Occupational Therapy

Paediatric Occupational Therapists work with children up to the age of 16 years old who may have:

• A physical disability.
• Difficulty with co-ordinating movements, particularly for hand function and for skills such as handwriting.
• Perceptual disorders and find it hard to make sense of the world around them and have problems especially with learning at school.

Paediatric Occupational Therapists work to make the most of a child's potential ability in specific areas and to increase their independence at home, at school and in their recreational activities.This is achieved by using therapeutic techniques, adaptations to your child's environment and possibly the use of specialist equipment.

They liaise closely with other professionals such as physiotherapists, doctors, speech therapists, occupational therapists who work within social services, health visitors, social workers, psychologists, teachers and nursery nurses. In addition, they work with the parents. Occupational Therapists work in the best place for each child: at home, in school or in the hospital.

Assessment

Usually the Occupational Therapist will ask how the child and family see the problem.  She will then talk to other professionals who know the child (such as his/her teacher).  Finally she will carry out specific activities and formal assessments with the child to define the exact nature of the problem.

Children may be distressed by their apparent failure in parts of the school curriculum. This may affect the way they react to their surroundings or their ability to carry out skilled movements. The Occupational Therapist will identify the problems before planning treatment.

Treatment

Following assessment, the Occupational Therapist may see a child for individual treatment sessions; occasionally children are treated in a group.

She/He may set up a programme of exercises and activities to be carried out regularly at school and/or at home.

Techniques vary, but the emphasis is on learning through enjoyable activities which also motivate the child.

The aim is to make the child as independent as possible in the skills he/she needs for everyday life.

The emphasis may be on:-

• Self-help (e.g. eating, dressing)
• Co-ordination
• Hand function (fine motor skills)
• Perception (e.g. body and spatial awareness, visual discrimination)
• Concentration and attention span
• Learning social skills (e.g. through therapeutic play)

Equipment

The Occupational Therapist helps the child learn to do everyday activities in ways that he/she can manage on his/her own.

Where necessary, the Occupational Therapist will assess the need for special equipment and arrange for it to be provided. This is reviewed as the child grows or his/her needs change.

Equipment may be for:-

• Seating, including buggies and wheelchairs
• Eating and drinking
• Washing
• Using the toilet
• handwriting, or using computers