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Insight: Things your Preschool Educator Wants Parents to Know
They want to work with you Your child’s educator wants to work alongside you as the parent/guardian to provide the best experience for your child. Allowing time [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
Working Collaboratively With Families
At Occupational Therapy Helping Children, our OTs work collaboratively with families, schools and allied health professionals. Working collaboratively means that [..]
Read moreSelf Care
Teaching Your Child to Tie Shoelaces
It’s that time of your child’s development when they will achieve a significant milestone: tying their shoelaces! There tends to be a misconception about when [..]
Read moreParent Resources
Occupational Therapy Terms… what do they mean?
Hypermobility, low muscle tone, crossing midline… You may have heard of these terms in your Occupational Therapy session or report before… but what do they [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
Life As A New Graduate
Transitioning From Study to Practice Starting a new graduate job is the beginning of a new chapter of your life. It can be full of anticipation and excitement and [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Parenting Tips for Children with Anxious Emotions
It is increasingly common for children to experience feelings of anxiousness or worry as they grow up but as a parent, it can be hard to know what to do or how to [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
What is DIR®/Floortime™
There are many different models and frameworks we use as Occupational Therapists, particularly when working with kids and families. One term that you may hear us [..]
Read moreSensory Processing
Using Sound as Therapy
There’s a lot to be said about the way music makes us feel. I’m sure you all have a favourite feel-good song, a song that makes you cry, or you may even have an [..]
Read moreParent Resources
Fun Gift Ideas for Kids Recommended by OTs
It’s Christmas time again, which means it’s time to buy presents for family and friends. Hooray! We know that sometimes it can be challenging to think [..]
Read moreParent Resources
Travelling with Kids in the Holidays
As Christmas is closely approaching, the anguish of how we will remain sane might be kicking in! School holidays can often involve various trips, whether it be [..]
Read moreGenetic Disorders
The OT Role with Children with Down Syndrome
Every individual with Down Syndrome is different and unique in their own fulfilling way. Down Syndrome does not discriminate as it’s a genetic condition, not an [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
Top Tips when Navigating the NDIS
Whether it is your first NDIS meeting or another plan review, there can always be the worry and stress of how much funding your child will get. Will you get a good [..]
Read moreSchool
Supporting Your Child’s Transitioning Back to School
Congratulations to everyone for making it through online learning for the last three months! It has not been an easy time for many, and we applaud all families for [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
Our Sensory Gym Favourites
The sensory gym is one of the most exciting things about our move to the new Frenchs Forest clinic! It is loaded with fun equipment that helps target different [..]
Read moreMotor Development
Primitive Reflexes and How They Affect Your Child’s Development?
What are primitive reflexes? Primitive reflexes are the first reflexes for our development. They are involuntary movement patterns that assist with survival in [..]
Read moreADHD and Executive Functioning
Top 10 Best Books for Parents of Children with ADHD
If your child has ADHD and you want to understand how to help them, here are some of our top recommendations. Number One: Super-parenting for ADD Dr Edward [..]
Read moreSelf Care
Developmental Milestones for Self-Care Tasks
Self-care skills are an important part of development as they empower children to be independent and self-sufficient. They include the daily tasks that are required [..]
Read moreParent Resources
Top TV shows for Parents
At the time of writing this blog, Sydney is in week eight of lockdown, and we’re all probably reaching for the TV remote and spending a bit more time on streaming [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
The History of Occupational Therapy Helping Children
1994 Occupational Therapy Helping Children was started in 1994 by founder and director Lisa Hughes. Lisa began doing home visits on Saturday mornings. Towards the [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
Top 3 Resources for an Occupational Therapy Clinic
OTs use lots of different toys, tools and resources in therapy sessions chosen specifically to meet the needs and interests of each child. But some resources are [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
The Polyvagal Theory and Breathing
‘Just breathe’ – why are we told to do it so often? What are the benefits? We are often told to focus on and slow our breathing to facilitate [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Siblings of Children with a Disability – Managing Their Emotions
How have the relationships you have with your siblings influenced your social-emotional development throughout your life? With our siblings, we learn to directly [..]
Read moreParent Resources
Top 5 Podcasts for Parents
It can often be hard to find reliable sources of information when looking for support and advice around parenting, especially when you have a child with additional [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Our Favourite ‘OT Approved’ Board Games!
