OUR SIMPLE VISION: HAPPY CHILDREN

Is your child flourishing in his or her environment? Does your child avoid movement or social interaction? Is your child clumsy? A picky eater? Is your child wild all the time? Frequent walking on toes? Non-responsive to interesting objects? Stretches his or her body without relaxing the tension? Autistic child? Cerebral Palsy?

As OT practitioners, we view your child holistically – we focus on adapting the environment and/or task to suit your child. You and your child are important members of our therapy team.

IS YOUR CHILD IN NEED OF
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

For a more complete list of signs that your child may need Occupational Therapy, click the button below:

What can your child and you expect when meeting with Marli Smit Occupational Therapists?

FIRSTLY,

an individualized evaluation, during which we walk and talk with your child and you, agreeing possible goals for our treatment with you and your child. This may take between 30 to 45 minutes in-hospital, and between 1 and 2 hours in our rooms. Sometimes the evaluation will be performed in conjunction with speech therapists, physiotherapists, and other medical professionals.

Our rooms are furnished with suspended equipment, e.g. swings and colourful toys, inviting your child to take action. The idea is to gently encourage our younger clients to take the next (or first) step.

SECONDLY,

we work through our treatment program with your child and yourself, to help your child, e.g. with sensory integration issues, developmental milestones, etcetera. Physical symptoms are often a sign of underlying issues of a psychological nature. As OTs we are trained to provide holistic treatment in this respect.

THIRDLY,

we continuously evaluate your child’s progress to ensure that therapy goals are met. This may imply that we make adjustments to the treatment to increase the effectiveness thereof. Activities for homework, between appointments, are key to your child reaching his/her goals.

FINALLY,

We will always strive to educate and empower your child, you and his/her school to understand your child’s challenges and create an environment conducive to his/her flourishing.

We focus holistically on your child, involving you, as parents and family, and your child’s school, to equip the people in all of your child’s environments with the tools & strategies to optimise her/his development.

Occupational Therapy with children is about helping your child to achieve his or her full potential. Our work with children is made fun through age appropriate, challenging activities that meet your child’s particular interests. Refer to the Home page and Special Interests page for more on these areas.

Our therapy may, for example, address or include the following:

  • Sensory Integration Disorder | Sensory Processing Disorder
  • Early Childhood Development Intervention
  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder
  • Cerebral Palsy and other Physical Disabilities
  • Congenital and genetic disorders
  • Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder (ADD, ADHD)
  • Learning Difficulties
  • Developmental Co-ordination Disorder
  • Gross and Fine motor Skill Difficulties
SPECIAL INTERESTS, RELATING TO YOUR CHILD

At Marli Smit Occupational Therapists, we have a special interest in Early Intervention, Sensory Integration (SI), Neuro-Development Therapy (NDT) & MAES Therapy (part of neurological therapy).

Refer to the Special Interests page for more information.