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  • New Therapy Options

    We are excited to offer some different options for your child’s therapy. Of real importance to us, as therapists, is that we do our very best for your child. This involves:

    Using evidence based practice to guide our therapy in terms of therapy type, therapy dose (appointment frequency) and the use of parent coaching.

    BEST PRACTICE IS:

    1. Goals need to be set by the client. When children are little these goals are often set by parents but as a child gets older (from 9 years+) these goals need to be set by child/teenager. Goals need to be functional, meaningful and achievable within a short timeframe.

    2. Any factors/barriers limiting goal achievement need to be addressed.

    3. Therapy must include direct practice. Practice of goals should occur within the home and community by the child and their supports. A high dose of practice is needed to achieve goals, not a high dose of therapy.

    Did you know that 1 hour of home based practice = 1 hour of therapy.

    4. Parent delivered intervention is a key component of all intervention .

    With this in mind we are trying to encourage a stronger “embedding program” where goals are practiced at home with parents/child to ensure that we are doing what the evidence tells us to do – parents being partners in the therapy, engaging in a structured home program to support practice outside of therapy programs.

    5. A team approach should be used. If your child is seeing both OT and Physiotherapy at Optimum Movement then we will be trying to organise team goal setting and intervention planning. If you have other agencies and therapists involved, we will be suggesting a level of case conference or liaison time to ensure we are using a team approach to best support your child.

    Early Intervention (EI)

    Research strongly supports early intervention and therefore children under 5 remain a priority for therapy at Optimum Movement.

    MORE THERAPY DOES NOT EQUAL BETTER!

     

    THERAPY BLOCK / EMBEDDING STRUCTURE

    Your therapist may have already suggested this structure to you based on the above evidence for best practice for therapy.

    This means a 10 session weekly therapy session “block” rather than fortnightly sessions. This will give your child the same “dose” of therapy but then allow us to really focus closely on goals for the term and then implement an embedding program where your child completes a home program (with support if required) and truly works on their goals within their home and community. Your therapist might have already spoken to you about doing this structure. This structure is not suitable for all children and may not also be suitable for your family. Your therapist will be able to discuss what is best for your family from both an evidence point of view and also include your family routine. If weekly is not possible then a home program for the alternate week and recording of this may be suggested.

    Embedding is the process of taking skills developed in therapy then practising and refining them in the child’s every environment. A high dose of repetition is needed for the child to learn to use these skills more independently. The role of parents and other caregivers is to coach the child in using these skills so they can become more independent. When thinking about the embedding program your therapist will work with you to identify the coaches for your child in the most important settings for them.

    INTENSIVE THERAPY BLOCKS

    Optimum Movement will now be offering Intensive Therapy blocks. This involves more frequent therapy over a 2-3 week program and may involve both OT and Physiotherapy. Goals will be individually set with clients and therapists and aim to be achieved within the intensive block structure.

    We will be offering Intensive Therapy to children with physical disabilities and can use a wide range of therapy interventions including:

    • Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI)
    • The Therapy Cage (Spider Cage)
    • Vibration Plate
    • Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (modified)
    • Bimanual Therapy Program
    • Goal directed training

    The structure of the intensives will differ depending on your child’s age, their goals and the therapy involved. It may vary from 2 hours per day up to 4 hours per day. It is usually 4-5 days per week and extends over a 3 week program. It will include pre and post intensive assessments of motor skills, a structured home program and videos of activities for your child. Ensuring the home program is embedded into your home and community is key to ensure that practice of goals and goal achievement is attainable.

    SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AND THERAPY

    What works for school aged children?

    The evidence tells us that therapy needs to be:

    • Family centred which involves the child’s family and other important people in their life
    • Individual goals for each client, reviewed at the end of each term or semester. Goals need to be meaningful, functional and achievable within a short timeframe. Being focused on goal attainment allows us to clearly identify how and where the practice of the goals will occur and identify any barriers to achieving these goals.
    • Weekly intensity for 10 weeks
    • Involves practice of skills in the child’s everyday settings. This might include therapists coming to swimming lessons or karate to ensure therapy can be embedded into this environment.
    • Might be goal directed training, CO-OP, executive function training, Superflex, Zones of Regulation
    • Peer based interventions for social skills (Secret Agent Society, PEERS program)
    • Strength based training

