Paediatric Occupational Therapy near Petersham
Giving your child the skills and confidence to thrive.
Nurture your child's growth
Wherever your child is on their development journey, our team is here alongside you. Whether they have a developmental delay, a disability, are neurodivergent, or simply need a little extra support, our engaging occupational therapy sessions encourage your child to work towards greater independence.
The team at Inner West Paediatrics has supported children with many different abilities and disabilities. Among these are autism, global developmental delay, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, genetic differences, learning difficulties, ADHD, social-emotional difficulties, trauma, and behavioural differences.
What our occupational therapy team can offer
We work with your child on essential skills for participating in meaningful everyday activities, including play, going to school, and self-care (feeding, dressing, and toileting).
This includes fine and gross motor skills, building strategies that support attention and concentration, developing play and social interaction skills, and creating regulation strategies for emotional, sensory and behavioural needs. We offer several ways for your family to access care, including:
In-person OT
Mobile occupational therapy
Online OT
How we help skills grow
Fine and gross motor skills
Our therapists take a close look at foundational motor skills like strength and endurance, stability, balance, coordination, and motor planning. We create strategies to support your child so they may joyfully join in the activities that matter to them.
Self-care tasks and activities of daily living
We take everyday tasks like dressing, toileting, eating, sleeping, and personal hygiene and break them down, supporting your child to manage them more independently.
Play and social interaction
We spend time understanding what your child enjoys, their sensory preferences and aversions, how they interact, and the level of play they’re at. We also consider the skills and understanding of family members and other important people. We then develop enjoyable play ideas and strategies to help your child form meaningful social connections and interactions through daily routines, and to build the capacity, skills and confidence of the important people around your child to take part in meaningful play.
Regulation (Emotional, Sensory, Attention)
Our occupational therapists support your child to develop strategies for emotional regulation, sensory regulation, and attention, so they may take part in important activities as comfortably and independently as they can. We also work with you and other important people in your child’s life to build strategies and skills, and to adapt tasks and environments that help your child thrive.
Functional Capacity Assessments
An FCA provides clear, evidence-based recommendations to support NDIS applications or reviews, advocate for the right supports, and guide therapy planning and collaboration with schools and other professionals. We spend time with you and your child to gather all the necessary information and create a comprehensive report about your child’s abilities. We may also recommend therapies, accommodations, assistive technology, and next steps.
Community and School Participation
Our occupational therapists can support you and your child in identifying the school and community activities that are important to them and in developing strategies to support their participation.
Looking for the right support for your child?
Our paediatric occupational therapists partner with families to offer personalised support shaped around your child’s individual strengths and needs.
How research shapes our OT
- DIR Floortime principles
- SCERTS®
- Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP Approach)
- Learn to Play approach
- Occupational Performance Coaching
- Handwriting Without Tears programs
- Toileting interventions
- Sleep interventions
- Zones of Regulation
- Alert Program
- Autism Level UP
- Regulation and sensory supports
- Upper limb programs including CIMT & bimanual skill programs
- Cognitive interventions
Common questions about occupational therapy
What exactly is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy aims to support people to build independence and improve their quality of life by addressing physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges.
What areas can an occupational therapist support?
Occupational therapy can assist with many different areas, from fine motor skills, coordination, and self-care tasks through to social skills, emotional regulation, and attention.
When should I consider occupational therapy for my child?
When your child is finding everyday tasks tricky, whether that’s getting dressed, holding a pencil, managing emotions, or interacting with peers, it may be time to explore OT support. If you’re unsure, contact us, and our team can help you identify what they may benefit from.
How do your OT therapists approach intervention?
Our occupational therapists start by working alongside you and your child to understand your priorities and set meaningful goals. Intervention then centres on activities that build the skills your child needs, while adapting tasks, environments or routines where helpful to support participation in everyday life.
What speech and occupational therapies do you provide?
- Hanen Programs (It Takes Two to Talk, More Than Words, Target Word, Talkability, Learning Language and Loving it)
- DIR Floortime Principles
- Learn to Play approach
- Key Word Sign
- Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT)
- SOS Feeding Approach
- Responsive Feeding Approach
- The Lidcombe Program
- Sounds~Write
- Meaningful Speech for Gestalt Language Processors
- Occupational Performance Coaching
- High and Low Tech AAC assessment, trial and intervention
- Handwriting Without Tears programs
- Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP Approach)
- Toileting interventions
- Zones of Regulation
- Alert Program
- Regulation and sensory supports
- Upper limb programs including CIMT & bimanual skill programs
- Cognitive interventions
Do you provide resources for parents and carers to use at home?
Yes. Our therapists provide parents and carers with practical resources and strategies to support their child’s development between sessions, because meaningful progress happens in everyday life, not in the clinic.
How can OT support be funded?
Support your child beyond OT
The Inner West Paediatrics difference
Thoughtfully matched support
Through a thorough triage process, we carefully pair a therapist with your child and family based on the details you share, so the right support is in place from day one.
A family-centred approach
Our team is focused on growing parent and carer confidence and skills, so they feel equipped to support their child's long-term independence.
Proudly local
Independently owned and locally operated, Inner West Paediatrics offers community-first care that puts your family first.
Local occupational therapy your family can count on in Petersham
We believe all children should be given the tools they need to grow and learn with confidence, which is why we offer tailored OT support in Petersham. If your child is struggling with daily activities, reach out to our committed team today.