What is Children’s Occupational Therapy?
It’s approaches, methods and interventions that work to assist and support children with everyday activities. It may involve tasks at home like eating, dressing and self-care or activities at home and around Perth such as going to school, social interactions and recreation and leisure activities.
Any Occupational Therapy approach requires multiple lines of effort and clinical expertise. An Evolve Occupational Therapist can achieve this through face-to-face therapy, underpinned by evidence-based, clinical frameworks and early intervention programs. A good Occupational Therapist’s session is focused work, disguised as play!
Among many different clinical methods, we can employ developmental approaches, early intervention programs like the Circle of Security Protocol® or interoception and mindfulness techniques, along with play and sensory motor therapies. In practice, an approach could look like this:
- Physical activities aimed at motor and environmental skill building in a therapy room
- Conducting one on one sessions exploring social skills, relationships and emotions
- Undertaking feeding and sensory oral motor interventions and strategies
- Employing self-regulation strategies to regulate attention, arousal and activity in a sensory room
- Working with children in a one on one setting on handwriting in a therapy room
- Employing assistive technology and equipment
- Advising families on how to enact approaches at home and throughout the day
- Development, delivery and ongoing monitoring of therapy programs and schedules
Evolve Therapy Occupational Therapists will look at how therapy outcomes fit in with family and broader daily life, as interactions outside of your Occupational Therapist relationship are by far the most important in achieving your child’s goals and overall development for a fulfilling life.
How we help
Evolve Therapy Services OTs offer a range of Occupational Therapy services specifically tailored for children to help them achieve their goals and reach their full potential. Our services include:
- Face-to-face therapy sessions in our clinic, working with children to build their skills in fine motor coordination, visual perception and handwriting.
- We provide therapy sessions that focus on developing independence and self-care skills.
- Our Occupational Therapists also work with children to improve their social skills, such as communication, turn-taking and problem-solving.
- We use standardised assessments when required, to tailor therapy to meet the specific needs of each child.
- Our therapists work collaboratively with parents, teachers and other healthcare professionals to ensure that each child receives the support and care they need to thrive.
Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Children Perth
A Perth Occupational Therapist helps children and adolescents improve their ability to function. More acutely, Occupational Therapy for children is about better enabling children to participate, engage and function at home, in school and everyday life.
Whilst children of all abilities can benefit from an Occupational Therapy assessment, children who experience developmental concerns in the following areas may find therapy helpful:
- Coordination, balance and agility
- Muscle weakness
- Posture and core control
- Fine and gross motor skills
- Playing
Non-physical developmental areas include:
- Daily living tasks and activities
- Feeding and food avoidance
- Concentration and attention difficulties
- Early concept development
- Expression of feelings and emotions
- Sensory processing and modulation
- Emotional regulation
- Reduced anxiety
- Social skills and peer relationships
- Transitions between life events
- Energy, fatigue and hyperactivity
- Problem solving
- Age appropriate skills
- Rehabilitation services