Occupations are key to living a life of meaning and providing an individual with a sense of purpose. There is, however, a misconception of an individual’s occupations, whereby an individual is defined by the job they work. If this were the case, how do our children find meaning in their life despite not going to work?
Now that we have debunked this myth, we can have a closer look at Occupational Therapy.
Occupational Therapy equips individuals with the skills they require to participate in meaningful activities they need and want to do in their day-to-day life. For children, their key occupational roles include being an independent individual, a learner and a playmate.
To successfully and independently fulfill these roles, your child may participate in the following occupations:
Independent Individual: toileting, dressing, feeding and sleeping
Learner: memory, endurance, handwriting, listening and attention
Playmate: making and keeping friends, swimming, dancing, music and outdoor activities
Active engagement in meaningful occupations is directly linked to promoting an individual's overall health and wellbeing.
At Paediatric Potentials, when we work with your child, we think about their personal skills, the task itself, and the environment in which it is executed. With this understanding, our Occupational Therapists are equipped to support children of all backgrounds and abilities to overcome their challenges and reach their goals .
Some of the most prevalent challenges our families present with include:
Keeping up with the other children in school
Making friends
Achieving independence
Developing functional motor skills
Managing sensory behaviours
As Occupational Therapists, we acknowledge that each family we support has their our dynamic and unique routines, roles and expectations The way in which we support your child to overcome their challenges is through the use of individually tailored therapy programs and interventions. Our Occupational Therapists work closely with families, schools and other professionals involved in your child’s care. We are passionate about empowering you, as the parent, through our unique parent coaching framework.
Most importantly, we support your child to be the best they can possibly be by motivating them with messages that instill in them that they can achieve their goals, learn new skills and reach their full potential.