Occupational Therapy

Helping Children Thrive Aotearoa offers private paediatric Occupational Therapy in Hawkes Bay.

The process of seeking additional support can be daunting for many parents. Our aim is to provide a whanau focused service in which we pride ourselves on providing a holistic approach.


When to seek support?

An Occupational Therapy assessment is recommended when children are having difficulty with specific learning tasks such as poor focus, behavioural issues, fine/gross motor skills delays, poor handwriting, remembering verbal/written information, having trouble putting their ideas onto paper, difficulties with initiating or finishing tasks, difficulty in organisation.


Duration of an assessment:

The duration of an Occupational Therapy assessment will vary based on the child however, it is approximately 90 minutes. This includes using valid and reliable standardised testing and/or clinical observations in a variety of settings to test various areas of child development – these include but are not limited to:

  • Visual processing i.e perception, tracking & visual memory
  • Handwriting and letter formation
  • Dyspraxia
  • Eye hand coordination
  • Gross Motor / Fine Motor skills
  • Auditory processing / listening skills
  • Working memory
  • Processing speed
  • Sensory Processing Disorder
  • Can support with Pediatrician diagnosis i.e. ASD / ADHD / ADD and anxieties.
  • Behavioural and emotional challenges such as anxieties, low self esteem, social skills, focus/concentration as well as motivation.


Following an assessment:

After an assessment has been completed, it may be recommended that your child receives up to an hour occupational therapy sessions weekly to address the underlying areas stated in the assessment. These can be done as individual sessions (charged at a separate rate) or as part of a visit to the Helping Children Thrive Equine Relationship Centre for either a day or half a day a week (This is included as part of the charge for the time spent at the centre). We can also refer you to the Child Development Service at the hospital and you are welcome to join the wait list for their Occupational Therapist for sessions.


Our Occupational Therapy programmes are designed specifically for your child based on the recommendations in the assessment findings. Successful Occupational Therapy programmes vary in time required to participate – our Occupational Therapist will design a programme that is individual and will ensure the best outcome for your child.


What we can support with

  • Dyslexia/Dysgraphia
  • Developmental Delays (Gross motor and Fine motor)
  • Auditory Processing Delays (APD)
  • Visual Processing Delays i.e tracking, perception, visual memory
  • Dyspraxia
  • Cognitive Issues i.e Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
  • Learning Difficulties (memory delays i.e long-term/short-term/working memory)
  • Behavioural/Emotional issues
  • Genetic Disorders


Pricing:

Occupational Therapy Full Assessment - $450 + GST

Occupational Therapy Session: $100 +GST

Book An Occupational Therapy Assessment Book An Occupational Therapy Session

What to expect from the assessment process?

  • Initial Assessment

    Valid and reliable standardised testing and/or clinical observations in a variety of settings are used to assess your child’s various areas of learning. The assessments required will be decided by the Occupational Therapist and the child’s whanau to ensure that you get the right assessment of the child.

  • Feedback

    After the assessment, you will have the opportunity to meet with the Occupational Therapist and discuss their findings. You will also be given a copy of the full Occupational Therapist’s assessment in a report that you will be able to share with anyone you wish too.

  • Support in Education

    We are happy to offer as part of the assessment process the opportunity for the Occupational Therapist to come into your child’s educational setting and discuss their findings.

    We are also able to offer the opportunity for the Occupational Therapist to work with the staff in the education setting to best support any identified needs that your child may have.

  • Occupational Therapy Sessions

    Based on the recommendations in the report, Occupational Therapy sessions are designed specifically for your child. They are designed to be interactive and fun. These sessions can be completed at an educational setting (a separate cost will occur) or as part of the package when your child attends the Helping Children Thrive Equine Relationship centre (cost included in the daily/half daily charge for attending the centre).

    To best support your child, it may be that our Occupational Therapist recommends activities that will support their needs that can be carried out within the educational setting by the educational staff. This recommendation could be instead of private Occupational Therapy sessions or alongside them. If this is a recommendation then we will support the school with training to ensure the staff are able to complete these activities appropriately.

  • Reassessment

    Recommendations for reassessment will be discussed during the feedback meeting as it is hard to say when or if this would be recommended. It may be that if a programme of intervention has been recommended that a reassessment is discussed for 4 months, 6 months or 12 months (indicative timelines rather than guaranteed timelines).