    CONSULTANTS

    Do you need a second opinion? Optimum Movement now offer consultation appointments either with your treating therapist or without. These appointments will be with a member of our Senior Therapy team and may involve an assessment to aid with a diagnosis or assist with therapy and goal setting:

    • Equipment Assessment or review
    • Cerebral Visual Impairment
    • Hand Function (Hand assessment for Infants (HAI), mini Assisting Hand Assessment (Mini AHA), Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA), or Both Hands Assessment (BOHA)
    • Infant Assessments include General Movements, HINE, Hand Assessment for Infants (HAI),
    • Developmental Assessment – Bayleys Development Assessment
    • Autism Assessment including Social Attention & Communication Surveillance – Revised (early screening tool) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS2)
    • Use of switches using the Switch Access Measure (SAM Assessment)

     

    WANT TO KNOW MORE?

    Therapy for functional goals.

    Goal directed training is an approach suitable for children with a range of diagnoses including cerebral palsy, movement disorders, motor difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder, intellectual difficulties and communication difficulties. Goal directed training involves practicing specific tasks that are found to be challenging in everyday life. Tasks are chosen by the individual together with family and might involve communication, self-care, gross motor skills or school/work-based activities. Your therapist can break down goals in achievable parts, which then are practiced until the main goal is achieved. Practicing in real-life situations is important, so training should ideally be integrated in daily routines with children supported by a coach until they achieve independence. You can read more about goal directed training HERE

    Therapy for school-aged children with cerebral palsy.

    An international group of researchers, clinicians and parents of children with cerebral palsy have worked together to review all of the research relating to therapy interventions to improve their physical function. You can read the research article HERE or you can ask your therapist for a copy of the summary handouts the researchers have developed.

    The recommendations of this analysis of the research is that for therapy to achieve functional goals, it is recommended that intervention includes client-chosen goals, whole-task practice within real-life settings, support to empower families, and a team approach. Age, ability, and child/family preferences also need to be considered.

    Therapy needs to incorporate the child learning new skills, any modifications to the activity or assistive technology and achieving enough practice in the natural environment to achieve independence. Children need a coach to support them with their practice in their natural environments and to gradually reduce the support provided as the child becomes more independent.

    At Optimum Movement we support children with a block of face to face sessions to develop skills, followed by a period of time to focus on practice in natural environments. Your therapist will support this practice with telehealth reviews with your child and their coach. A parent, other family member, teacher, sporting coach or Allied Health Assistant can coach your child as they work on their independence.

    If you have any questions at all regarding any of the information above, please don’t hesitate to speak to your therapist.

  • How to Reduce Neck Pain by Improving Posture and Creating Good Habits

    It is always easy to find ourselves slouching over a tab or laptop for hours. Being at home during the lockdown and working from home sure helped us to stay safe, but it made for bad and painful posture. Below are a few healthy habitsto help you improve your posture; after all, we all want a good, sleek posture for that first impression.

    What are the Reasons for Posture Problems?

    Poor posture often arises from our daily habits like working in front of a computer, lying on a couch throughout the day, or even looking down at our cellphones. Poor posture can also be caused by carrying heavy objects at work or grocery stores. All these activities overstretch and often weaken the muscles in the back of the shoulders thus making your shoulders arch forward. Gravity further helps these muscles pull forward as they become too weak to pull themselves back.

    We all have core muscles in our backs. These muscles are important and need to become more active because if both the core muscles in the back and abdomen grow weak from inactivity, it can cause you to stoop. Core muscles help in lifting one’s frame and staying upright.

    Another reason for poor posture comes from brittle bones. There are people out there with osteoporosis who experience compression fractures when the bones located near the vertebra aren’t strong enough to support their posture. Thus, the bones collapse on the front of the body, and the spine starts bending forward. In certain cases, occupational therapy works wonders.

    What Are the Healthy Habits to Improve Posture?

    Including small changes in your daily routine and adopting simple habits will show significant improvement in your posture. Here are few habits you can include in your routine:

    Stretching is always great when it comes to improvingposture. Start your day with light stretching that includes your upper back and chest. This will ensure that your body remains active.

    Anothergreat way to improve posture is to remind yourself to reposition your body and sit properly. You can set an alarm every half an hour to remind yourself. While working, we tend to forget the world outside the office. So, relax and reposition yourself every hour to help maintain good posture.

    You can also do core and upper back exercises. There are plenty of such exercises online to choose from. Do not go overboard and start with a light hand. It will make a difference after few weeks. You can search for occupational therapy near mefor an appointment.

