Occupational Therapy Assessment

17/01/2023

Autism is:

Unable to speak, or maybe speaking too much
Hugging everyone, or disliking touch
Escaping outside,
Or trying to hide
Excitedly flapping
Inappropriate clapping
Autism varies so much

Won't wear a coat, or wears one all year round
Fussy eater, or would eat dirt from the ground
Screaming or humming
Annoyingly drumming
Toys in a line
The same way every time
Autism varies so much

Struggling to learn, or has wonderful gifts
Obsessions of numbers, trains, films or lifts
Spinning around
Throws things on the ground
Constantly spitting
Aggressively hitting
Autism varies so much

Alone without friends, or controls every game
Always looks different, always dresses the same
Swinging on doors
Head banging on floors
Freaks at the dryer
Keeps climbing higher
Autism varies so much.

Can't answer questions, won't do as they're told
In their own world or bossy and bold
Over prepared
Anxious and scared
A spectrum so wide
But they all bring us pride
When autism touches our lives.

I support autism awareness always

Copy & Paste If You Do Too! 🥰

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Support, don’t stare or ridicule, its genuine, and can’t be helped. Support is welcomed, this could be any child, any parents daily struggle, but understanding and patience is a virtue .

19/11/2022

Very true!

A change in perspective...

via Creative Child Magazine

19/11/2022

Lovely post. Worth a read 👍

As an occupational therapist, I always encourage play!

Whether children are very young, not even ready for preschool. Or perhaps they are middle school students, spent and ready to unwind at the end of a long school day.

Play serves many functions, such as building skills like thinking, planning, sequencing, initiating. Play also is self-calming and regulating. This is true for people of all ages, as seen in a game of tag or some red light, green light!

Often though, play looks different for autistic children, and can present as what used to be called "non-purposeful" or rote. An example of this might include lining up toys or cars. But let's reframe this using a neurodiversity-affirming perspective.

Lining up toys brings organization to what may be a messy bin of items and perhaps introduces order to an overwhelming world. In fact, this type of play may be extremely calming to an overwhelmed child; more time engaging in this occupation could mean the difference between having a meltdown during a long school day or feeling calm and self-regulated.

In addition to these potential benefits for this type of play, there are many skills that are being addressed as well, only some of which are even mentioned in this visual!

A supportive idea is to gently and respectfully join an autistic child as they engage in this type of play. Line up cars yourself. Determine your own criteria for what cars go where in your own row.

Imitating a child in this way validates their actions and lets them know that their ideas are valuable and respected, which in turn will increase an autistic child's self-confidence and feelings of worth!

02/11/2022

Unfortunately I am no longer in a position to offer private paediatric Occupational therapy assessment or interventions. I have been so privileged to have met and worked with so many wonderful families from all over the country over the past few years…thank you all so much and I wish you continued success 🥰

Please check out www.AOTI.ie for a listing of private Occupational Therapists who are CORU registered.

Wishing you all the best
Carla

We understand that everyone has different needs and that's why we want to help you find the right private occupational therapist for you.

27/08/2022

Very useful tips to assist sensory sensitive children to transition smoothly back to school. Credits to www.sensorysmarts.com

17/05/2022

This is what living life to the full looks like!!!!
No inhibitions, just be you!!!!!

11/02/2022

One of the things I often wish I could do, is go back to the doctor that I met when Joseph was a few hours old. I wish I could go back knowing what I know now...

Dear Doctor,

I know it’s early in the morning and you have just come on shift. It’s a Monday too. The start of another busy week and midwife has come and found you. Telling you, you need to see the baby boy in room 1A.

And you are dreading examining him. Because if the midwife is pretty sure she’s seen those signs then you know she’s probably right. But it will be left to you to confirm it and deliver the news to a mother with no idea.

Then you walk in the room and see her and your heart sinks a little lower. She’s got that new mother glow and happiness about her and you know you are about to break her world.

But don’t be scared.

Don’t be scared of all those little signs that you are hoping you won’t see, but that are there.

See those eyes? The ones shaped like large almonds with the epicanthal folds? Well soon they will open wide. They will have brushfield spots (another common trait) that will make them shine like they have had diamonds placed in them. Those eyes will see the world and look deep into the soul of those around him and steal their hearts.

See that nose with it’s flat nasal bridge? That will be the cutest nose his sister has ever seen.
See those feet? The ones with the sandal toe gap? Those feet will soon walk and he will follow his daddy everywhere. He will walk 130 miles around town with his daddy before he reaches four. They will kick a ball and they will run.

See that floppiness? That’s caused by low muscle tone. That will become stronger. It will leave those around him in awe of how hard he works to get stronger. It will also leave him able to give the best cuddles.

And those hands? Those hands that you are dreading unfolding to see the single line crease. Those hands will build blocks and hold books. Those hands will grasp his mother’s hand every night before he sleeps. And she will dread the day he gets too old and stops.

So doctor don’t be scared. Those things you see aren’t there to be feared. They are the very things that make him beautiful and make him powerful. They are the things his family will adore.

For yes you are about to change this mother’s world, but you will not break it. You are about to tell her that she’s just welcomed something wonderful into her life.

Don’t tell her you’re sorry. Because you shouldn’t be.

Tell her congratulations. Tell her that the road ahead may not always be easy. But tell her it will always, always be worth it.

From
The Mum of the baby boy in room 1A

Author Unknown

05/02/2022

Our Primary School Children have recorded a song with a video in the h… Aideen Mulligan needs your support for Children Sing for Children - Autism Fundraiser

23/09/2021

🔵Asiam.ie Fundraiser🔵
Tap your card in selected SuperValu stores this Thurs-Sat & donate €2 to support AsIAm & the autism community.
You can also donate online ➡️ https://asiam.ie/donate/

22/04/2021

A lovely well written article. Wishing Juliette-Mai as her family all the very best.

EX-RIVERDANCE stars Padraic Moyles and Niamh O’Connor have opened up about raising a child with autism and seeing her “fade into a different world”. The couple’s daughter Juliette-May, 6, was diagn…

29/03/2021

Check this out!! For children with additional sensory needs- Ear defenders, weighted blankets and “chill out” tents- arriving in store in Lidl on Thursday.

World Autism Day from Thursday, 01.04 - Lidl Ireland