Therapies

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provides practical support or rehabilitation to enable people to overcome barriers in daily life.

This support increases people’s independence and satisfaction in all aspects of life. “Occupation” as a term refers to practical and purposeful activities that allow people to live independently and have a sense of identity. This could be essential day-to-day tasks such as self-care, play or work.

What does an occupational therapist do?

An occupational therapist helps people overcome the effects of disability. They consider all needs – physical, psychological, social and environmental. This support can make a real difference giving people a renewed sense of purpose, opening up new horizons, and changing the way they feel about the future.

Ayres Sensory Integration® Therapy.

Sensory integration is a subconscious and automatic neurological process that occurs in every person at all stages of life. Our brains take in information through our senses and organise it so that we can respond appropriately to particular situations and environmental demands.

Sensory experiences include touch, movement, body position, vision, smell, taste, sound and the pull of gravity. For most people sensory integration develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. When a person has good sensory integration then they can process information automatically and efficiently. But for some people, sensory integration does not develop as efficiently as it should and can affect activities of daily living, academic achievement, behaviour or social participation. Children and adults can present with different types of sensory integration difficulties (also known as sensory processing difficulties). They can present in different ways and they can fluctuate, they may demonstrate some of these characteristics:

Hyper (over) sensitive

  • Fear of heights
  • Dislike of touch experiences eg nail cutting, messy play, hair cutting
  • Dislike of loud and sudden sounds
  • Avoidance of playground equipment (swings and slides)

Hypo (under) sensitive

  • Appears to have no fear or doesn’t feel pain
  • Seeks movement (fidgets, rocks, runs about, leans on peers)
  • Mouths or chews things
  • Poor attention to the environment or people

Motor Planning (praxis)

  • Appears clumsy
  • Difficulty creating movement ideas
  • Difficulty planning and executing new movements

Poor posture

  • Slouches at desk
  • Fidgets/difficulty sitting in one position for extended period of time
  • Impact on fine motor coordination & ball skills
  • Poor balance

Sensory integration provides occupational therapists with a framework for assessing and treating children who present with the difficulties outlined above.