Therapeutic intervention in Bowen

A. Our primary focus is helping children and individuals maximise their potential to lead full and happy lives. An occupational therapist works closely with children and their families to determine what is limiting the individual in achieving their goals. An occupational therapist then either helps to develop the individual’s cognitive, physical, sensory, motor and social skills and/or makes adaptions to the environment to assist the individual.

A. We help work with children and individuals who have been diagnosed with:

• Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
• Developmental delays
• Cerebral Palsy
• Down Syndrome
• Physical, visual or hearing impairments
• Anxiety

However, a child doesn’t need to have a diagnosed condition to be referred to OT4You.

A. A referral to OT4You may be made if a child or individual experiences difficulties in the areas outlined below.

Developmental Delay

Developmental delay means that a child is behind in developing skills that are common during a particular age or during a particular time period. A developmental delay, however is more than being a little behind other children in a skill; it is being behind in a combination of skills or not meeting development milestones. These are examples of developmental delays:

• Not reaching developmental milestones of sitting, crawling, & walking
• Not learning at an age-appropriate level
• Not developing age-appropriate play & social skills

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are small movements made by the body, like writing or picking up cutlery. If your child is struggling with fine motor skills, they may have difficulty with one of these actions:

• Holding a pencil
• Using cutlery or straws at an age-appropriate time
• Using scissors
• Using zippers, buttons, shoelaces
• Colouring, drawing, tracing, prewriting shapes
• Poor handwriting, letter/number formation
• Not developing a hand dominance at an age-appropriate time
• Avoiding tasks & games that require fine motor skills

Movement, Strength, & Balance Development (Gross Motor Skills)

Gross motor skills help us move and coordinate our arms, legs, and other body parts. They involve larger muscles that help us control our body. A child who is behind in movement, strength, and/or balance may appear clumsy or uncoordinated. They may also have difficulty with these things:

• Going up and down stairs at an age appropriate time
• Coordinating both sides of the body
• Understanding the concept of right and left
• Poor ball skills
• Poor balance

Their muscle tone, or muscle tension and resistance, could be higher or lower than the appropriate developmental milestone. They might also:

• Be fearful of feet leaving the ground
• Not cross midline of his or her body during play & school tasks
• Avoid tasks & games that require gross motor skills

Visual Processing

Visual processing is the process we use to make sense of what we see. It is a process in our brain that interprets visual information. If your child has difficulty with one of these things, they may have difficult with visual processing:

• Difficulty with the spacing & sizes of letters
• Difficulty with recognising letters
• Difficulty with copying shapes or letters
• Difficulty with visual tracking & crossing midline
• Difficulty finding objects among other objects
• Difficulty with copying from the board or another paper
• Difficulty with the concept of right & left

Your child may lose his or her place when reading or copying from the board or may have poor eye contact.

Sensory Processing

Sensory processing is making sense of information that we receive through our senses, like sound and smell. Your child may be oversensitive or under sensitive to sensory input around them and show the following symptoms:

• Overly sensitive or heightened reactivity to sound, touch, or movement
• Under-responsive to certain sensations (e.g. high pain tolerance, doesn’t notice cuts/bruises)
• Constantly moving, jumping, crashing, bumping
• Easily distracted by visual or auditory stimuli
• Emotionally reactive
• Difficulty coping with change
• Inability to calm self when upset

Social Skills

Social skills are skills that help us have relationships and understand those around us. They help us bond with other people in our life. Your child may have delayed social skills if they show some of the following things:

• Difficulty interacting socially & engaging with family and peers
• Difficulty adapting to new environments
• Delayed language skills
• Overly focused on one subject (e.g. space, universe, dinosaurs, trains)
• Can’t cope in the school environment

Play Skills

Play skills are skills that can help a child make sense of the world around them. A child can gain self-confidence, learn problem solving, and develop social skills through play. Your child may be developmentally delayed if they show one of the following symptoms:

• Needs adult guidance to initiate play
• Difficulty with imitative play
• Wanders aimlessly without purpose during play
• Moves quickly from one activity to the next
• Does not explore toys appropriately
• Participates in repetitive play for hours (e.g. lining up toys)
• Does not join in with peers/siblings when playing
• Does not understand concepts of sharing & turn taking

Learning Challenges

Learning challenges are another type of developmental delay. If your child is challenged by one of the following, you may want to consult an occupational therapist:

• Unable to concentrate & focus at school
• Easily distracted
• Difficulty following instructions & completing work
• Tires easily with school work
• Poor impulse control
• Hyperactivity or low energy
• Not keeping up with workload at school
• Difficulty learning new material
• Makes letter or number reversals after age seven

Remember that all children are different and develop skill sets at their own pace. However, if you think your child may be struggling with adopting some of these skills, our team can provide the support they need.

Send us an enquiry by filling out a form here

A. An assessment will take between 1.5–2.5 hours to complete. We ask that all potential clients please fill out our “Parent Pre-Assessment Questionnaire” and bring it along to your appointment. It’s recommended that the parents/carers attend this initial assessment and bring all relevant medical, health or school reports and documentation.

A. We conduct services at the clinic, your child’s home, school or anywhere they feel comfortable. The treatment location will depend on your child’s needs as well as those of your family.

A. OT4You is based in Bowen but offers services to the surrounding Whitsunday community. Suburbs serviced include Collinsville, Proserpine, Cannonvale, and Airlie Beach.

A. Yes, we are proud NDIS service providers! Health rebates are also available through Medicare. Alternatively, you may access rebates through private health funds (depending on your policy).