Board games have been a provider of entertainment for years (and not just for kids!). Whether it be bringing the family together, keeping the kids busy or having [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
The Benefits of Cooking with Your Child
Cooking is such a wonderful bonding experience to have with your child! It is a fantastic way for your child to be exposed to early concepts of maths and science [..]
Read moreHandwriting
Written Expression – How Occupational Therapists Help
Writing is a powerful tool for learning and is an essential lifelong skill. Children use writing within the school environment to help them understand new [..]
Read moreSelf Care
Our Top 3 Sleeping Tips
Sleep is an essential part of your child’s daily routine and key to ensuring your child has a healthy lifestyle. Sleep promotes physical, cognitive, social and [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
What is Pretend Play and Why is it Important for Children
Play is considered the primary occupation of children and is crucial for their physical, social and emotional development. Play comes in many different forms, [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Occupational Therapy in the Community
Getting out and about in the community can be a challenge for some kids. This may be due to reasons such as anxiety, sensory overload or communication difficulties. [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Hidden Benefits of Scavenger Hunts
One of my most fond memories from my childhood was going on bushwalk adventures and collecting all different kinds of ‘treasure’ along the way and then sharing [..]
Read moreADHD and Executive Functioning
You’ve Heard the Term Executive Functioning – but what on earth does it mean?
Executive functions are known as a set of higher cognitive processes essential for the cognitive control of various behaviours. It is the mental process that [..]
Read moreSchool
School Readiness – What Are The Most Important Skills?
Schools readiness is a topic that everyone has an opinion on these days, so how do you find out what the essential skills for school are? What is the right school [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Playdate Tips and Ideas
It’s that time of year again, the wonderful Australian Summer’s here and so is the big holiday break where kids get that freedom from formal learning! But with [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
How to Make a Visual Schedule
What is a Visual Schedule? You can use a visual schedule to improve a child’s understanding of the plan. It can be helpful with transitioning between activities, [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
Christmas Present Ideas
The Christmas season is almost here, which means that it’s time to start thinking about doing our Christmas shopping! In this blog, we are going to give you some [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
OTHC’s Sensory Advent Calendar
Many children find December challenging to navigate. As we get into the final weeks of the school year, the routine falls out of step, meals occur at different [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
The Client Journey at Occupational Therapy Helping Children
If you are new to the world of Occupational Therapy or your child has been referred to us and you are not sure what exactly happens next, then here’s a simple [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
The Importance of Chores for Children and When to Start
One of the ways households have changed in the last couple of decades is the steep decline in the expectation that children should do chores. Some parents feel that [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
TOP 10 Items In An OTs Tool Kit For Schools
An Occupational Therapist who works in schools has the advantage of being in a collaborative environment with teachers, aides, school counsellors and parents to [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
How do Occupational Therapists Help with Sensory Processing Disorder?
Occupational Therapists cover a broad scope of practice; however, one thing that we are commonly known to help with is children with sensory processing [..]
Read moreMotor Development
What Is Low Muscle Tone
Have you heard your child being described as having “low muscle tone” but wonder what on earth does it mean?! It’s a question that’s often raised with [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Building Resilience In Children
Occupational Therapy Helping Children in recent years have had an increase in referrals for building resilience in children or what is known in the Occupational [..]
Read moreSelf Care
Mindfulness and Occupational Therapy
Mindfulness is about bringing one’s attention to experiences, being present in the moment and bringing one’s awareness back to one’s self in order to connect [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
What is a paediatric Occupational Therapist?
Paediatric Occupational Therapists (OT) are regulated health care professionals that work with children and adolescents by assisting them in overcoming unique [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Importance of Routines and Visual Schedules
Can you imagine a life without a calendar, diary or phone reminder? How would we keep track of the appointments we have, places we are expected to be at and what [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Strategies to manage your child’s emotions during COVID19
Not sure how to express your emotions or manage them during this unprecedented time, let alone support your child to? Don’t panic, OTHC is here to help! We are [..]
Read moreSchool
Helping My Child Transition Back To School After Lockdown
There’s no doubt that the past few weeks of lockdown and homeschooling have been challenging and at times emotional, however, there may also have been wonderful [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
What is telehealth and why should I consider it for my child?
How to keep your child engaged in therapy services during Covid 19. The COVID-19 virus has rapidly spiralled in Australia and has caused many changes to life as we [..]
Read moreHandwriting
How to find the perfect pencil grip fit?
