Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD) or Dyspraxia is a neurological condition that is also described as a delay in development. The condition begins in childhood and affects a person’s co-ordination or planning of movement due to brain messages being inaccurately transmitted to the body. A child with Dyspraxia can appear “clumsy” and may present with difficulties across a range of skill areas such as riding a bike, handwriting or when engaging in sport activities.

Signs that may indicate your child has Dyspraxia may include:

• Messy eater
• Dropping things or spilling drinks
• Experiencing lots of trips or falls
• Bumping into furniture or walls
• Avoids sport activities
• Difficulty in throwing or catching a ball
• Poor balancing
• Low confidence in Physical Education (PE) classes.

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children, adolescents and adults who have Dyspraxia in order to improve movement and motor co-ordination difficulties associated with the condition.

Some of the activities we can help improve performance within include: 

• Handwriting
• Drawing
• Bike riding
• PE lessons
• Ball skills such as catching a ball
• Getting dressed
• Following routines
• Play
• Tying shoelace

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. The condition is present before the age of three years, however, diagnosis is not always given at a young age. ASD affects social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour. The Autistic Spectrum is used to describe both Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Signs or difficulties that may indicate your child has ASD may include: 

• Poor social interaction
• Difficulty forming friendships
• Communication
• Understanding body language
• Speech delay
• Shared attention
• Learning difficulties
• Set routines and behaviours
• Sensory processing
• Motor co-ordination

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children, adolescents and adults who have ASD in order to improve foundation skills, help the individual manage sensory needs and increase their level of engagement, functioning and independence. We are able to work with a range of approaches or interventions including Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Sensory Integration.

Some of the activities or things we can help with include: 

• Management of sensory needs
• Development of a sensory diet
• Access to education
• Choosing equipment
• Managing school and home environments
• Accessing the community
• Self-help and independent skills
• Motor skills
• Play skills
• Handwriting

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder with behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that interferes with functioning or development. The condition is present in children, adolescents and adults but is mainly diagnosed when children are 6 to 12 years old. ADHD affects the ability to sustain concentration in tasks. A child with ADHD can appear impulsive and find it difficult to remain focused.

Signs that may indicate your child has ADHD may include: 

• Hyperactivity
• Inability to control impulses
• Difficulty paying attention
• Low self-esteem
• Inability to remain still to complete a task
• Difficulty organising themselves, tasks and activities
• Cannot control their emotions
• Overactive or fidgety

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children, adolescents and young adults who have ADHD in order to improve functioning and engagement at school and home.

Some of the areas we can help improve include:

• Self-esteem and confidence
• Concentration levels and the ability to remain within a task or activity
• Fine and gross motor skills
• Arousal levels
• Attention when in class
• Getting ready for school on time
• Listening to and following instructions
• Organisation skills

Global Developmental Delay (GDD) is often described when a young child does not meet two or more developmental milestones in a range of areas including motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills and social / emotional skills. Developmental delay can occur at any age. GDD affects a child’s ability to perform meaningful activities at home, nursery or school including writing, drawing, dressing and playing.

Missed milestones that may indicate your child has GDD may include: 

• Sitting on the floor without support by 8 months
• Crawling by 12 months
• Rolling over by 6 months
• Fine and gross motor skill difficulty
• Poor social skills
• Difficulties with communication

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children who have GDD in order to improve foundation skills, increase engagement and independence.

Some of the activities and skills we can help with include: 

• Gross and fine motor skills
• Confidence
• Self-help skills including dressing
• Play skills
• Academic skills including handwriting

Down’s Syndrome is a genetic disorder typically associated with physical growth delay, characteristic physical features and mild to moderate intellectual disability. The condition is present at birth and the degree of learning disability will be different for each child. Down’s syndrome affects muscle tone and strength and impacts upon function at home, nursery and school.

Children with Down’s syndrome are likely to have: 

• Reduced muscle tone
• Hyper-flexibility
• Flat back of head
• Small mouth with protruding tongue
• Delayed milestones
• Acquisition of skills such as walking, sitting and reaching will be slower

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment in the management of the symptoms of Down’s syndrome for children, adolescents and young adults who have Down’s syndrome in order to improve foundation skills, increase engagement and independence.

Some of the activities and skills we can help with include: 

• Gross and fine motor skills
• Self-help skills including dressing
• Handwriting development
• Accessing the community
• Independent living skills

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is an inherited genetic condition that causes a range of developmental delays including physical, social, language and speech. The condition is diagnosed with a DNA blood test. FXS affects social interaction, sensory processing, behaviour and general development.