    Make sure that you do not rely on the support of the back of a chair when sitting. Sit straight and try to engage your stomach muscles. At first, it might be difficult, but slowly it will help you improve your position.

    Try not to use your smartphone all the time. Position your cellphone so that your head does not have to look downward for a long time. While working,take a mini-break every hour to ease your lower back. You can also take a mini walk for 10-15minutes.

  • How Our Office Helps You

    Optimum Movement is a registered NDIS provider. We train individuals to provide the best to your child and are among the best of all the Disability Service Clinics in Australia. It is a fully client-centric health care centre that enables people to participate in the activities of everyday life. But how exactly can we help you? Below are all the services we provide so you can choose among them.

    Occupational Therapy

    Our specialty lies with our various services and different therapies. One such special therapy is occupational therapy. The occupational therapists at Optimum Movement are highly-skilled doctors who are focused on improving a participant’s independence in all areas of life. This includes self-care, leisure interests, community participation, etc.

    Optimum Movement is a registered service provider thatsupplies early childhood intervention. Children who need assistance with the development process can seek help here. Early intervention is the key across diagnostic groups and should be scheduled as soon as possible.

    What Does Early Intervention Focus on?

    Our specialised early intervention therapists focus on developing your child’s assets such as social skills, communication skills, gross motor skills, cognitive skills, etc. In today’s world, developing such skills is mandatory and should be taken care of at an early age.

    Here, comprehensive assessments are available to identify your child’s strengths. The assessment will be based on your child’s concerns and includes development assessment, handwriting, sensory processing, daily activities, etc. We strongly believe that the participation of parents is a must, and all assessments along with the therapy should be a collaborative process between parents, teachers, children, and healthcare professionals.

    Disability Services

    Here, at Optimum Movement, we have a multidisciplinary team consisting of OTs, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, and a paediatrician. We are known to provide nothing but the best service to our clients. Disability services include physiotherapyand hydrotherapy for adults, children, and teens. They also includes therapy for a wide range of conditions that may be lifelong and acute.

    Pilates

    Pilates is a method of exercise that consists of low-impact muscular control. Top-trained professionals will guide the client through the whole session. We also provide kids’Pilates and clinical exercise sessions. If you are suffering from any type of muscular or physical pain, our physiotherapists willfirst consult with you and run a few tests on your body, after which they will determine the exercises suitable for your body. Going for a one-on-one session with a physiotherapist is a must.

    Specialised Groups

    At Optimum Movement, along with our medical services, we consecutively provide special classes. Starting from cooking to yoga, you will surely find a class of interest. We even have a specialized group for all those who love Legos. The aim of the club is to develop all the necessary skills through structured fun, and engaging activities. Our quality team will help your child’s mind develop in all ways possible.

  • What is Occupational Therapy?

    Looking to comprehensively improve your daily life? (Especially after you’ve fallen sick, or figured in an accident?) Well, perhaps you could try connecting with an occupational therapist! In simple terms, occupational therapy, or OT, helps individuals (especially those who have health issues or challenges) participate in daily life to their fullest. This means that OT can help the individual establish their health and life goals despite having health issues. Read on to find out more about occupational therapy.

    What Activities Can Occupational Therapy Help the Individual With?

    Occupational therapy is not actually just for working adults or senior citizens, because it’s great for kids too. For adults, this might mean that occupation therapy can help them go back to performing their work tasks. For kids, ot for children could mean helping them to learn how to play and have fun with their friends again.

    And since the basic building blocks of everyday life can become much tougher after a person gets injured, disabled or ill, occupational therapists can help them slowly attain and develop the skills that will allow them to once again participate in everyday activities with confidence.

    The activities of daily living that occupational therapy can help the individual enjoy or cherish once again are aplenty. These include bating and showering, dressing, eating, personal hygiene and grooming, sexual activity, shopping, work, play, leisure, social interaction, driving and walking, health management and maintenance, caring for pets and family members and more.

    How Do Occupational Therapists Do Their Work?

    An occupational therapists job varies across different work or social settings, although the treatment process often tends to follow a specific workflow. For example, in ot for kids , the process usually begins with an evaluation or assessment, where the therapist collects pertinent information on the patient’s health status or medical history, and asks the patient if he or she has any activities that are currently limited.