Ahh, the pencil grip. So many different types and sizes. We’ve all asked the questions - “What is the perfect grip for my child?” or “Is my child’s pencil [..]
Read moreMotor Development
How to Teach your Child to Ride a Bike
You may be wondering what are the skills required to ride a bike & how can we teach our children to do so! Bike riding is an excellent opportunity for your [..]
Read moreSelf Care
Toilet Training Tips
Toilet training and the skills needed for a successful experience If you’re starting to think about toilet training with your child, then you’ve undoubtedly [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
OT Therapy Tools at Kmart
Kmart is a wonderland when it comes to toys and gadgets for your child. Their affordable toys and stationery are a perfect way to keep your child entertained and [..]
Read moreSchool
Sensory Strategies for the Classroom
Classrooms are space for learning, exploration and creativity. However, this can sometimes come with a space that is overloaded with different sensory experiences [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Fun Activities to Help You Survive January with your Kids
Well the excitement of Christmas is over and the fun of New Year’s Eve has fizzled away. We’ve now hit those long January weeks and it’s at this time kids [..]
Read moreMotor Development
Gross motor activities for home
Why is gross motor important for your children? Gross motor is incredibly important in enabling children to perform everyday tasks and have the endurance to [..]
Read moreGroup Programs
Sense Rugby
For those of you who haven’t heard of Sense Rugby, it’s an Occupational Therapy based program designed to help kids who find it challenging to participate in [..]
Read moreSpeech Pathology
Lurking in the shadows: Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
Guest blog written by North Shore Speech Therapy Speech Pathologists often hear comments that the reason for a child’s poor performance at school is simply [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Pretend Play
When you hear the word ‘play’, you think of happiness, fun and enjoyment. You also may think that all kids must know how to play and how hard can it be? [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
What is Proprioception and Why Is It Important?
Proprioception is often known as the sixth sense, as it is a sense that is not commonly known. To put it simply, proprioception is the sense that tells the body [..]
Read moreSpeech Pathology
What are the milestones to look out for in speech and language development?
Children grow and develop at their own pace. While some might start to walk and talk earlier than expected, others might be delayed. Without the ability to [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
What is Interoception?
Interoception is often known as the “hidden sense” and is referred to as the eighth sensory system. It is the sense that tells us what is happening [..]
Read moreMotor Development
Dyspraxia ( Developmental Co-ordination Disorder) in Children
Remember back in school when there was always that ‘clumsy’ kid, who would easily trip over things, bump into people, was never the best at sport, and appeared [..]
Read moreSpeech Pathology
What does a paediatric speech pathologist assess and treat?
Guest blog written by Lauren Reinhardt, Director and Speech Pathologist for North Shore Speech Therapy Have you ever wondered what a Speech Pathologist actually [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
What is Sensory Processing Disorder?
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a complex disorder of the brain that affects both children and adults. People with Sensory Processing Disorder are not able to [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
Life as an OT student
The in’s and out’s of study, placement, and juggling life commitments as an OT student Written by Merinda Griffith Occupational Therapy, What is it and what [..]
Read moreMotor Development
Hypermobility in Children
So you think your child is hypermobile? Guest blog written by Cathy Molloy, Physiotherapist for Just for Kids Physio Hypermobility refers to the ability of a joint [..]
Read moreAutism
What does ASPERGER SYNDROME really mean?
We’ve all heard the term Asperger Syndrome, but what does it really mean?! The term was initially derived by Austrian Paediatrician Hans Asperger in the 1940s. To [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
The Whole-Brain Child | Book Review
‘The Whole-Brain Child’ by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson gives you a deeper understanding of the neuroscience of a child’s brain. The book provides [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
Occupational Therapy – What to Expect from a Kid’s OT Service
1. Initial Phone Call When you phone an Occupational Therapy practice for children, the person on the end of the line should be engaging and generally interested in [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Sydney’s New Inclusive Play Spaces
Time for an adventure: a new park that is inclusive of all children! “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Sporting Activities: Our Top OT Recommendations
Moving from the therapy environment to community activities Occupational Therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting the health and [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Top Summer Fun Activities
Holiday fun activities with an OT Perspective! Well done for making it through the last term of the year – it’s holiday time! The Aussie summer break is an [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Top Tips for Developing Resilience in Your Child
If your child struggles when things don’t go their way or if they encounter change or something unfamiliar, developing resilience skills may help them to cope [..]
