Children Living with Disability

Disability Issues

Well done. Very sad boy wearing jeans costume having stylish haircut looking downwardOften, physical and learning disabilities, mental health or medical conditions may impair a child’s ability to cope with everyday tasks. Based on their knowledge of neurology, children development, kinesiology and current research, occupational therapists at Adelaide Night and Day Family Therapy work with families to support you and your child  with  disability and other health related issues Paediatric occupational therapy aim to help  families and children with daily living activities such as play, fine and gross motor skills, meal times, dressing, toileting, sensory processing, attention, emotional regulation, social skills and relationships. . The primary goal of the treatment is to support the child in their family system and maximise their capacity  to participate in everyday life.

Adelaide Night and Day Family Therapy occupational therapists provide your child with support and develop programs to improve their functioning and help you provide them with the best family-based care. Occupational therapy can be beneficial to children living with disability issues due to:

  • Learning disabilities
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Pervasive Developmental Delay
  • Down Syndrome
  • Mental health conditions
  • Cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, dyspraxia (disability that affects movement and coordination), spina bifida (a series of birth defects that affect the spine and nervous system development), and other physical disabilities

. Often, children with disability issues may struggle to perform simple everyday tasks and our paediatric occupational can help overcome the problems by recommending changes that may make the activity easier or by teaching the child a different way to complete the activity. In some cases, the therapist may recommend adaptations to the environment that will maximise your child’s ability to engage in activities or refer you to services that can be of further help.

Some of the services Adelaide Night and Day Family Therapy provides for children with disability issues:

  • Advice on managing difficulties associated with disability
  • Advice to assist parents or carers supporting children in their daily routines Although not our primary focus we can assist with home and school modifications such as:
    • Sensory adaptions
    • Equipment to assist with daily living and personal care
    • Minor Adaptions to the home (e.g. stairs, ramps, rails, grab rails)

Normally, our occupational therapists meet with the parent and child  to talk about and asses their current needs. We will identify what the child and the family want to be able to do in their daily activities and develop a program to help your child maximise their potential and fully engage in their day-to-day life.

For children living with physical disability it is often easier to visit the child at home and in the class room, but we generally do not do school visits to take the children from their classrooms, but assess and treat within their environments.