Occupational therapy

What do occupational therapists do?

Occupational therapists look at the activities your child does to participate in everyday life, for example, dressing, playing, eating, having a bath and using the toilet. They also work closely alongside the physiotherapists to look at how your child develops the fine motor movements of their hands (fine motor skills).

We have developed a range of online resources to help with activities many parents ask us about. These can be found by clicking the links here for the ICAN Occupational Therapy page. Please access the online resources at any time, however, if you have specific concerns which have not been resolved by this information, you can ask your paediatrician, or a physio if you have come to physio clinic, for a referral to Occupational Therapy.

When should my child see Occupational Therapy?

0 years to starting school

As your baby grows and develops, if you can see that your child is making progress with their movement skills and is starting to join in with daily activities which fit with the stage of their development, then you don’t have to see a occupational therapist during this period. If other professionals working with your child have identified concerns, you may wish to access our therapy offer to discuss.

We have developed a range of online resources to help with activities many parents ask us about. These can be found by clicking the links below to the ICAN physiotherapy page. Please access the online resources at any time, however, if you have specific concerns which have not been resolved by this information, you can request a referral to OT from your paediatrician.

What if I’m worried my child isn’t progressing?

Children whose skills are more delayed than is typical, or who are not making progress may be referred directly to OT by their paediatrician.

We would advise you seek a referral if:

• your child is unable to sit independently, or unable to sit without support for more than a couple of minutes at 12 months old
• your child is having difficulties with fine motor skills (hand movements), such as using a spoon, mark making and handling toys
• your child is having difficulties with daily living activities and equipment, for example, you cannot find the right seat to enable your child to sit well while learning to feed themselves
• your child is not making progress with specific gross or fine motor skills or everyday activities and you would like further support to develop these, for example, stairs, using cutlery.
• Before attending, think about what you would like your child to achieve. We will work with you to agree a goal(s) to aim for, look at what activities may help, and what changes you could make to your child’s daily play, home and nursery routines that will help your child achieve their goal(s).

5 years old to leaving school

Once children are in full time school, referrals to Occupational Therapy can be made by parents, school staff or a member of your child’s healthcare team.

You may seek an OT referral if your child is having a functional difficulty (your child wants to, but is unable to complete certain activities), or participation (your child wants to but is unable to join in something they want to do with their friends or family) at home or at school.

Referral information

All referrals to ICAN services should be made on the ICAN referral form highlighting the difficulties the child is experiencing and the impact upon their day to day participation. Parental consent for the referral is required

Please look at our Occupational Therapy page to access resources and information.