    The therapist will then use this information to work with the patient in creating their POC, of Plan of Care (which may include short-term and long-term objectives and treatment methods). The subsequent treatment regimen in general will provide a combo of techniques that offer physical, social and emotional (as well as cognitive) interventions to help the person achieve their goals in life.

    The occupational therapy in Gold Coast expert could then prescribe and train the patient to use assistive tools or devices like wheelchairs, powered scooters or raised toilet seats. The patient could also be taught new ways on how to tie their shoes, get in and out of the shower, go up and down a flight of stairs, and work on their computer and more.

    The OT professional could also assist the patient with organizing their medications or household tools and equipment, as well as help the person to effectively address any behavioral or emotional issues that may continue to hound them while they work their way towards normality.

  • The Pros and Cons of Speech Therapy

    Is your child (or even any adult in your family) suffering from articulation or fluency disorders? Or do they suffer from something more serious like cognitive disorders that are brought forth by a brain injury or developmental disorder? If you answer yes to any of these, then perhaps you should have the patient scheduled for consultation with a speech therapist! According to health experts, speech therapy is defined as the evaluation and treatment of speech disorders and communication problems. Before consulting with any speech therapist out there, read first to determine the pros and cons of speech therapy.

    Speech Therapy in Schools – The Pros and Cons

    According to experts, speech therapy involves an assortment of techniques that are utilized to improve communication, fluency and even social interaction. The most popular methods include language intervention activities, articulation therapy and speech therapy for autism.

    Now, let’s look at the pros and cons of letting an individual attend speech therapy in school. For the pros, the therapy takes place at the school during school hours, and the educators as well as speech therapists can work together to craft the curriculum to the student’s special needs.

    For the cons, these may include missed classes, as the child can be pulled out for therapy, which can have an impact on their academic and social life. Second, the school’s speech therapist may not have the expertise or experience for treating the specific language or speech disorder that the child has. Third, adding speech therapy to the regular subjects can lead to heavy case loads, which can make individual therapy a tougher thing to do.

    Speech Therapy at Home – The Pros and Cons

    After discussing the pros and cons of undertaking speech therapy in school, let’s now take a look at the potential ups and downs of conducting it at home. For the upside, a home-based speech therapy session offers flexible hours, and the session can be more convenient for the child because it all happens at home (and within their preferred schedules).

    Now for the potential downsides of home-based speech therapy; first, the child could be hampered by the many distractions he or she faces at home. Second, the speech therapist and the child could be hampered by the lack of access to learning materials, because the therapist may not be able to bring all of the needed materials to the patient’s home.

    Speech Therapy at a Clinic – The Ups and Downs

    At this juncture, we shall now discuss the potential ups and downs of conducting a speech therapy session inside a clinic. For the pros, in-clinic sessions, especially speech therapy for autism, affords the patient and the therapist with flexible schedules and easy access to required learning materials.

    Second, a speech therapy session in a clinic allows for more individualized attention, as parents are given the choice of having the sessions done in small well-paired groups or in one-on-one sessions.

    Most speech therapy clinics today also have access to a coordinated team or group of therapists, whether its speech, occupational, behavioral therapy and others. In-clinic speech therapy sessions also offer lesser distractions to the patient, as the sessions are done in specially-designed child-friendly counseling rooms.

  • Cerebral Palsy Treatments for Children

    Have you ever see a person who’s wobbly, or is unable to maintain his or her posture? Well, if you already have, then that person may be suffering from a condition called cerebral palsy! (CP). Cerebral palsy is defined as a group of disorders that impair or affect an individual’s posture and mobility (with “cerebral” meaning it has something to do with the brain, while “palsy” means weakness or issues with the muscles). CP is also very common during childhood, which makes this medical condition a truly sad and mysterious one. However, the good thing is that there are potent methods for treating or alleviating CP.

    The Use of Certain Medications

    One of the most common avenues for cerebral palsy treatment in  Brisbane is the use of certain medications, which can either lessen abnormal movement or relieve overactive muscles. The medicines can be injected into the affected area, infused into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord through a pump or taken by mouth. But, for kids who suffer from CP and seizures, conventional medicines for epilepsy are often considered.

    Physical Therapy

    Since kids and adults who have cerebral palsy have problems with balance and mobility, physical therapy is one of the most crucial aspects of cerebral palsy treatment. The physical therapy options include occupational therapy (OT) which helps the child learn everyday activities to, speech and language therapy, recreational therapy (arts, sports and cultural activities) and specialized cerebral palsy exercises.