Children with FXS are likely to: 

• Have a short attention span
• Be distractible
• Have difficulty with sleeping
• Be impulsive
• Be restless
• Be over active
• Experience sensory issues
• Experience social, emotional and communication difficulties
• Experience anxiety
• Have poor oral motor control

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children who have FXS in order to increase and improve foundation skills, engagement and independence.

Some of the activities and skills we can help with include: 

• Gross and fine motor skills
• Management of sensory needs
• Self-help skills
• Handwriting development
• Accessing the community
• Independent living skills

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a term that is used to describe what happens as a result of the brain being unable to receive, detect or interpret sensory signals. SPD is commonly found in children but can affect adolescents and adults also. Sensory processing refers to the motor and behavioural responses from the nervous system when receiving and interpreting information relating to the senses. SPD affects a person’s ability to process and act upon information received through their senses affecting everyday life activities.

Children with SPD are likely to experience the following: 

• Behavioural and emotional issues
• Gross and fine motor co-ordination difficulties
• Poor posture
• Anxiety and low self-esteem
• Social isolation
• Aggressive behaviour

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children, adolescents and young adults who have sensory processing difficulties in order to identify and manage the area of sensory needs, to improve foundation skills and increase level of engagement, functioning and independence.

Some of the activities or things we can help with include:

• Fine and gross motor skills and coordination
• Self-awareness, self-esteem and confidence
• Academic skills including handwriting
• Reduce anxiety
• Manage sensory needs
• Increase awareness of one’s body
• Tolerating personal care such as teeth brushing, nail cutting and hair washing.
• Management of their environments including home, school and community
• Recommendation of equipment

Anxiety disorder can be categorised as many forms including phobia, generalised, separation and social. The condition can be diagnosed at any age and can be present in children, adolescents and young adults. Anxiety disorder affects behaviour and thoughts that interfere with school, home and social life.

Signs that may indicate your child has an Anxiety disorder may include: 

• The child feeling scared, panicky or worried
• Difficulty with concentration
• Difficulty sleeping including experiencing night terrors
• Change in eating habits
• Becoming irritable, angry or experiencing emotional outbursts
• Experiencing negative thoughts
• Becoming tense or fidgety
• Feeling or complaining of being unwell

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children, adolescents and young adults who have Anxiety disorder in a variety of settings, including schools, communities, and home in order to improve self-esteem, establish supportive relationships, work with and support school personnel and family members.

Intervention may focus on a number of areas including: 

• Establishing routines and habits
• Enjoying activities
• Regulating arousal levels
• Relaxation
• Modifying assignments by breaking them down into smaller steps
• Establishing daily routines at home
• Education about anxiety symptoms and how they can interfere with functioning.
• Developing coping strategies

Cerebral Palsy is a neurological disorder that affects muscle control, the development of movement and posture causing activity limitation. The condition is present soon after birth and can be categorised as spastic, athetoid or ataxic. Cerebral palsy affects sensory processing, cognition, communication, motor skills, perception and behaviour. 

Children with Cerebral palsy are likely to have:

• Uncoordinated movements
• Experience difficulty when planning and executing large body movements
• Experience spasms
• High or low muscle tone
• Poor fine motor dexterity and skills
• Difficulty coordinating the body to run or carry out ball skills such as catching and throwing
• Difficulty getting dressed

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children who have Cerebral palsy in order to promote a child’s ability to perform daily activities to enhance their quality of life.

Intervention may focus on a number of areas including:

• Identifying adaptive method enabling, a child to learn to complete tasks
• Breaking down essential tasks into smaller, do-able steps
• Seating and postural management
• Increasing skills such as eating, dressing, personal grooming, play, and preparing food
• Increase academic performance by working on skills such as handwriting or using a computer
• Learning to adapt and compensate
• Physical exercises to improve co-ordination, balance, dexterity and hand-eye coordination
• Recommendation of assistive devices

Dyslexia is a common specific learning difficulty that does not affect intelligence but causes problems with specific areas of learning. The condition is lifelong and can present challenges on a daily basis. Dyslexia affects reading, writing and spelling.

Signs that may indicate your child has Dyslexia may include: 

• Reading at a slow pace
• Writing very slowly
• Difficulty with planning and organisation
• Difficulty following a sequence of directions
• Poor or inconsistent spelling
• Forming letters, the wrong way around, for example a ‘b’ and ‘d’
• Mixed order of letters within words.
• Low concentration levels

At Seirrah OT, we are able to provide assessment and treatment to children, adolescents and adults who have Dyslexia in order to improve academic and home skills associated with the condition.

Some of the activities and skills we can help improve performance within include: 

• Academic including spelling and handwriting
• Concentration
• Organisational
• Planning