Carly Sherborne OT services

What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?
The College of OT describe Occupational Therapists as ‘enabling people to participate in daily life to improve their health and wellbeing. Daily life is made up of many activities (or occupations). Occupations for children or young people may include self-care (getting ready to go out, eating a meal, using the toilet, having a bath), being productive ( going to nursery or school to learn), and leisure (play, hobbies)’. It is important to remember that babies have occupations too; playing, exploring, interacting with others, and learning to feed yourself are all examples of important occupations for babies which aid their learning and development.

It is well known and researched that babies and children learn through their play and exploration of their environment. OT’s help them to do this by working out what their area of needs are and then making recommendations to target functional difficulties via the use of activities, adaptive techniques and/or equipment.

What do we do exactly?
¥ Children’s Occupational Therapists (OTs) are experts in child development and have a role in assessing, treating and supporting children who may not be meeting developmental milestones due to neurological impairment, physical disability, or conditions that cause developmental delay.
¥ Children’s OTs are primarily concerned with the impact of a movement or learning or co-ordination difficulty/disability on play, self help skills, leisure and school life. These terms really refer to the practical challenges in day to day life encountered at home and at school such as difficulties using scissors, pens, pencil and paper, handling toys, dressing and eating, playing and exploring the environment.
¥ Children’s OTs work with children and their families/carers to make it possible for them to engage in their daily occupations. These include the activities they want to do, need to do or have to do.
¥ Children’s OTs consider the child’s development, their strengths and limitations and how the social and physical environment supports or challenges them functionally.

Why do we do it?
• Children love to move, play and learn, this is fundamental to their development
¥ Children (and adults) have an innate desire to be able to contribute and ultimately have independence

What conditions do we treat?
¥ Cerebral Palsy
¥ Developmental delay
¥ Muscular dystrophies
¥ Autistic Spectrum Disorders
¥ Multi-complex disabilities
¥ Coordination difficulties (Dyspraxia/DCD)
¥ Learning difficulties
¥ Orthopaedic problems
¥ Juvenile Arthritis
¥ Down’s syndrome
¥ Hypermobility syndrome
¥ Acquired Brain injuries
¥ Congenital abnormalities
¥ ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
¥ Hand and upper limb injuries
¥ Spinal injuries
¥ Other illness or conditions that impact on function (this is not an exhaustive list)

How do we help?
OT intervention is individual to every child!
Some areas of OT intervention
¥ Postural management
¥ Environmental adaptations and equipment provision advice
¥ Moving and handling
¥ Home and school programmes to address motor co-ordination (gross and fine motor skills) and developmental milestones
¥ 1:1 treatment sessions to address motor co-ordination (gross and fine motor skills) and developmental milestones
¥ Skills training including self care and handwriting
¥ Group work on a specific activity
¥ Liaison with the multi professional team involved in a child’s care such as Consultants, schools, other therapy services as well as education
¥ Address sensory based issues
¥ Health promotion; this includes working with babies and children who do not have a condition but promoting their development through play.
¥ OTs use task analysis to grade activity in order to give maximum therapeutic benefit.

Please contact me for a no obligation chat if you think that your child may benefit from Occupational Therapy.