    But, while all kids and adults who suffer from CP have problems have issues with posture and movement, some have issues like intellectual instability, vision and hearing problems, joint problems and spinal issues like scoliosis.

    Surgery

    Kids who suffer from cerebral palsy may require varying degrees of surgery, especially if the symptoms are really bad. For example, surgery can ease tightly-contracted muscles, or it can correct an abnormal spine curve. However, before doctors perform surgery, they would first assess or analyze the patient’s current medical condition, and assess the benefits of the medical procedure.

    Use Orthotic Devices

    Kids (and even adults) who suffer from cerebral palsy can also find relief by using orthotic and other assistive devices. Examples of these include casts, splints and braces which can be placed on the affected body part, if only to enhance balance and mobility. The other orthotic and assistive devices include powered scooters, rolling walkers and wheelchairs.

    Alternative Medicine

    Apart from using conventional treatments, a handful of alternative or traditional medical interventions have also been noted to treat or ease the symptoms of cerebral palsy. Among these include nutrition therapy and counseling, wherein a diet is designed for individual patients.

    Another amazing treatment mode which originated from the east is acupuncture, where fine needles are inserted into specific and defined parts of the body to correct abnormalities or disruptions in harmony, and restore the body’s normal flow of energy.

    And though acupuncture’s effectiveness has not yet been fully determined, there’s ample evidence to show that it can reduce pain and enhance motor function and mobility. Thus, it has been hailed as one of the best alternative cerebral palsy treatments.

  • Common Reasons to Visit a Physiotherapist

    Have you ever visited or consulted a physiotherapist before? Well, if you aren’t an athlete who’s had a serious injury ever, I guess you’ve never crossed paths with a physiotherapist in your lifetime. Well, that’s good because physiotherapy is often associated with moderate to serious injuries. However, the truth is that a wide array of medical conditions can be treated (as well as prevented) with physiotherapy. Read on to find the most common reasons to visit a physiotherapist.

    Dizziness and Vertigo

    physiotherapy Sunshine Coast  is commonly known as physical therapy, and is actually good for patients of all ages. It utilizes an assortment of methods for treatment including electrotherapy, heat therapy, muscle stretching and joint manipulation to treat issues with muscles, skeletal system and other parts of the body.

    Physiotherapy can also relieve ailments such as dizziness and vertigo (along with other balance problems). A physiotherapist can help treat or alleviate common sources of vertigo or dizziness like cervical spine dysfunction or ear problems (namely issues with the ear’s vestibular apparatus).  So, if you’re experiencing dizziness, consult with your doctor, or physiotherapist quickly because this could indicate more serious medical problems.

    Management of Diseases

    This may sound alarming but around 50% of people worldwide today are living, and suffering, from chronic diseases such as obesity, arthritis and rheumatism, hypertension, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and pneumonia/emphysema. The good thing is that physiotherapy Sunshine Coast  can actually help treat or ease these conditions.

    A physiotherapist can do anything from crafting a safe and potent exercise regimen to directing or assisting with pain management methods such as muscle manipulation, heat or electrotherapy and others. So, if you suffer from any of the chronic diseases mentioned earlier, perhaps its high time you see a physiotherapist!

    Postoperative Care and Relief

    If you’d undergone surgery for whatever medical condition or injury, it doesn’t mean that you’re already “cured” of your ailments. This explains why many folks who’ve already undergone surgery still need physiotherapy to fully regain their strength, mobility and motor functions.

    Most physiotherapists today are fully trained in post-operative care and relief. Some perform their work in hospitals while others help patients regain their strength and function at home. The interventions may include performing simple exercises to minimize blood clots or chest infections, to doing a combination of strengthening and range of motion (ROM) exercises.

    Pain Management

    Another major benefit of undergoing  physiotherapy Sunshine Coast is that it’s effective for pain management. Regardless of whether the pain is due to an old or recent injury, or is something chronic, the physiotherapist can target the problem area, identify the underlying cause of pain and utilize a combination of therapies to effective relieve or manage pain.

    A physiotherapist can also rehabilitate a person’s body from other accidental injuries or impairments like fractures, sprains and soft tissue injuries. In these examples, the physiotherapist can help quicken the healing process, as well as prevent any further injuries from flaring up in the future.

  • Autism in Children, How to Help?

