Just Kids Occupational Therapy

Just Kids OT - Specialist services for children and adolescents.

The Just Kids Occupational Therapy team of paediatric occupational therapists provides a specialist service for children and adolescents from birth to 18 years with learning difficulties, sensory processing disorders, coordination disorders, low muscle tone and fine and gross motor problems, as well as a range of other developmental disorders.
All five specialist paediatric occupational therapists are fully accredited by Occupational Therapy Australia and continually enhance their best practice through professional development and access to professional information.
The therapists work as a multidisciplinary team, providing an in-depth assessment using standardised and non-standardised tests. The therapists work closely with families, carers and teachers, who are considered an integral source of information concerning the children’s strengths and weaknesses; and a detailed report on their investigation and conclusions is the basis for future treatment programs.
‘From the report, we set achievable goals for the child, ’ Tanya says. ‘The therapy sessions are based on these specific goals, for example, they might relate to body awareness, gross motor tone, coordination or visual perception; and we grade it carefully so that, step by step, we create and achieve a strong foundation for the child’s development. '
‘Our therapy is goal directed, nurturing and focuses on building the child’s confidence, which is essential to their successful development. We emphasise that, where possible, early intervention is the key to positive outcomes for the child. ’
While the sessions involve the child, there is a supplementary program that connects collaboratively with the home and the school; although, in certain instances, the child might be referred for further consultations with medical professionals in other specialties. ‘We work together with parents and teachers to achieve the same goals, and we encourage children to be as active as possible, ’ Carla says. ‘Once the children can do little things for themselves, they just fly. ’ The service can be accessed through a medical /healthcare or school referral or a self-referral by anyone with concerns about independence in self-care, play development and school work. The service is delivered to the child at school or in a clinic setting between the core hours of 8 am and 6 pm.