Melville Occupational Therapy and Extra Lesson for Children

Does my Child Need Intervention?
Intervention may be indicated if a child demonstrates one or more of these characteristics:
- Difficulty with fine motor skills as seen in handwriting, pencil control, strength and manipulation skills.
- Letters and numbers are reversed.
- Late in choosing dominant hand, or mixed hand use.
- Clumsy, accident prone, avoids sports or games.
- Performing below age level academically.
- Difficulty relating to others.
- Hypersensitive, overly emotional.
- Sensitive to touch, certain sounds or bright lights.
- Avoids outdoor play equipment.
- Avoids table-top activities, e.g. drawing
- Difficulty organising themselves.
- Easily frustrated.
- Dreamy, easily distracted.
- Fidgety, cant sit still.
- Skips line or words when reading.
- Doesn't remember or understand what they have read.
- Difficulty following instructions.
- Misinterprets what is being said.
- Excessively fearful and anxious in new situations.

SERVICES
Occupational Therapy
Your child will be assessed in view of your concerns. Feedback is delivered and recommendations and made. A written report is produced on request. Individual treatment is usually weekly.

Modalities used may include:
- Sensory Integration: Using two point suspended equipment to enhance the impact on the sensory systems of the body (vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile and visual systems). This develops the adaptive response necessary for life skills.
- Sensory processing strategies to support modulation and behaviour.
- Skill development in the areas of fine motor, pencil control, handwriting, toileting, feeding and gross motor skills.
- Therapeutic Listening: A form of sound stimulation to treat fidgety behaviour and sensory sensitivity, improve postural control, bilateral integration, organisational skills and improve auditory processing.
- High school assessments in view of handwriting and WACE examinations.

Extra Lesson
Extra Lesson (TM) is a Steiner movement based approach which assesses and treats the child within the context of their development and environment. The program has a holistic approach.

Groups
Groups are run through the summer holidays.
Types of groups:
- Kids Boot Camp: 10 sessions of 1.5 hours, over 2 weeks. The intensity creates greater changes than can be achieved with weekly OT. Addressing gross motor, fine motor and sensory processing.
- School Readiness: 10 sessions over 2 weeks, to address all the skills needed for school entry (Kindergarten and Pre Primary).
- Hand Writing: 10 sessions over 2 weeks to address handwriting, hand strength and dexterity, upper limb and core strength.

Home Programmes
This suits country children and those unable to attend weekly.
The child is assessed and an individualised programme is designed and given to the parent and child. The programme is changed every 6 weeks. It is movement based and can be used with Therapeutic Listening.
Distance has not been a problem with this, and children have benefited all over WA with Skype consults available.

School Consultancy
- Parent and teacher presentations on sensory processing, play, The Alert Programme, school readiness, supporting fine motor or visual processing.
- Guidance in relation to individual children. Liaison with teacher.
- Guidance with setting up playgrounds, sensory environments.
- OT staff secondment.
- Classroom observation and recommendations.
- School readiness assessments.

Prescriptions of Sensory Supports
We advise on and supply sensory devices and handwriting aids.

DOES OUR THERAPY WORK?
In 2011 we asked this question in a survey to our clients. Analysis of their responses revealed that the greatest change occurred within the first weeks, with the effect holding past therapy and past 12 months.

Changes noted were:
- 97% experienced a change in fine motor skills.
- 97% noticed a change in handwriting.
- 80% noted a change in muscle tone.
- 83% noticed a change in motor planning ability.
- 97% noticed a change in how their child behaved in their sensory environment, and noted an improvement in their ability to develop and maintain friendships.
- 96% 'matured' emotionally.
- 90% had a reduction in anxiety.
- 97% were more confident.
- 80% had a reduction in 'meltdowns' and anger outbursts.
- 85% had more patience and were able to wait.
- 86% were more persistent in their approach to tasks.

Parent and Student Comments from the Survey:
- "Much more outgoing and confident child."
- "I used to be a nobody, now I'm a somebody."
- "Able to concentrate on tasks for 20-30 minutes easily."
- "Is a lot more aware of his feelings."
- "The teacher wants to know what medicine I am using."
- "Has more empathy to others."

Please be aware that the contents shared on this page does not solely reflect our values and beliefs at Melville OT and EL for Chiildren