As a parent, you want the best for your child and you want them to succeed in all aspects of their life, including their development. This is where paediatric occupational therapy can be a valuable resource for your family.
Paediatric occupational therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on helping children with various physical, emotional, and developmental needs to participate in the activities of daily life. This can include activities such as self-care (such as dressing and feeding), play, and school work. Occupational therapists work with children to develop the skills they need to succeed in these areas.
What Does a Paediatric Occupational Therapist Do?
A paediatric occupational therapist works with children to help them develop the skills they need to participate in daily life activities. They use a variety of techniques, including play-based activities, to help children build the skills they need to succeed. Some common activities that a paediatric occupational therapist may use include:
Sensory Play
Children may engage in activities that stimulate their senses, such as playing with play dough or sand. This can help them develop sensory processing skills.
Fine motor activities
Children may engage in activities that help them build fine motor skills, such as using tweezers to pick up small objects.
Gross motor activities
Children may engage in activities that help them build gross motor skills, such as jumping and crawling.
Self-care activities
Children may practice self-care skills, such as dressing and brushing their teeth.
Play activities
Children may engage in play activities, such as playing with toys, to help them develop social skills, creativity, and imagination.
In addition to these activities, a paediatric occupational therapist may also work with the child's family and teachers to ensure that they have the resources they need to support the child's development. They may also make recommendations for adaptive equipment or modifications to the child's home or school environment.
Paediatric Occupational Therapy
Paediatric occupational therapy can have many benefits for children and their families, including:
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Improved independence: Children who receive paediatric occupational therapy can develop the skills they need to participate in daily life activities, which can lead to increased independence.
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Improved self-esteem: Children who succeed in activities they once struggled with can develop increased self-esteem and confidence.
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Improved ability to participate in school and social activities
The Benefits of Paediatric Occupational Therapy
Centre Based Occupational Therapy
Our facilities provide a modern and professional environment in which occupational therapists can help your child develop their skills and achieve their full potential. Centre based therapy is preferable for our clients for a number of reasons:
- All therapy resources (e.g. sensory swings/equipment) are available at our centre whereas limited resources are brought for each home/school visit.
- Parents/carers can actively attend sessions to see what is being practiced and can bring home written program suggestions after each appointment for faster therapy progress.
School/Childcare/Kindergarten
These visits are an excellent opportunity to conduct effective sessions with your child. It allows us to work closely with facilitators to ensure that they understand the specific needs as part of your child's treatment plan. It also allows us to observe how your child interact with others in a "real live" scenario. In addition, these visits are a terrific way to achieve functional goals within the school curriculum. We will be able to collaborate with their teachers closely and pre-teach or reinforce strategies and accomodations to support them to excel in school.
If you would like to book in an occupational therapy session, click on the "book now" button on the bottom right of your screen. Alternatively, call us at (08) 8102 4209 or email us to book your occupational therapists today.