Occupational Therapy (OT) Services
OT is a holistic branch of mainstream medicine. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages, and are concerned about a person's function, independence and general well-being.
Regardless of the area of specialty an occupational therapist will always focus on a person's primary occupations:
- Work
- Activities of Daily Living
- Leisure & Recreation
- Relationships
- Rest & sleep
- Overall Well-Being of the Body, Mind & Spirit
Paediatric OT targets children from 0-18 years of age. A paediatric OT will still focus on the primary occupations, considering special characteristics and tasks of childhood:
Work
A child's work is considered to be their general developmental skills, including school readiness, and foundations for literacy and numeracy skills. For older children this also includes work readiness skills.
Activities of Daily Living
The self-care tasks we do every day are crucial to independent living. This includes toiletting, dressing, eating/drinking, grooming, hygiene and other routine tasks. For older children this also includes money management, cooking, shopping and other skills necessary to function independently.
Leisure & Recreation
Children are all about fun! However, for some children play skills can be challenging to develop. Or it may be difficult to access and participate in fun activities. Social interaction is also considered.
Relationships
Children are dependent on the adults around them, and the quality of those relationships can affect them for the rest of their lives, even into old age. At The Whole Child our focus can include peaceful parenting strategies, sibling rivalry, managing challenging behaviours & emotions, and communicating positively to inspire learning.
Rest & Sleep
This area can have a significant impact on the whole family, as well as a child's learning and development. Our focus includes strategies to promote peaceful rest and sleep for the whole family.
Overall Well-being of the Body, Mind & Spirit
Occupational therapists may be involved in prescription of specialised equipment e.g. wheelchairs, trikes, strollers, shower chairs, toiletting equipment. Occupational therapists also make splints for hand related difficulties. Occupational therapists are also involved in mental health treatment. And an occupational therapist will value and consider a person's spiritual life when the client so desires.
Assessment
Our assessment addresses your main concerns, and is done at home, school, kindy/daycare or clinic.
After observing real life tasks, play based assessments may be conducted. This may include:
-
fine motor skills including handwriting, scissor skills, manipulative skills
-
gross motor skills including balance, coordination, strength
-
cognitive skills including attention/concentration, organisation, memory, problem solving, reading foundations and maths skills for children with learning challenges
-
social interaction and development
-
emotional skills including relationships, anger, anxiety and challenging behaviours
-
imaginative play skills
-
self-care skills
-
visual perception
-
sensory processing
Intervention
Our purpose is to help you understand the nature of your child's difficulties. Intervention strategies vary, but they are focused on your goals and concerns. Practical ideas with a real life focus are explored. Hands on therapy sessions, demonstration of techniques or written programs can be useful in making sure your child receives the support they need on a day-to-day basis. Play based intervention is a strong focus. When appropriate and desired natural health solutions are included at The Whole Child.
Team work
There is a team involved in your child's life and every child's team varies. Sometimes it includes just the parents/carers and the child. Other times there are teachers and school support staff, medical and allied health professionals, and natural therapists involved. When appropriate, referrals to other professionals may be arranged, with consent from parents/carers. At The Whole Child we endeavour to be a valuable part of the team and to communicate well with team members, with the parents or carers as the central cog in the wheel.
