Occupational therapy
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is designed to assist children to achieve their full potential in all aspects of their day to day living. Occupational therapists working with children may address and enhance:
- Engagement, attention and concentration
- Handwriting and pre-writing skills
- Learning letters and copying from the board
- Fine motor skills, such as cutting and colouring
- Organisation
- Self care skills, such as tying shoelaces, toileting, dressing and eating
- Enhancing participation and quality of life
- Supporting you to be a parent – not just another nurse!
- Play, social & emotional development
- Advocacy and access to support services and equipment
What is the occupational therapy process?
O.C.C. Therapy provides a variety of services, including assessment and both individual and group therapy. Some key features of our service include:
- Ongoing liaison with the family, teachers and other members of the team
- A focus on function - we work on the issues impacting upon daily life. "Exercises" will only be used where they are likely to significantly improve functioning. We want to ensure that therapy assists your family rather than being time consuming or challenging.
- Intervention and assessment at your home or school (clinic assessments also available). We believe it is important to see the child in their natural environment, so that we can address the triggers in context. There is no difference in cost for Ipswich/Brisbane/Redlands families. For families outside of these areas, we are open to negotiation.
Step 1 - Referral or discussion
We would be delighted to discuss your child or a child you know with you. Medical or educational referrals are not required, but are accepted. Please contact us to discuss whether your child would benefit from an occupational therapy assessment or intervention, or request a call by using the referrals page.
Step 2 - Assessment
Assessments are a collaborative process involving the child, parents, and discussions with other team members such as teachers and other therapists or medical staff. A comprehensive assessment is recommended, however you may wish to begin with a screening assessment if you are unsure. Assessments may be conducted at home, school/kindergarten, or the OCC Therapy rooms. Observations, parent and teacher discussions and assessment results are integrated and interpreted in a comprehensive written report, combined with simple strategies and recommendations.
Step 3 - Intervention
Intervention takes on many shapes and forms. We work directly with the child to teach and collaborate on new ways of approaching tasks and developing skills. Liaison with parents and teachers enable us to develop strategies that suit your environment - by modifying the task or using alternate strategies or equipment. The focus is on building confidence and experiencing success for the child, in a way that 'fits' with their world.
Step 4 - Ongoing monitoring and support
We recognise that parents and teachers are pivotal in the child's ongoing development. We do our best to maintain open communication and to be readily available by phone and email. Our doors are always open to you for support, even after your child has finished working in our groups or their individual sessions. We also offer professional development events and information workshops.