Frequently Asked Questions
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy is a client-centered health profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation.
The primary goal of Occupational Therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life.
Occupational Therapists achieve this outcome by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or environment to better support their occupational engagement.
What Is Paediatric Occupational Therapy?
A child's life is made up of occupations or daily activities. These include playing, learning, sleeping and resting, interacting with others, getting dressed, etc.
Occupational Therapists support children of all ages, from newborns to teenagers.
Occupational Therapists work with children and their families to help them succeed in activities of daily living by incorporating the occupations that are most important to them into the intervention process.
Occupational Therapy helps children live life to the fullest!
How Can Occupational Therapy Help Children?
Paediatric Occupational Therapists help children become independent in all areas of life.
Occupational Therapy can help children who experience difficulties with:
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Achieving age-appropriate developmental milestones
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Interacting socially
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Play skills
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Gross motor and fine motor skills
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Sensory integration
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Coping at school
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Behaviour
Why Was My Child Referred for OT?
There are many reasons why your child may have been referred for Occupational Therapy, but it's usually because a concerned teacher, doctor or healthcare professional spotted red flags that they may not be developing or functioning age appropriately, or they may be displaying behaviours that are not typical for their age.
Remember: There is nothing wrong with your child. We use their strengths to give them that extra bit of help they need to make their way up the developmental ladder.
What Can I Expect At My Child's OT Assessment?
If it has been decided that your child requires an Occupational Therapy assessment, here's what you can expect:
First, you will have a parent interview where the OT will get a full developmental history from you. This interview provides the OT with a full picture of your child and lets them know what the current concerns are.
Do yourself a favour and write down all of your queries and concerns before coming to the interview, so that you leave with as many questions answered as possible.
The child will then attend 1 or 2 assessment sessions, where the OT will use standardized and non-standardized tests as well as clinical observations to determine a baseline of your child's abilities. This will guide the OT in knowing what exactly may be hindering your child's functioning.
Once the assessment is complete, a feedback session will be scheduled where you will receive your child's report and the OT will take the time to explain to you what was discovered in the assessment and a plan of action for the way forward.
An OT 'office' is not your usual office! It is a room filled with movement-based play equipment, and a range of toys and games to engage your child. So most children tend to have loads of fun when they spend time with their OT!