OTMe App, Perth (2025)

28/10/2025

Happy 🌈🦋
Here’s to all the amazing OTs making a difference every single day!
We see you and we appreciate you 💟

27/10/2025

It’s OT Week! 💙🦋
A time to celebrate the amazing occupational therapists who help children learn, grow, and thrive through everyday activities.

From supporting emotional regulation to building independence — OTs do so much more than most people ever realise.
They meet children where they are, see their unique strengths, and gently guide them toward new possibilities one step at a time 🧩

Whether it’s helping a child write their first sentence, get dressed on their own, or feel calm in a busy classroom — every moment matters.

This week, we say thank you to all the OTs making a difference in homes, schools, and communities.
Your care, creativity, and dedication make the world brighter for so many families ☀️

#2025

18/10/2025

When your child says ‘I don’t want to!’, it can sound like defiance, but often, it’s a signal that something deeper is going on⚠️

OT research shows that motivation and regulation are very closely linked (Porges, 2011*; Dunn, 2014**).
When a child’s sensory or emotional system is overloaded, their brain’s ability to plan, focus, or persist through a task drops. So what comes out isn’t “I can’t handle this” — it’s “I don’t want to!”😡

🧩Here’s what might be underneath those words:
• The task feels too big or unpredictable.
• Their body needs movement, a snack, or quiet time.
• They’re low on emotional energy or confidence.

🌱 Try responding with curiosity instead of correction:
• “What’s making it feel hard right now?”
• “Do you want to start together?”
• “Would a short break help?”

💡 Fun fact: Research on the Polyvagal Theory (Porges, 2011*) shows that when kids feel safe and regulated, their motivation naturally increases, because their nervous system shifts from defensive to engaged.

At OT-Me. we help families decode these moments and support kids in building routines that make daily tasks feel doable — not daunting 🌈🦋

*Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
**Dunn, W. (2014). Sensory Profile 2: User’s Manual. San Antonio, TX: Pearson.

04/10/2025

We all know the classic 5 senses… but did you know there are two ‘hidden’ senses that are just as important for children’s development?

⚖️ Vestibular (balance & movement):
This sense comes from the inner ear and tells us where our head and body are in space. It helps kids stay upright, coordinate movements, and even supports attention. (That’s why spinning, swinging, or tipping upside down can be so regulating or overwhelming!)

📦 Proprioception (body awareness):
This sense comes from our muscles and joints. It tells the brain how much force to use, whether that’s carrying a backpack, holding a pencil, or giving a hug. Kids who seek ‘heavy work’ (like pushing furniture or crashing into pillows) are often craving proprioceptive input.

🌱 Fun fact (backed by research!):
Studies in occupational therapy show that movement and proprioceptive activities (often called ‘heavy work’) can calm the nervous system, improve regulation, and even boost focus in school tasks (Schaaf & Mailloux, 2015). Things like animal walks, jumping on a trampoline, or carrying groceries aren’t “just play” — they’re the body’s way of organising itself and getting ready to learn.

At OT-Me., we build activities around all seven senses — because supporting sensory integration is key to helping kids feel grounded, confident, and ready to learn 🧩🌈🦋

27/09/2025

🏖️Summer means beach days, BBQs, and long hours outside… but for many neurodivergent kids, it can also mean sensory overload!!!
Here’s why:
☀️ Heat + humidity amplify discomfort, especially for kids with sensory sensitivities.
👕 Sticky clothing or sunscreen can feel unbearable on sensitive skin.
🎆 Summer sounds like crowds, music, fireworks all add layers of overstimulation.

Fun fact: Research shows that when body temperature rises, the nervous system is more reactive to sensory input (Gaoua, 2010). That’s why small irritations (like tags or loud noise) can feel so much bigger in the heat!

💡OT tips for keeping cool:
•Choose lightweight, breathable fabrics (cotton, bamboo or linen).
•Use cooling tools: handheld fans, wet towels, frozen water bottles.
•Plan quiet breaks indoors after high-energy outdoor play.
•Build predictable routines into summer days (even a loose one helps reduce uncertainty).

At OT-Me., we help families understand how environment + sensory inputs needs to interact — so kids can enjoy summer without the meltdown 💟🧩

*Gaoua, N. (2010). Cognitive function in hot environments: A question of methodology. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.