    Of the various developmental disorders that affect children today, perhaps autism is the most prevalent. According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism is defined as a broad array of conditions that are characterized by repetitive behaviors, speech and non-verbal communication (along with impaired social skills). Although an autism diagnosis can definitely be worrisome and terrifying (as it can’t be treated), it doesn’t mean that it can be alleviated. Let’s look at the various ways for helping kids with autism.

    Medications

    The sad truth is that there are no medicines that can treat autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its main symptoms. However, there are a lot of ways for helping children with autism , and one of it is by employing the use of certain medications.

    Today, there are medications that help autistic kids effectively manage anxiety and depression, behavioral reactivity, self-injury, seizures and inability to focus. Although the medicines may not affect autistic kids in the same way, with the help of a health care expert the child can be closely monitored with their progress and reactions.

    Alternative Medical Treatments

    To ease the many symptoms of autism, certain alternative autism therapy interventions can be done. For starters, the healthcare expert or alternative medicine practitioner can make use of specialized diets and dietary supplements (like chelation, which is a treatment for removing certain heavy metals from the body).

    But since chelation has not yet been fully analyzed for its effectiveness, parents are first advised to consult with their physician or healthcare provider before undergoing any alternative medical intervention.

    Dietary Approaches

    Certain dietary approaches or interventions have been noted to offer hope when it comes to alleviating the harsh symptoms of autism. Some of these include changes in the child’s diet, like removing certain food items from their meals, or using vitamin and mineral supplements.

    The various dietary approaches are often based on the assumption that the lack of vitamins or certain food allergies cause some of autism’s symptoms. Many parents have already attested to the efficacy of certain dietary approaches towards alleviating autism, as they’ve noted positive improvements in how their child acts or feels.

    But, before employing any dietary approach for easing autism, parents are first advised to consult with their doctor, or with a registered dietitian, to ensure that the child’s diet still includes the vitamins and minerals needed for their normal growth and development.

    Behavior and Communication Approaches

    Another effective autism treatment Brisbane Southside intervention would be to adopt certain behavior and communication therapies. Among the most effective behavior and communication approaches includes Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which experts say encourages positive behaviors to improve a wide array of skills.

    Another effective approach is Pivotal response Training (PRT), which is aimed at increasing a child’s motivation to learn and monitor their own behavior, as well as encourage them to initiate communication with kids and other people.

    Regardless of what medical approach or therapy parents wish to espouse to help their autistic child, early intervention is still hailed as the most effective way to speed up the child’s early development (and to considerably reduce autism’s negative symptoms over time).

  • Is Occupational Therapy Helpful for Children?

    If you think that therapeutic inventions like occupational therapy (OT) are only good for adults, especially the ones who are working in the office or in manufacturing, construction and other jobs, think again. In fact, medical experts today say that OT presents an amazing opportunity for folks of all ages and persuasions (especially those who have physical or cognitive disabilities) to improve their quality of life and become as independent as possible. Read on to find out more how OT can be helpful for children.

    OT Helps Kids Perform Activities of Daily Living

    One of the major perks of occupational therapy for children is that it helps kids perform their activities of daily living. Occupational therapy holds more importance for kids because it can have a profound effect on their learning and development experience.

    According to health experts, if a child is left without OT, not only would it be inconvenient for them, but it would be dangerous as well. Why? Because the kid who is suffering from physical or cognitive disabilities could pose a threat to themselves and to those around them, as they may not be able to function properly. Thus, to reduce this threat, OT is done to reinforce the child’s independence and mobility.

    Occupational Therapists Can Properly Monitor the Child’s Growth

    If a kid who has physical or cognitive impairments undergoes OT, one of the best things is that the occupational therapist can effectively monitor their performance and improvement. Occupational therapy for kids includes a bundle of intervention programs, therapies and support services to help kids deal with their disabilities, and slowly work their way towards independent living.

    OT Can Help Treat Several Childhood Diseases or Abnormalities

    Another amazing benefit of childrens occupational therapy Redlands is that it can help treat, or alleviate, certain childhood abnormalities or diseases. For starters, OT can help alleviate dyspraxia, which is a brain-based condition which makes it tough for kids to coordinate physical movement.

    Kids with dyspraxia often look clumsy and out of sync with their thoughts or emotions. If left untreated, dyspraxia can make the child struggle to perform tasks like balancing or maintaining posture. But with OT, the child can slowly be able to write, dress up, tie their shoes or use scissors safely.

