The Right Therapy for the Right Goal
Therapy is not a diagnosis.
Different therapies address different functional difficulties. The choice of therapy should therefore follow assessment of the child's needs.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy may address:
Fine motor skills
Hand function
Coordination
Sensory processing
Attention and regulation
Visual-motor skills
Functional independence
Activities required for school and everyday life
Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and language therapy may address:
Understanding language
Expressive language
Speech production
Pronunciation
Communication
Conversation
Social communication
Alternative and augmentative communication when appropriate
Remedial Education
Remedial education provides targeted academic support for children with learning difficulties.
It may focus on:
Reading
Spelling
Writing
Mathematics
Study skills
Academic organisation
Parent-Mediated Intervention
Parents spend far more time with the child than any therapist.
Teaching parents how to create learning and communication opportunities throughout the day can therefore be an important part of intervention.
Therapy Should Have Goals
A therapy plan should answer three questions:
What are we trying to improve?
How will we work on it?
How will we know whether it is improving?
Therapy should be reviewed and modified when the child's needs change.
