Occupational therapy can benefit any child who is experiencing difficulties, such as:
- reaching developmental milestones
- using hands and arms in a coordinated manner; in play, self care and school settings
- looking after themselves, including washing, getting dressed and using cutlery
- classroom skills such as handwriting, using scissors and other tools, concentration and participation
- playing, including playing with other children and taking turns, outdoor play, messy play and fine motor play
- processing and coping with sensory information such as lights, noises, movement and texture
Occupational therapy can be of particular value to children with conditions including:
- cerebral palsy or at risk of cerebral palsy
- babies with a high risk birth history (prematurity, cooling, brain injury etc)
- stroke
- developmental delays
- co-ordination difficulties
- genetic conditions which impact function, for example Down Syndrome
- sensory processing preferences
- handwriting and other fine motor skill difficulties
- specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia
- epilepsy
- traumatic or acquired brain or spinal cord injuries
- autism
- arthritis
- hypermobility
- post-surgical conditions
- cancer
- hand injuries and peripheral neuropathies for example Charcot Marie Tooth
- multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune conditions
- muscular dystrophies such as Duchenne MD
- encephalitis
- other chronic illnesses
If you have any concerns about your child’s development or would like to understand more about their skills in a particular area, contact me to discuss what kind of assessment would be most suitable.