From dressing and eating assistance to working with kids with severe autism or helping people recover from injuries, occupational therapists help with the activities of daily living.
“My mission is to get kids as functional as possible,” said occupational therapist Stephanie Foster. “I tend to see kids intensively for six months to a year, and then when they are functional at that time, we graduate them on to life.”
Foster became an occupational therapist in 1989 and, in 2002, she opened Kid’s Work, a private practice that works with children with developmental problems and difficulties, Foster said. Within her practice, Foster sees 12 to 20 kids per week out of her Santa Maria home, with clients ranging from 16 months to 25 years old, she said.
“When you go to a marriage and family therapist, you are going to sit down with the child and see how they’re doing. Occupational therapy is looking at how they engage with people, families, and their peers,” Foster said. “We start at the very basic level and work with the sensory system and then we work on coordination and get their motor skills up.”
Recently, the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, the national regulatory body for all occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, awarded Foster with the 2023 Impact Award—which is given to four occupational therapists nationwide, recognizing people making a difference in their community.
“I’m so honored. It’s thrilling to know that I work with kids for a short period of time, and I watch them thrive and I watch kids to go on and do great, beautiful things. It’s quite an honor to be part of this community,” Foster said.
Kid’s Work is one of 10 occupational therapy practices in the Santa Maria area, with occupational therapists in the hospital system working with adults recovering from strokes, injuries, or heart attacks and a few in the school system working with students with individual education plans. Foster said she’s the only one in the area who has a private practice in pediatrics, with her nearest colleague in Santa Barbara.
“It’s very small. … I see kids one-on-one and then in small social groups, and the parents stay for the entire time,” Foster said. “It’s very intensive therapy, but it looks like play.”
Before starting sessions, Foster will conduct a comprehensive assessment to look at what the child is good at, how they focus, and what needs assistance, she said. Each assessment takes about three hours. Foster then will sit down with the parents to create a whole plan for the child and provide parent education so they can participate in their child’s sessions, she said.
“By keeping parents present, they are integrated at every stage in the game,” Foster said.
One of the reasons Kid’s Work has been so successful is because the therapists are coming into a home, and it doesn’t look like a clinic, said Melissa Vega, Kid’s Work’s office manager and interactive metronome therapist.
“On nice days we’re outside on the driveway with mats, or we’re inside and it’s bright and colorful with a ball pit and a trampoline,” Vega said. “We have every tool, game, and toy you could possibly use in occupational therapy, but the children don’t realize it’s necessarily occupational therapy.”
Whether it’s playing or drawing, Vega said Foster is evaluating everything they do with their fine and gross motor skills, and she finds a way to work with the children that’s fun.
“I’ve been working with [Foster] for about a year and a half now, coming up on two years in March, and I really feel in my heart that she deserved this award. It was so nice to see her get it,” Vega said. “I love to see the difference she’s made.”
Kid’s Work is accepting new clients at this time. Visit kidsworktherapy.com or call (805) 815-5634 for more information.
Highlights
• The Patch at Los Flores Ranch Park, 6245 Dominion Road, returns for a sixth season with hundreds of pumpkins and a variety of seasonal, family activities. The Patch is open Fridays to Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct. 29. Visitors are encouraged to explore the Corny Corn Maze while searching for friendly monsters. The Patch also features carnival games, bounce houses, and picnic areas, plus pop-up events on Oct. 10 and 11 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Atkinson Park (1000 North Railroad Ave.). Visit thepatchsantamaria.com or call (805) 925-0951, Ext. 2260, for more information.
• The Santa Maria Public Library presents Saturday Crafternoon: Spooky Books. This workshop will be held on Oct. 7 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the library’s Learning Loft—located at 421 South McClelland St. Participants will transform old books into a creative Halloween decoration. All materials will be provided; space is limited, and registration is required. Patrons interested in this workshop may register by visiting the library’s online events calendar at cityofsantamaria.org or by calling (805) 925-0994, Ext. 8562.
Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at toconnor@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 5-15, 2023.