physiatrists, nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists and physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapists familiar with the problems inherent in recovery from and living with a transplant. We...
Learn morePulmonary Hypertension
Blythedale’s expertise in caring for the most medically fragile of children is evident in our Pulmonary Hypertension rehabilitation program. Children come to Blythedale directly from the Intensive Care Unit while receiving intravenous, inhaled, subcutaneous or oral medications for pulmonary...
Learn morePulmonary Rehabilitation
The goal of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation program is weaning from technology completely or to the least invasive support to facilitate the family's transition to home. Parents are involved in the care of their child every step of the way, and learn proper use of equipment, care of tracheostomy,...
Learn moreSpecialized Feeding
Children referred to Blythedale for Therapeutic Feeding have wide-ranging conditions including prematurity, short-gut syndrome, brain injury, oral-motor dysfunction, aversion behaviors, cognitive deficits or post-surgical complications. Services for these children include evaluations for both...
Learn more
Helping Hands
For most children, summertime means no school, no classes and no teachers. But, for a small group of motivated youngsters at Blythedale Children’s Hospital, summer means something more. It means heading indoors, slipping on a special blue mitt and working hard to achieve new therapeutic goals. It means the start of the Upper Extremity Summer Program.