Read moreADHD and Executive Functioning
How Can Occupational Therapy Help Kids with ADHD?
If your child has ADHD, Occupational Therapy sessions can be really beneficial to their development. Read on to find out how we can help your child. At Occupational [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Using Creativity to Develop Kids’ Fine Motor Skills
Fun at-home craft can be great for developing your child’s fine motor skills as well as their creativity and imagination. Here, we’ve shared how you can [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Learning Self-Regulation with The Zones of Regulation®
If your child struggles with emotional regulation, the Zones of Regulation® can be a great tool to help them. Our team recently had the opportunity to learn from [..]
Read moreHandwriting
Top Online Typing Programmes to Help Your Child Learn to Type
Learning to type is a skill children increasingly need in our tech-reliant world. So learning to type — and learning it correctly! — is important to help set [..]
Read moreADHD and Executive Functioning
How Occupational Therapy Can Help Your Child’s Executive Functioning
Learn about how your child could be struggling with their executive functioning and how Occupational Therapy can help them. Think about an executive of a company: [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
Sensory Processing: Our Learning Journey at the STAR Institute
Our Founder and Director, Lisa Hughes, recently went to the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder in the US, where she participated in an intensive [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
The Secret to Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Disorder
Helping your Child with Sensory Processing Disorders… it’s no longer a secret! Occupational Therapy Helping Children’s Founder and Director, Lisa Hughes, [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
How to Raise an Emotionally Health Child
How does your child know how they are feeling when they are playing with peers, with family or by themselves? As humans, we experience a huge range of emotions: [..]
Read moreHandwriting
Improving Your Child’s Letter Formations
It’s such an exciting moment when you can see your little one first starting to write their name for the first time! And to see all their (and your) hard work [..]
Read moreHandwriting
Improving Your Child’s Pencil Grip
As occupational therapists, teachers and parents often approach us about their children’s awkward pencil grasp. Left unaddressed, pencil grip problems can end up [..]
Read moreNutrition
The Essential Nutrient for Your Child’s Brain
Nutritionist, Amanda Ford, explains Omega-3’s key role in your child’s development and health. If you’ve ever wondered how you can support your child’s [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
What Exactly is ‘Sensory Processing’?
Have you heard the term ‘sensory processing’, but aren’t too sure what it really means? Don’t worry — you’re far from alone. So today we’re sharing [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
The Top 10 Books on Sensory Processing
Does your child have a sensory processing disorder and do you or your child’s teacher want to better understand how to help them? Occupational Therapy Helping [..]
Read moreNutrition
How To Survive The Winter Flu Season
Nutritionist Amanda Ford from Zest+Zing shares her top tips for helping your family avoid colds and the flu this winter. With the cold and flu season in full swing, [..]
Read moreSchool
Developmental Milestones Before Starting School
Is your child four or five years old and starting school next year? Transitioning from preschool to ‘big school’ is an exciting time — and a very big step for [..]
Read moreMotor Development
How to Tell if my Kindy child is meeting developmental milestones?
What skills are children developing in Kindergarten? There’s a lot more happening than may meet the eye… So, your little one has started Kindergarten, [..]
Read moreMotor Development
Understanding Your Child’s Development
We’ve unpacked the foundations of child development and share our tips for how you can manage and assist your child’s development. “What age [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Helping Manage Your Child’s Behaviour
Our Director and Senior Clinician, Lisa Hughes, has reviewed ‘The Bonsai Child’ by Judith Locke and shares her learnings about how to help our children develop [..]
Read moreNutrition
5 Healthy Back to School Snacks
Nutritionist Amanda Ford from Zest+Zing shares her top tips for making your kids’ lunchboxes healthy and tasty (including an easy recipe!). Preparing healthy [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
How to Handle the Holidays
Does your child sometimes find it hard to cope during the holidays? In this blog post we share our tips to help make the holidays easier and less stressful for you [..]
Read moreSchool
Should my child repeat next year?
There are lots of different opinions when it comes to repeating a year at school. Here, we share our insights from the latest research and our perspective as [..]
Read moreGroup Programs
Six Surprising Benefits of Holiday Groups
Occupational Therapy Helping Children’s Director and Senior Clinician, Lisa Hughes, shares some of the key benefits of group programmes she’s observed during [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Does My Child Need Help with their Social Skills?
Social awareness and interaction is an increasingly common area we, as Occupational Therapists, are helping children with. And it’s not just for children on the [..]
