Despite the great technologies we have today, the number of children with special needs is on the rise; autism, ADHD, dyslexia and sensory processing, to name but a few of the conditions that Australian children have to live with.
Paediatric Services in Melbourne
Take a forward-thinking organisation such as Hope Kids Occupational Therapy, where therapists work together to empower children with special needs. The parents of a child with disability would first register with NDIS to confirm eligibility, then they are referred to a local healthcare organisation and things can get underway.
Services include:
- Assessments – Many children need to be assessed by certified occupational therapists in order to receive NDIS funding. NDIS Functional Capacity Assessments are essential to measure a child’s developmental progress, identify strengths and challenges, and determine the level of support required. These assessments help therapists set clear, achievable goals that are incorporated into an individualised development plan.
Types of assessments include initial screening, functional capacity assessments, fit in assessments and handwriting assessments. Your home might need to be assessed if your child has mobility issues and, with the right report, NDIS can fund these alterations and the purchase of additional equipment.
- Professional reports – These include NDIS funding reports, developmental reports and school observation reports. Trained occupational therapists are skilled in recording patient progress and they work with parents and other healthcare workers to accurately measure patient progress. If you like working with people and are looking for a rewarding career, why not train to become an occupational therapist?
- Individual therapy – Of course, every child is unique and therapy must be tailored in a holistic way; after assessments, the care team create a development plan and they involve the parents in the program. Therapy sessions typically last for 50 minutes and learning resources may be used, with one or perhaps two lessons per week. Therapy might involve developing self-help or learning new skills and regular team meetings are help to measure progress. Click here to find out how an early learning program prepares a child for academic learning.
- Parent training workshops – As the parents spend most of the time with their children, they are trained on how to help their child to develop to their fullest potential. If a parent has a clear understanding of sensory processing issues that their child has to deal with, they are better equipped to assist. Parents develop a positive rapport with carers and therapists and everyone works together to identify goals and develop plans.
If you are the parent of a child with learning difficulties, you need to register with NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) and if eligible, you can make contact with the right caregiver in your area and start the assessment process. All the support you need can be found with an organisation such as Hope Kids OT and your child can get the tools they need to develop to their fullest potential.
