If your child is experiencing delays in developmental areas you may be referred for an occupational therapy (OT) assessment. An OT assessment is a comprehensive evaluation conducted by a qualified occupational therapist to gather information about your child's sensory, motor, cognitive, and behavioural skills.

The assessment helps to identify any challenges or delays your child may be experiencing in their daily activities. It provides a basis for creating a personalised treatment plan. Here's what you can expect from an OT assessment for your child:

1. Initial parent (or caregiver) meeting: The process typically starts with an initial chat with you. Your occupational therapist will gather information about your child's medical history, developmental milestones, concerns, and goals for the assessment.
2. Observation: The therapist will observe your child, this may be in various settings, such as during play, self-care tasks, and school-related activities, to understand their behaviour, social interactions, and responses to different environments.
3. Standardised Assessments: The therapist may use various standardised tools to assess your child's skills and abilities in areas such as fine motor skills, gross motor skills, visual-motor integration, sensory processing, and self-care tasks.
4. Sensory Processing Assessment: A significant part of the OT assessment focuses on sensory processing, which examines how your child responds to sensory input (e.g., touch, sound, movement). It helps identify any sensory sensitivities or difficulties that may impact their daily functioning.
5. Fine Motor Skills: The therapist will assess your child's ability to perform tasks that require precise hand movements based on their age and ability, such as handwriting, cutting with scissors, and manipulating small objects.
6. Visual Perception and Motor Integration: This component assesses how well your child can interpret visual information and use it to guide their movements, like copying shapes or drawing.
7. Self-Care Skills: Your occupational therapist will examine your child's ability to perform essential self-care tasks independently, such as dressing, eating, and grooming.
8. Problem-Solving and Cognitive Skills: Some assessments may include tasks to evaluate your child's problem-solving abilities, attention, memory, and other cognitive skills.
9. Parent/Caregiver Input: Your therapist may provide questionnaires or forms for you to complete to gather additional information about the child's behaviour, habits, and their participation in daily activities.
10. Report and Recommendations: Following the assessment, your occupational therapist will analyse the findings and compile a detailed report. This report will include strengths, areas of concern, and specific recommendations for intervention strategies and activities to support your child's development.
11. Goal Setting: You will work together with your OT to set meaningful and achievable goals based on the assessment results. These goals will guide your child's treatment plan.

Remember that your child’s OT assessment will be tailored to their individual needs and concerns. The process may vary depending on your child's age, developmental stage, and ability. The ultimate aim of the assessment is to help your to child reach their maximum potential and improve their independence in daily life activities.

Get in touch

If you’d like to book an OT assessment for your child, our team of experienced OTs are ready to help. Simply call us on 1800 XAVIER or complete the form on our OT page and we will be in touch.