Common questions and concerns

What does a speech therapist do at Bright Path Preschool?

The speech therapist will assess children for speech, language and communication difficulties. She will then provide intervention in group therapy sessions.

How can a speech therapist help my child?

A speech therapist can provide therapy to help children:

• Improve their social interaction
• Improve their ability to understand instructions and stories
• Improve their ability to talk about their experiences

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is a health profession in which therapists help individuals to do and engage in the specific activities that makes up daily life. For children and youths in schools, occupational therapy will work to support students so that they are able to participate in the full spectrum of school activities from paying attention in class, concentrating on the task at hand, holding a pencil, musical instrument, or book in the easiest way or just behaving appropriately in class.

What is an Occupational Therapy evaluation?

An occupational therapy evaluation will assess a child’s gross motor, fine motor, visual motor visual perceptual, handwriting, daily living and sensory processing skills. To evaluate their area of needs OTs may use standardised assessment tools, non-standardised assessment tools, parent interview and clinical observation to assess your child’s performance.

What areas are addressed in occupational therapy treatment?

Based upon the individual child’s occupational performance areas and needs, treatment plans and therapy goals are set, and they can include the following areas:

• Fine motor skills
• Gross motor skills
• Visual motor skills
• Oral motor skills
• Self-care skills
• Sensory integration
• Motor planning skills
• Neuromotor skills

How does occupational therapy help a child? 

Wherever possible, occupational therapy intervention is provided within the natural routines and activities of the child’s classroom. Occupational therapists will work collaboratively with teachers and other adults so that they can better understand and support the child for greater success in school.

Occupational therapists will use purposeful activities to enhance and encourage skill development. Guided by child’s interests, the therapist provides fun and motivating activities that aim to provide a “just-right challenge” so that the child will develop the underlying skills needed to effectively participate and learn.

If I am concerned about my child’s development, what should I do?

Trust your instincts, as most of the time, a caregiver’s instincts about their child is right.

Bring it up to the teachers, who can then discuss with the early intervention team to better support you and your child.

How often will my child be seeing the therapist/s?

The frequency of therapy will depend on the presenting difficulty and the therapist may not be able to answer this question until they have completed screening/assessment. She may, however, be able to give you a general idea as to how frequently other children with your child’s difficulty usually attend therapy and for how long.

How long will my child require therapy?

The length of therapy depends on the severity of the problem and the rate of progress made in the therapy sessions and during reinforcement at home and in class.

How will we decide when the child does not require any more therapy?

Discharge from therapy intervention depends on the child’s progress and this may be difficult to predict prior to commencing therapy.