Occupational Therapy
Autism
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how children perceive the world, communicate (verbal and nonverbal), and their social skills and behaviour.
Every child that is autistic is special, unique and has different needs. At the Kids Place together with the family/ whanau, we seek to understand both the child’s neurodevelopmental differences and their strengths. We aim to help them reach their potential, while concurrently supporting the difficulties that are more challenging for them.
A child that is autistic interprets the world and what is happening around them differently than other children and can have unique and positive traits that may be rare or even nonexistent among neurotypical people. It is important to note that these positive traits are present in every child that is autistic.
At The Kids Place:
- We conduct screenings and assessments of the many underlying skills which may affect attention and concentration (e.g. visual and auditory memory, sensory processing difficulties, visual skills).
- We offer individual sessions to develop the skills required for sustained attention and concentration.
- We support your child to learn how to self-monitor and implement strategies to ready their body for learning.
- We provide strategies and recommendations to support attention and organisation at home and school. This may include changing positioning in the classroom, supports like a fidget toy, decluttering visual stimulation, to name just a few of many options.
- We meet with other professionals (e.g. teachers) to plan how to best support your child’s learning journey and maximise their potential.
- We offer formal and informal feedback to other professionals (e.g. paediatricians) if requested by you.
- We are happy to write a short referral to a Paediatrician of your choice if you wish for further investigation, and request this from us in writing (email).