What Is Paediatric Occupational Therapy in Australia? 

Occupational therapy is the use of everyday activities (occupations) to help people achieve their goals. Occupational therapists work with children who have difficulties with activities such as dressing, eating, or playing. 

In Australia, paediatric occupational therapy is provided to children between birth and 18 years of age who have difficulties with their development, growth or learning. The aim of paediatric occupational therapy is to help children participate in age-appriopriate activities of daily living. This may include self-care, school and play activities. 

Therapists working with children focus on the child’s strengths, and work in a family-centred way to support the child and their family. There is a guide to good practise for working with children available from OT Australia which outlines the principles that therapists should follow when working with children. 

What Are the Benefits of Paediatric Occupational Therapy in Spring Forward Family Centre? 

At Spring Forward Family Centre, our paediatric occupational therapists assess and treat children with a range of needs. We work with the child, parents and teachers to help the child achieve their daily occupations. 

Some of the benefits of paediatric occupational therapy include improved attention, concentration, memory, reading skills, and overall cognitive functioning. Occupational Therapists also consider the unique needs of the child and work in a family-centred way. This helps to improve communication within the family and build a support network. 

If you’re looking for help for your child, our team at Spring Forward Family Centre can provide an integrated therapy programme that will benefit all family members. 

How to Spot Signs of a Potential Need for Paediatric Occupational Therapy 

If you’re wondering whether or not your child might need paediatric occupational therapy, here are some signs to watch out for: 

• The child is struggling to complete tasks that other children their age can do easily, such as getting dressed, brushing their teeth or writing. 
• The child appears to be frustrated with everyday activities, and they don’t seem to enjoy them as much as other children their age. 
• The child has difficulty with social interactions, and they struggle to make friends. 
• The child has difficulty with sensory processing, which can lead to problems with balance, coordination and motor skills. 

If your child is experiencing any of these things, it’s worth speaking to your GP or paediatrician about getting a referral for occupational therapy. 

Different Types of Assessment Tests Used in Paediatric OT Assessments at Spring Forward Family Centre 

At Spring Forward, our paediatric occupational therapists conduct thorough assessments to better understand your child’s functioning across different contexts. This process will involve standardised and non-standardised tests including interviews, observations, and questionnaires that are tailored to the individual child. For infants and young children, play assessments are used to evaluate how a child interacts with the environment and the people around him. As children age into elementary school, more complex assessments such as those evaluating visual motor skills or fine motor coordination may be necessary. Our occupational therapists also discuss school performances, review daily activities and habits that are necessary for development, and look at physical functional skills such as gross motor skills (balance, coordination). The assessment also considers cognitive skills (attention span/focus) demanded by daily occupation to offer a holistic view of the situation. 

How the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Assessment Process Works in Australia? 

The assessment process for paediatric occupational therapy in Australia begins with a comprehensive pre-screening form. This form requires that parents provide details about their child’s age, medical history, birth history, development milestones, family history and current functional abilities. 

Once the pre-screening form is completed, an Occupational Therapy (OT) Australia-registered Paediatric Occupational Therapist will then assess your child. The assessment process seeks to evaluate your child’s abilities in the context of work, home life, school environment, leisure activities and lifestyle. 

During the assessment process, the therapist considers the unique needs of your child and looks at their physical abilities (e.g., strength), cognitive abilities (e.g., memory or problem solving), visual processing skills (e.g., tracking or eye hand coordination) and social/emotional ability (e.g., self-esteem or self-regulation). The therapist also evaluates how these different skills interact with each other so as to better understand how to best support your child’s development of daily occupations such as self-care, school and play in order to enhance their confidence, self-esteem and general wellbeing. 

FAQs About Paediatric Occupational Therapy at Spring Forward Family Centre? 

Once you’ve decided to take the next step and book an appointment with an Occupational Therapist at Spring Forward, you may have some questions. Questions like what should I expect in the first session? How will my child be assessed? 

At Spring Forward, your child will be assessed by an Occupational Therapist who will work with your family to develop goals and strategies for addressing any areas of difficulty. The aim is to enable your child to achieve their daily occupations such as self-care, school and play so as to enhance their confidence, self-esteem, social skills and general wellbeing. 

Sessions are family-centred, with a focus on your child’s strengths as well as any areas for development. Occupational Therapists work with children of all ages and families from diverse backgrounds. Our team values open communication between parents and therapists so that together we can create a collaboratively designed intervention plan to suit your child’s needs. 

Conclusion 

So if you’re at all concerned about your child’s development, or you feel that they could be doing better in certain areas, it’s definitely worth getting in touch with a paediatric occupational therapist. They can help assess your child and put together a tailored plan to help them reach their full potential.