Read moreSchool
How can I help my child survive Term Four?
Occupational Therapy Helping Children’s founder and director, Lisa Hughes, shares her top tips to help your child finish the school year on a high. It’s [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Anxiety in Children
Everybody can feel worried or stressed at various stages. However, how do you know when simple worries or stresses are becoming too much? And how can you recognise [..]
Read moreMotor Development
Fine Motor Skills Explained
What are fine motor skills? You may have heard your occupational therapist, and sometimes teachers, use words such as fine motor strength, and dexterity when [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
Building Skills for Positive Eating & The SOS Approach to Feeding
Does your child struggle to tolerate a wide range of foods, despite trying every trick in the book? Or are you starting a little one on solids and want to know [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
How to Help Your Fussy Eater
Occupational Therapy Helping Children’s Founder and Senior Clinician, Lisa Hughes, shares how to help your picky eater develop their feeding skills. Often as [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Yoga and Occupational Therapy
There is a natural connection between Occupational Therapy (OT) and yoga. They both accentuate the importance of mind, body and spirit. There are numerous benefits [..]
Read moreMotor Development
Importance of core strength in children
Just as a tree needs a strong trunk to be able to hold its branches up, and withstand elements in its environment, a child requires a strong core to participate in [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
The Vestibular System
The vestibular system is a structure that is housed in the inner ear, very close to the auditory system. It is the sensory system that provides our brains with [..]
Read moreSocial and Emotional Skills
Developing Skills and Strategies for Emotional Regulation in children
Emotional regulation refers to an individual’s ability to recognise, process and act upon the emotions that they feel within different situations. Our capability [..]
Read moreHandwriting
HSC Special Provisions: How does it work?
If your child is in year 11 or 12 this year, chances are you may have heard the words “Special Provisions” floating around. But what does this mean for your [..]
Read moreMotor Development
W Sitting
“W” sitting describes the position of a child when sitting on the floor knees together and feet pointing outwards. Why do children W sit…? Children W sit [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
Sports-based programs catering to Kids with additional needs!
We all know that sports can have a positive effect on children, from learning about leadership, teamwork skills and all the physical benefits. But what if your [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
A Day in the Life of a Paediatric O.T.
Although many of your children may have had Occupational Therapy in the past, you may not know what an OT’s day-to-day routine consists of! Over the years I have [..]
Read moreSensory Processing Disorder
The Adaptable Brain
Child Neuroplasticity – An Overview We are always evolving, learning and changing, as children and as adults. Our brains, especially, are always adapting by what [..]
Read moreActivities for Home & in the Community
The Importance of Park Play
What are the benefits of taking your child to the park? The big, bright red apple…spinning, spinning, spinning, that’s the memory I remember most about [..]
Read moreHandwriting
Ten Quick Tips for Improving Handwriting
Ten Quick Tips for Improving [..]
Read moreSchool
How to Help Your Child Start the New School Year on a Positive Note
Portrait of young businessman with toy paper wings. Success, creative and startup concept. It’s not long now until children in Australia return to school. For [..]
Read moreOccupational Therapy Insights
Does Your Child Need Occupational Therapy?
How do you know if your child needs Occupational Therapy?
These are some of the red flags to look out for: -
· Does your child have difficulty hopping, [..]
Read moreHandwriting
The Importance of Good Sitting Posture for Handwriting
Maintaining good posture ensures your body is in good alignment and that stress on your muscles, joints and ligaments are distributed evenly across your body. Poor [..]
Read moreHandwriting
Extremely Useful iPad Apps for Letter Formation
Is your child having difficulty forming their letters or numbers correctly? Or have they mastered the pre-writing shapes and now starting to learn those letters? [..]
Read moreSchool
School-based Therapy: How does it work?
At Occupational Therapy Helping Children, we conduct treatment in a number of settings. These include our private clinics, the school setting and occasionally in [..]
Read moreHandwriting
Helping your left handed child written by a left handed OT
August 13th is international left handers day, the one day of the year that all left handers can celebrate. What do we know about being left handed? Left handers [..]
Read moreSchool
Part 2 – School Readiness – Is My Child Ready to Start School
Part 2 - School Readiness. Is your child ready to start [..]
Read moreSchool
Part 1 – School Readiness – Is My Child Ready to Start School
Welcome to part 1 of our School Readiness blopost. It’s that time of the year where Occupational Therapist’s start receiving lots of pre-schooler [..]
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