Occupational Therapy

Dedicated to Supporting

As Occupational Therapists, we are dedicated to supporting every aspect of a child and young person’s life. Our focus extends beyond just activities; we adopt a holistic approach, taking into account the relationships and environments that form part of their daily lives. By identifying both strengths and challenges, as well as the underlying contributors to barriers, we strive to foster development, growth, and emotional well-being in a supportive and collaborative manner. 

One area that all of us rely on for absolutely everything, is sensory processing and integration. Our senses are constantly at work, assisting us in moving our bodies and in perceiving and engaging with our environments, the objects we use, and the people we interact with. 

Some of the areas in which our sensory processing and integration abilities support us include: 

Self-care: Sensory information e.g. helps us gauge the temperature of the water for a bath, feel the bristles of a toothbrush against our teeth, or coordinate our movements when dressing.  

Independence skills: The ability to interpret sensory information allows us to perform tasks autonomously. For example, knowing how much force to use when opening a door or pouring a drink without spilling requires the integration of our touch, body position, and visual senses.   

Learning New Activities: When learning a new skill, our senses guide us through the process. Through multi-sensory processing, our senses help us know where our bodies are within our environments and an object, and move our bodies in a coordinated and balanced manner, e.g. when we learn to ride a bicycle. 

Regulation: Sensory processing plays a key role in our ability to achieve and maintain a regulated state. For instance, certain sounds or types of movement may be supporting or calming for some individuals, while the same stimuli may be dysregulating for others. 

Attention and Focus: Our senses support our ability to maintain an optimal level of alertness, filter out irrelevant sensory stimuli, and can support active engagement through a multi-sensory approach. 

Mental health: There is a strong connection between sensory processing and integration, and mental health. Unsupported or misunderstood sensory differences and needs can lead to anxiety, stress, feelings of being overwhelmed, and/or withdrawal.  

Motor skills: The development of both hand and large body skills is dependent on sensory feedback. E.g. proprioceptive input informs body position, which is essential for coordination and movement, while our touch input is crucial for manipulating objects. 

For neurodivergent individuals or individuals who have adverse early life experiences, meaningful and tailored sensory-based support takes on an even greater significance. This can significantly enhance their ability to engage in self-care activities, grow and maintain independence skills, learn, regulate, experience good mental health, and develop motor skills necessary for everyday activities. 

At the St Andrews Practice, we offer a comprehensive assessment and consultation service for children, young people, and their families that involves the following: 

1. Assessment part 1: We first send out a background questionnaire and then based on information from the questionnaire, we send further questionnaires to home and school (e.g. standardised sensory questionnaire, interoception questionnaire, adaptive behaviour questionnaire, and/or executive function questionnaire)

2. Assessment part 2: Once the questionnaires have been completed and submitted, we would then meet to discuss the information gathered to date, as well as plan for the second part of the assessment with you. This may include observations of your child or requesting videos of your child engaging in specific activities, e.g. unstructured play, hand/fine motor activity, large body/gross motor activity, or independence skills. This is decided collaboratively with you.

3. Assessment part 3: Observations of your child, either in real-time or reviewing videos.

4. Interpretation and report writing: Following the assessment, we review and interpret the findings, and write a summary report to share findings and relevant recommendations, including individualised and practical strategies.

5. Discussion meeting: This is where we meet with you, and in collaboration with you invite other contributors to the assessment or adults involved in supporting your child. This gives us the space to reflect on and discuss the assessment findings, recommendations, and strategies to ensure they are relevant and meaningful.