Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapists at Optimum Movement are focused on improving a participant’s independence in all areas of their life including:

  • Self care
  • Leisure interests
  • Community participation
  • Sport
  • School and education tasks

Early Intervention

Optimum Movement is a registered NDIS provider to provide early childhood early intervention services. This is a specialised support service for children 0-6 years with a developmental delay. Early intervention is key across diagnostic groups and should occur as soon as possible after a need is identified.

Our early intervention therapists focus on developing your child’s skills including:

  • Gross motor skills including mobility, balance, strength and endurance
  • Play skills
  • Ability to use their hands in play
  • Social skills and social communication
  • Emotional regulation and cognitive flexibility
  • Cognitive skills
  • Self care skills – self feeding, dressing, toileting
  • Coordination skills

Assessment

Comprehensive assessments are available to identify a child’s strengths and areas of difficulty.  We use a combination of standardised assessments, non-standardised assessments and clinical observations.  The type of assessment used will be dependent on a child’s concerns but can include:

  • Developmental assessment
  • Motor skills assessment (fine motor and/or gross motor)
  • Handwriting
  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Hand function
  • Sensory Processing

Optimum Movement strongly believes that assessment and therapy should be a collaborative process between parents, teachers, health professionals and the child. For this reason questionnaires will be sent to home and school prior to assessment to gain further information regarding a child.

Assessments are preferably conducted in the clinic and parents are strongly encouraged to be a part of the process.  This allows the Therapist to further discuss a child’s areas of difficulty and goals of treatment.

Therapy

Optimum Movement works individually with each child and parent to provide an individualised therapy session that meets the specific needs and goals of the child.  Therapy sessions are aimed at being educational to parents as well as fun and engaging to the child.  Graded play-based therapy develops new skills and improves confidence and self-esteem.

We liaise with teachers and other health professionals involved throughout the process to discuss goals, provide advice and report on a child’s progress.

Therapy is goal-orientated and function based.  Our therapists work to identify areas of difficulty, strengthen new skills and help children to develop cognitive strategies to perform motor-based skills.

Optimum Movement offers both individual and group therapy sessions and are happy to work in the clinic, at school or in the home.

Prep Screening

Our experienced OTs can provide individual prep screening assessments to ensure a child’s readiness for the school environment.  We also provide group prep screening assessments to prep students in numerous schools including state, catholic and private schools.  Close liaison with teachers and learning support teachers are an imperative step in this process.

A report follows all prep screening assessments.

Working with Schools

Optimum Movement realises the benefits for both parents and schools to be actively involved with children in their learning environment.  Our therapists currently work in a number of schools offering group and individual therapy sessions.  This enables us to engage closely with the teachers on the goals of the child.

We also provide an Occupational Therapy screening service to schools which assists in identifying those children who may benefit from more specialised Occupational Therapy services.  Each child is given a summary report available for both the school and parents.

Schools have also benefited from in-services and workshops delivered by our therapists to teachers and parents.  This can be tailored around a range of topics to meet your needs.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss how your school could benefit from working with Optimum Movement.