22/09/2025

Packing up. Leaving the park. Moving from homework to dinner…
For many kids, especially neurodivergent children — these transitions can feel overwhelming. Research shows that difficulty with transitions is often linked to challenges in executive functioning and sensory processing ⛈️

Here is what that means:
🔹 Executive functioning: Shifting attention from one task to another requires cognitive flexibility, which can be harder for ADHD and autistic kids.
🔹 Sensory regulation: A noisy, stimulating environment can make it even harder to “switch gears.”
🔹 Emotional load: Unexpected changes add stress, sometimes leading to meltdowns.

Here’s where routines help. By creating predictable patterns and using visual cues, children learn to anticipate what’s coming next. This reduces anxiety, supports regulation, and makes daily life smoother.

At OT-Me., we provide therapist-designed strategies that help families turn transitions into calmer, more manageable moments. Because sometimes, the hardest part isn’t the activity itself, it’s the switch between them 💟

14/09/2025

Skills aren’t built overnight. They’re stacked like building blocks, through daily routines 🧱

Occupational therapy research shows that consistent routines:
🌱 Reduce anxiety by making the day more predictable *
🌱 Support emotional regulation and smoother transitions **
🌱 Build independence and confidence through repetition ***

For neurodivergent kids and teens, this is especially powerful. What looks like “just brushing teeth” or “packing a bag” is actually practice in executive functioning, sensory regulation, and self-care skills. Each routine is another block that helps them grow stronger 🌈

At OT-Me., we turn research into practice with therapist-designed activities that slot naturally into daily life — so families can keep building, block by block, until the big picture takes shape 💟

Because progress isn’t about one big leap. It’s about the steady stacking of everyday wins!

Check out these References if you want to learn more:
*American Occupational Therapy Association (2021). Practice Guidelines for Children & Youth.
**Fiese, B.H., et al. (2002). Family Routines and Rituals: A Context for Development in the Lives of Young Children.
***The OT Hub (2023). The Power of Routine.

10/09/2025

Everyday routines that seem ‘simple’ can feel like mountains for neurodivergent kids and teens ⛰️✨
Getting dressed, focusing at school, brushing teeth, transitioning between activities — each comes with invisible challenges most people don’t see.

When parents begin to look at daily life through their child’s eyes, those struggles start to make sense. It’s not defiance. It’s overwhelm. It’s not laziness. It’s executive functioning or sensory overload.

At OT-Me, we help families turn those challenges into opportunities for growth — with therapist-designed strategies and activities that fit real life 🌱

08/09/2025

Who says therapy has to take hours?⏱️

With OT-Me., even just 5 minutes a day of simple, therapist-designed activities can make a real difference in your child’s development. Whether it’s practicing fine motor skills, emotional regulation, or daily routines, these short bursts of consistent practice help skills stick, even between sessions.

Think of it as building a habit: small steps every day add up to big wins over time. And the best part? It’s easy to fit into your family’s daily routine — before breakfast, after school, or right before bedtime!

Don’t wait for progress to happen, make it part of your day, every day ☀️🌱

03/09/2025

Occupational therapy works best with consistency.
Progress doesn’t come from one session a fortnight — it comes from daily routines, repeated practice, and small steps that add up over time 🌱

But here’s the hard truth many families face:
💬 The average OT session in Australia costs $135–$260.
💬 Waitlists can stretch months (even years).
💬 And without regular follow-up, kids can lose momentum.

That’s why bridging the gap matters. Whether you’re waiting, in between sessions, or needing something more affordable, consistent support helps kids:
🧩 Build skills steadily
🧩 Feel confident in daily life
🧩 Generalise what they learn into home, school, and play

OT-Me. was designed with this in mind, giving families access to therapist-designed routines, strategies, and goal-tracking every single day from just $59/month.

Because consistency shouldn’t be a privilege, it should be possible 💟

28/08/2025

Because the challenges don’t stop at 12…
⠀
The jump into the teen years brings a whole new set of skills to navigate: bigger emotions, more independence, friendships that matter more, the pressure of school, and the tricky balance of wanting freedom while still needing support.
⠀
Many families tell us: “We wish there was something like OT-Me, but for teens.”
And we’ve been listening 👀
⠀
We’re working on resources designed for this next stage of life — because regulation, routines, and confidence are just as important in high school as they are in primary school.
⠀✨ More details soon…

25/08/2025

Let’s Play a Game!
☀️Can you match the everyday task to the skill behind it?

Things like buttoning shirts, opening lunchboxes, and packing school bags might look “simple”… but they actually rely on BIG skills like planning, hand strength, and motor coordination.

💬Here’s the fun part: comment below with your guesses before we reveal the answer on our story!

It’s a great reminder that when kids struggle with these daily tasks, it’s usually a skills gap — not laziness.

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