Independent Occupational Therapy specialising in Autism and Sensory Integration
SERVICES
The Local Therapy Company offers paediatric occupational therapy assessment and treatment services for children.
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Parents may be encouraged to seek occupational therapy assessment after another professional has seen their child and identified difficulties. At other times, schools contact us directly to request input for a child in connection with their Education Health Care Plan. We also accept referrals from case managers and solicitors.
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We offer a free 30 minute initial consultation to discuss your needs. Please do not hesitate to take advantage of this free advice. Contact us for details.
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Independent Occupational Therapy is provided for a range of conditions and difficulties which include:
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Sensory integration difficulties (also known as sensory processing disorder- SPD)
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Dyspraxia
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Developmental Coordination Disorder
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Autism (Autistic Spectrum Disorders- including Asperger’s Syndrome and Pathological Demand Avoidance )
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Cerebral Palsy
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Acquired brain injury
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Stress and anxiety
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Delayed motor skills
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Dysgraphia (difficulties with handwriting)
Assessment
Our Occupational Therapy assessments usually take place in the child or young person's home and/or school over one or two sessions. Carefully selected standardised tests are used in order to compare performance with other children of their age.
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Non standardised tests and clinical observations are also extremely important in providing comprehensive assessment information. It is therefore important to ensure that the therapist working with your child has experience and additional training to enable them to accurately assess need. All our therapists have post graduate training in sensory integraton (Level 3 from Sensory Integration Education (SIE)).
Parents and children’s opinions and feelings are central to the process, and targets are planned which are child centred and motivating.
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Most parents also need a formal report to be provided for school, and recommendations for where to start and how to proceed are always included with a formal report.
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We regularly provide reports for children who require formal Occupational Therapy reports for an Education Health Care Plan or for Tribunal purposes. Local Therapy Company Occupational Thrapists are able to attend SENDIST Tribunals as an expert witness.
Treatment
Not all children who are assessed go on to have treatment, but those who go on to have treatment with The Local Therapy Company will be provided with equipment for trial and any worksheets required so that parents and school staff will have equipment and information at hand, ready to work effectively on the therapy programme.
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Treatment can range from Ayre's Sensory Integration Therapy, to a short planned intervention for handwriting.
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No treatment is undertaken which is not considered to be advantageous for the child and which is considered to reasonably expect positive change.
Treatment blocks can be offered in the home, at school or clinic. Normally, six to twelve treatment sessions are planned, and then progress is reviewed in order to assess whether a further block of treatment is required. We work with parents and school staff to ensure we are working towards appropriate goals for the child, and we measre the progress towards those goals.
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Treatment is made to be as fun as possible, with the aim of building motivation and raising confidence. Most children enjoy the process and look forward to sessions as we ensure that we use good equipment and challenge the child at a carefully planned level where success is almost ensured.
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Please contact us to discuss your requirements. In the majority of cases, treatment must follow an assessment which has been performed by a Local Therapy Company Occupational Therapist.
