Child Development

As a parent we often worry about weather our children are meeting milestones and developing appropriately in a wide range of areas. Sometimes it can be clear when a child is having difficulty and for others it can be hard to determine if being slightly slow to reach a milestone is reason for concern or if they just need a little bit more time.

While all children are different when it comes to development there are certain red flags that may indicate your child would benefit from some support. These include;

  • Not reaching a number of different developmental milestones.
  • Have difficulty sitting still and paying attention in comparison to their peers.
  • Frequent meltdowns/tantrums that the child has difficulty calming down from.
  • Difficulty completing everyday tasks such as dressing, getting ready for school etc.
  • Difficulty playing appropriately with others or lack of interest in play with peers.
  • Seems to be uncoordinated and/or fatigue quickly compared with peers.
  • Is struggling academically at school.
  • Has difficulty following instructions.

 

An Occupational Therapist can provide assessment in a number of different areas to assist you to ascertain if your child’s skills are within an age appropriate range or if they require further support. Areas of child development that an Occupational Therapist can provide support in include;

  • Fine and gross motor skills
  • Attention and concentration
  • Sensory processing and self regulation
  • Organisational skills
  • Activities of daily living (including toileting, dressing and mealtimes)
  • Handwriting
  • Play  skills
  • Social skills

A Psychologist from Attuned Psychology at Glenelg, could look at similar presentations from the perspective of thought processes, emotion and behaviour.

If you have concerns about your child’s development please don’t hesitate to contact us for either a comprehensive assessment or assessment of specific skills.