# What is the difference between occupational therapy and physiotherapy? Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-difference-between-occupational-therapy-and-physiotherapy Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited Physiotherapy focuses on how the body moves — gross motor strength, balance, coordination and mobility behind milestones like sitting, crawling and walking. Occupational therapy focuses on everyday function — self-care, fine-motor and hand skills, play and sensory processing. They overlap and often team up. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. *When your child needs support to move, play and manage everyday tasks, two gentle professions often work side by side — and knowing the difference helps you feel confident about who does what.* ## In short **Physiotherapy (PT)** focuses on *how the body moves* — building the big-muscle strength, balance, coordination and walking skills behind milestones like sitting, crawling and running. **Occupational therapy (OT)** focuses on *how a child does the everyday things that matter* — dressing, feeding, holding a pencil, play and managing the sensory world around them. They overlap and frequently team up, but PT is broadly about gross movement and mobility, while OT is about meaningful daily activities and the fine-motor and sensory skills behind them. ## How they differ — and how they meet - **Physiotherapy** builds the foundation: core and leg strength, posture, balance, head and trunk control, and the smooth coordination behind gross motor milestones. A physiotherapist helps a child who is late to sit, crawl, walk or who tires easily with movement. - **Occupational therapy** builds on that foundation for *function*: holding a spoon or crayon, buttoning a shirt, hand–eye coordination, attention, and processing sensory input (sounds, textures, movement) so daily routines feel manageable. - **Where they overlap** — both use playful, goal-led practice, both coach parents for home routines, and both may support a child together. Strong gross motor skills (PT) often make fine motor and self-care goals (OT) easier to reach. - **A simple way to remember it** — PT often asks *"How does the body move?"*, while OT often asks *"How does the child do the things they want and need to do each day?"* ## When each one helps A child late to sit, crawl, stand or walk, or who seems floppy, stiff or unsteady, usually benefits from a **physiotherapy** view first. A child who struggles with self-care, fine hand skills, handwriting readiness, attention or who is very sensitive or seeking with sounds, textures and movement usually benefits from an **occupational therapy** view. Many children gain most when both work as one team — a developmental check helps decide the right starting point. ## The Pinnacle way AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app or online form. Our clinicians use a structured, clinician-administered assessment to map your child's strengths and decide whether [physiotherapy](/physiotherapy), [occupational therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/best-occupational-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) or both will help most. Learn more on our [home page](/) or about [how the AbilityScore® is calculated](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated). ## Trusted sources World Health Organization guidance on rehabilitation and child development; American Academy of Pediatrics family resources (HealthyChildren.org); American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and allied-health profession descriptions. **Next step —** Not sure which support your child needs? [Book a developmental assessment with a Pinnacle clinician](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/best-occupational-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) and we'll guide you. This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. ## Sources - WHO — Rehabilitation: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rehabilitation - AAP — HealthyChildren.org: https://www.healthychildren.org - ASHA — Allied health professions: https://www.asha.org ## Connected topics and perspectives - Parent: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/parent - Support: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/support - Screen: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/screen - Book Assessment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/book-assessment - Early Clarity: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/early_clarity ## Related question paths ### Understand the subject - OT vs Paediatric Physiotherapy: What's the Difference?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-difference-between-occupational-therapy-and-paediatric-physiotherapy-for-children - Occupational Therapy vs Paediatric Physiotherapy: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/should-my-child-have-occupational-therapy-or-paediatric-physiotherapy - Sensory Integration Therapy vs Paediatric Physiotherapy: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-difference-between-sensory-integration-therapy-and-paediatric-physiotherapy-for-children - What is occupational therapy?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-occupational-therapy - ABA vs Occupational Therapy for Children: The Difference: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-the-difference-between-applied-behaviour-analysis-aba-and-occupational-therapy-for-children ### Explore therapy & support - How therapy helps when the musculoskeletal system affects a child's development: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-therapy-help-when-the-musculoskeletal-system-affects-a-child-s-development