When a child is referred to Occupational Therapy there is a basic three step process :

1. The initial consultation : This is a meeting with the therapist, parent(s) and child. Background information is discussed, the purpose of Occupational Therapy is explained and a relationship is developed with the child. This allows the child to become familiar with the therapist and to feel confident when they arrive for the assessment.
2. An assessment is administered in most cases. Even if the child has been recently seen by a psychologist of other professional, an Occupational Therapy evaluation must be performed. This will be discussed with each client. Assessments are administered in the mornings for approximately 2 – 2 ½ hours.
3. A feedback session is a meeting with the therapist and parent(s) to discuss the report and the test findings. Further therapy and interventions are then discussed.

WHAT HAPPENDS IN THERAPY?

Occupational Therapy at the Family Therapy Centre is generally booked for an individual session once a week. Parents are welcome to sit in on the therapy sessions as we believe that Occupational Therapy concepts are often a way of life, and they are experienced rather than explained. However, some children do perform better when their parents are not in the room.
Most sessions begin with a variety of gross motor exercises to prepare the child for the learning process. A wide variety of toys and games are used by Occupational Therapists to develop the necessary skill areas. Games and activities are graded. This means that the complexity is increased each session and the child is constantly challenged.
Occupational Therapy is a process and therefore it is important that the child practices certain skills during the week. These home exercises are given in the form of fun activities that the child and parent can do together.

The Occupational Therapists work at some schools during the mornings and see children during school hours. These therapy sessions may be individual or in small groups. School based therapy is beneficial in that it allows the therapist and the teachers to work closely to improve the child’s abilities. School based therapy programmes have been specifically arranged with these schools.

WHEN IS A CHILD’S THERAPY PROGRAMME TERMINATED ?

There is no standard time frame that children attend Occupational Therapy. Each child’s improvement is directly related to their difficulties and how they are able to process the information. Children who practice these skills on a regular basis are more likely to show improvement sooner.