Occupational Therapy management of Paediatric clients

Welcome to Best Home Therapy's Occupational Therapy Management for Paediatric Clients information webpage!

At Best Home Therapy, we provide Occupational Therapy services to children and adolescents with a range of conditions, including developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy, and other neurological and physical disabilities. Our team of experienced therapists work closely with our young clients and their families to develop individualized treatment plans that address their unique needs and goals.

Our Occupational Therapy Management for Paediatric Clients services include:

Assessment and Evaluation: Our experienced Occupational Therapists perform comprehensive assessments and evaluations to identify areas of difficulty and determine treatment goals. These assessments may include:

• Developmental assessments

• Sensory processing assessments

• Fine and gross motor skills assessments

• Visual perceptual assessments

• Cognitive assessments

Treatment Planning: Once an assessment has been completed, our Occupational Therapists develop individualized treatment plans that address the specific needs and goals of each client. Treatment plans may include:

• Sensory integration therapy: Sensory processing difficulties can look different for different children but can be observed as symptoms such as being heightened by sound, touch or movement, impulsive behaviours, poor concentration, poor sleep, restrictive eating, difficulty with transitions, delayed social skills and difficulty following instructions. Sensory integration therapy is a tailored approach that is utilised to assist children with sensory processing challenges. Therapy can look like stimulating the senses through sensory input, challenging fine and gross motor planning, encouraging movement of the body and developing new adaptive behaviours and responses to sensory input.

• Emotional regulation programs: Emotional Regulation is an awareness and understanding of one’s emotions and their impact on behavior, as well as the ability to manage those emotions in a positive way. Many children experience difficulties recognising their own feelings. Occupational therapists can help children develop self-awareness of their emotions and also develop effective coping strategies, especially when experiencing intense emotions.

• Fine and gross motor skill development: Fine Motor Skills impact function and hand use in small motor tasks. The hands play an important role in most occupations/activities that children perform from writing, to getting dressed, feeding one’s self and even play. Gross motor skills affect the core areas of the body that are responsible for functions such as hand-eye coordination (involving catching, throwing etc), walking, running, skipping, sitting and standing. OTs play a vital role in helping children improve and develop both fine and gross motor skills, ultimately improving participation and independence in daily activities.

• Visual perceptual and visual motor integration therapy: OTs work with children experiencing visual motor difficulties which are often seen as; letter reversals, poor line awareness when writing, difficulty copying written work, difficulty catching or kicking a ball, clumsiness, difficulty with puzzles, and many more.

• Play-based therapy: this approach is a type of therapy that uses play as the primary tool for achieving therapeutic goals. During play-based therapy sessions, OTs will often incorporate a range of play activities that are designed to help children develop specific skills.

• Self-care skill development: OT’s work with children to improve their participation and independence in self-care tasks such as dressing, eating, brushing teeth, toileting and sleeping. OTs focus on developing the building blocks for these skills which can include; hand strength and control, sensory processing, planning and sequencing, and object manipulation.

• Home exercise programs

• Parent/caregiver education and training

Therapy Sessions: Our Occupational Therapists provide therapy sessions in a variety of settings, including at our clinic located at 72 Maribyrnong Street Footscray, in the client's home, or in community settings such as schools or playgrounds. Therapy sessions may include one-on-one therapy, group therapy, or a combination of both.

Parent/Caregiver Involvement: At Best Home Therapy, we believe that parent/caregiver involvement is essential to the success of our therapy programs. Our Occupational Therapists work closely with parents/caregivers to provide education and training on techniques and strategies that can be used at home to support their child's progress.

If you have a child or adolescent who may benefit from Occupational Therapy Management, please contact us at 1300-01-2378 or visit us at 72 Maribyrnong Street Footscray to schedule an assessment or to learn more about our services.