Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is aimed at ensuring anyone can do what they want to do, need to do or are expected to do. For children that often means helping them socialise, learn and play. The following is a list of areas our dedicated Occupational Therapists can help your child thrive in.
- Fine motor – Fine motor skills encompass a huge range of qualities from dexterity and strength to hand-eye coordination. Developing strong fine motor skills can help your child develop handwriting, allow them to dress themselves, use buttons, zippers, laces, and express their creative thinking.
- Self-care skills – Your Occupational Therapist can help your child learn to care for themselves, their bodies and personal health and hygiene. This might include showering, bath times, dressing themselves, feeding themselves with cutlery, toileting, tooth brushing and more.
- Gross motor – Using playground equipment can require not only physical capabilities but cognitive skills such as motor planning or problem solving. Gross motor skills help us play and therefore facilitate the development of our children’s physical health and social engagement.
- School Skills – Starting school comes with its own set of skill related challenges. For some children this may be the first time they have used scissors, sat on a chair for a prolonged time or worked within group settings. Your Occupational Therapist can help your child prepare for their new school adventure through the development of these skills.
- Play – Through play children get to explore different environments, have new sensory experiences, engage socially with others, practice their problem solving and other cognitive skills while expanding their imaginations and keeping their bodies active and healthy. For some children play is not an innate skill, this may cause them to be frustrated, anxious or disengaged. Your OT can help your child develop these skills and introduce them to the magical world of play.
