What is Occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy is a healthcare profession dedicated to helping children develop play, self care, school and social skills. These skills and abilities provide the platform for a successful transition from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. At blueballoon Health Services, we work to address the core issues that may be impacting a child’s ability to reach their full potential. We use a number of well-established approaches and techniques including sensory integration, perceptional motor training and the cognitive based interventions.

At blueballoon Health Services our occupational therapists help children develop play ideas, sequence and plan activities and motor skills by delivering therapy through play activities. Although it may appear as we are simply playing with a child, our occupational therapists are working on functional and therapeutic goals through the use of play activities.

blueballoon Health Services Occupational Therapy is a team of occupational therapists, all of which are trained and experienced in the area of paediatrics. We have expertise in sensory integration, including therapists fully certified in Neurodevelopmental Techniques (NDT), Sensory Integration Praxis Tests (SIPT), Therapeutic Listening, Arousal and Self-regulation Theory, and Intervention Techniques.

When might your child need Occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy can be used to improve:

• Gross motor such as balance and strength
• Fine motor such as buttons and zippers
• Oral-motor such as feeding and chewing
• Visual-motor skills such as drawing and pouring
• Sensory processing concerns such as over-sensitivity avoiding or seeking touch.
• Environmental adaptation and self-help skills
• Psycho-social play, printing and cursive writing

How could an Occupational Therapist help my child?

Paediatric Occupational Therapy benefits a child with developmental delays, such as pervasive developmental delays, by attempting to improve the quality of life for the individual through successful and meaningful experiences. This may be accomplished through the maintenance, improvement, or introduction of skills necessary for the child to participate as independently as possible in meaningful life activities. Such skills include but are not limited to coping skills, fine and oral motor skills, sensory processing, self-help skills, and socialization and play skills, visual-motor skills and environmental adaptations.

No doctor referral is necessary. Please complete our Self-Referral Form - Click here.