    Another childhood condition that OT can help ease is sensory processing disorder, which makes the child have tough time processing information. These results in the kid becoming too anxious overwhelmed, uncomfortable and too sensitive.

    But with OT, the therapist can explain to the kid what each type of incoming information means, and they can also provide helpful exercises to help the child effectively process and understand whatever information is given to him or her.

    And, OT can also help kids who suffer from autism. Autistic kids often have a hard time communicating and interacting, of which their actions often lead to them endangering themselves and others. But with occupational therapy, autistic kids would be able to improve their attention span, social skills, and response to stimuli, motor functions and analytic abilities!

     

  • Pros and Cons of Physiotherapy

    What’s physical therapy? It’s mainly focused on the identification & maximization of the quality of movement & life potentials. This is true in regard with the spheres of prevention, promotion, habilitation, rehabilitation, & treatment.

    Since this is a known health profession, it’s ordinarily concerned with the diagnosis & treatment after the assessment of a disability & disease by physical means. What it desires to bring are services to those who want to maintain, develop, & restore maximum movement. Truly, it has a lot of pros and also cons to offer especially for kids that are as follow.

    Pros

    Treatment of Serious Physical Conditions

    OT for kids or physiotherapy for kids is after better managing childhood injuries. It also is geared at developing their motor skills. It truly has a huge & positive impact in the lives of the kids particularly those who are living with some serious conditions. It is indeed applicable to most children & infants who are suffering from many different ailments like cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down’s syndrome, hypotonia, genetic conditions, & developmental coordination disorder.

    Helping children with autism is also made a lot easier with physiotherapy. It just can help your child in realizing his or her potentials that you think are impossible. If you believe your child has the condition limiting his or her physical capabilities, it is better contacting a known physiotherapist right away. This way, an effective therapy and treatment plan can be designed well suited to their needs.

    Help Kids in School

    Is your child shifting & fidgeting around the chair while going through some simple chores? If yes, this is something that must be paid attention to. For sure, there are underlying issues that come with it. It truly can bring a negative effect in their core after sitting around in class in the entire day. That’s why it leads up to improper seating posture and discomfort.

    Since no real pain is reported, it then is left untreated. Actually, this certain discomfort can be brought about by more physical reasons. It likewise affects the cognitive performance. Inability to focus and complete the learning tasks in a timely manner is mostly observed to them. The poor posture and discomfort might be the result of poor sleep. This then has a negative & direct impact in the cognitive performance.

    Physiotherapy is indeed the best solution to ever have. Physical treatment and therapy has its positive and direct impact on the physical and postural related symptoms. As the kid is returned to his or her state of physical comfort, it’s when a table is set for an improved performance in the class.

    Treat Serious Physical Conditions

    It not only is about managing childhood injuries. It further is about the development of motor skills. Physiotherapy is so far helpful for its huge & positive impact in the lives of the kids. This is especially to those who are suffering from more serious conditions. Truly developing, rehabilitating, & improving performance & movement skills is made easier with following physiotherapy. It can also be applied to children & infants suffering from many ailments. Physical therapy treatment for cerebral palsy , spina bifida, Down’s syndrome, developmental coordination disorder, genetic conditions, & hypotonia is just so highly appreciated.

    In studies also conducted, physiotherapy helps with some neuro-developmental disorders like autism. It can help your child in realizing further the potentials he or she has. Contacting a physiotherapist is just essential if your child is limited in his or her physical capabilities. Then, discuss an effective therapy & treatment plan that suits to his or her needs.

    Offer Them Greater Awareness with Their Physical Self

    What’s more with physiotherapy is that it helps your child in knowing & understanding more about the pain that is experienced. He or she will learn more about their tissues, muscles, bones, ligaments, & tendons interconnected. Thus, your child will better understand how his or her body is working.

    A sustained ailment or injury is also better identified that may be dismissed as a growing pain by parents. The kids will learn the right form participating in the physical sports and physical activities. Injury prevention is then assisted in this case. Performance is also further improved for the kids.

    Cons

    While there may seem advantages in physiotherapy, there also are a few disadvantages to be aware of. These can include the multiple weekly appointments parents like you may not be prepared of. The treatments sessions can also be that long. And even the cost of the treatment is high. Plus, the kids may develop an unexpected reliance on the treatment.

    In all these, physiotherapy still is beneficial with the highlighted advantages! Considering it for your kids with some specific conditions is indeed a great idea!