Shire Therapy Group | Occupational therapist

Shire Therapy Group

Phone: +61 2 8515 0666

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25.01.2022 BLOG POST: MOTOR FUNCTION Motor skills are the basic foundation for learning. Did you know that all of the activities and movement that we do as infants, toddlers and children help to prepare our body and brain to learn? To find out more about Motor Skills, why they are important and how Occupational Therapy helps build Motor Function - check out the full blog post here: https://bit.ly/3iCzaux

24.01.2022 Monday was the final day for our Term 3 School Readiness program, The children have done an amazing job this term and have learnt so much! We have worked on our letter sounds, as well as our one to one correspondence and number recognition. The children have tried their very best and we are so proud. Congratulations! If you would like to enrol for our Term 4 Program, please contact us on 02 8555 0616.

24.01.2022 How many ways can you make the letter F? Tactically creating letters is a great and fun way to improve recognition of letters. It can improve spatial awareness as children can experiment with the shape and size of the letters, improve hand eye coordination and develop fine motor skills. Get creative making letters at home using any craft supplies or household objects such as pom poms, pebbles, lego, toothpicks or playdough.

23.01.2022 We currently have new positions available for assessments at the start of 2021! Please contact reception on (02) 8515 0666 to book your child in today.

23.01.2022 LEGO LEGENDS - SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM Shire Therapy Group will be running Lego Workshops during the upcoming July School Holidays. All are welcome - Bring your school mates or siblings!... Some of the benefits of structured group Lego play include: Fine Motor Skills Problem Solving Social Skills Sensory Processing Visual Perception Teamwork, Sharing & Turn taking WHERE: Shire Therapy Group WHEN: July School Holidays Week 1: Wednesday 8th July 9.30am - 12.30am &/or Week 2: Wednesday 15th July 9.30am - 12.30am WHAT: 1 x 3 hour session per week. Your child may attend one or both sessions - each session varies in content and provides new opportunities to develop skills. Please contact reception on 8515 0666 to find out more or book your child in today.

23.01.2022 We still have a few places left in LEGO LEGENDS for Wednesday 7th October. The session runs 9.30am - 12.30pm. Lots of fun and laughs (and LEGO!) guaranteed. Call us on 8515 0666 to book your child in today.

23.01.2022 Congratulations to our latest School Readiness Program Graduates We are so proud of all of the hard work you put in and know you will have such a wonderful time when you start Kindergarten! Pictured are just a few of the smiling faces that took part in our Term 4 Program. There are limited places remaining in our January Intensive School Readiness program - so make sure you get in quick to secure a place. To register your interest, visit: https://bit.ly/3ntszFx

22.01.2022 Roll it, squish it, pat it! We love playdough at Shire Therapy Group. It can be used to develop so many skills including: - Bilateral coordination - Sensory regulation - Finger strength and isolation - Arch development... - Hand-eye coordination - Fine motor skills Playdough can be purchased for a low cost at most supermarkets, discount/variety stores and larger retail stores. Making Playdough is also super easy and a great activity to do at home with your children. Here is a simple, no cook recipe: https://www.kidspot.com.au//no-cook-play-dough-re/86ok7dsn

22.01.2022 DID YOU KNOW....Tying shoelaces is a complex ‘big kid’ task that requires fine motor strength, finger isolation, bilateral coordination, planning and sequencing skills, visual-motor integration and tactile discrimination! Yep, something we do without much thought each day can be incredibly challenging (and exciting) for children. Difficulties in any one of these skills can make mastering this childhood milestone seem almost impossible. At Shire Therapy Group, our therapists are trained to break down and analyse tasks to identify which steps a child is having difficulties with, and address the underlying reasons why. Call us on 02 8515 0666 to find out more or to book an appointment for your child.

22.01.2022 NEW BLOG POST: SCREEN TIME & CHILD DEVELOPMENT In the midst of the current COVID-19 climate, it seems that there has been ongoing discussions in the therapy world about monitoring and limiting the use of devices and screen time for little ones. The potential adversity of screen time on a child’s development has become an immediate concern. It seems that COVID-19 has been made both easier and harder by screen time Check out our blog post to read Occupational Therapist, Lauren's, taken on it. Click here to read the blog: https://bit.ly/2WddyML

22.01.2022 Shire Therapy Group now offers one-on-one tutoring sessions for children aged 5-12 Has your child fallen behind with online learning? Do you have some concerns about whether your child is ready to make the leap into the next school grade? One-on-one tutoring is a fantastic way to build your child's literacy and numeracy knowledge foundations. Starting with an initial assessment, sessions are then tailored to build confidence in the areas the child needs assistance as well a...s build upon and challenge the children in the areas they are already demonstrating proficiency. If you would like to find our more, or book your child in for tutoring today please get in touch with us on (02) 8515 0666.

22.01.2022 BLOG POST: Demystifying Sensory Processing Sensory processing is the way in which our peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system manage information from all of the sources of sensory input. An abundance of sensory information in some children can result in challenges such as poor motor coordination and planning, added movement, inattention or impulsive behaviour. These challenges can result in impaired social-emotional skills and disordered conduct. To find out more in the blog post, read here: https://bit.ly/2Xz1Uvi

21.01.2022 *Alert for Parents Regarding Social Media* There is an extremely graphic video circulating on Social Media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok. We strongly recommend keeping your children offline today and tomorrow if possible, and heavily supervise all social media interactions until this content is removed. Check with your children to determine if they have viewed this clip. They are likely to be extremely distressed. Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

21.01.2022 A big welcome to Shire Therapy Group, Rebecca Allouche Speech Pathology Rebecca is now seeing Speech Pathology clients in the Shire Therapy Rooms. To help introduce her services, Rebecca has written a blog post about about Speech Sound Development which you can read here: https://bit.ly/34jOurf... To find out more about Rebecca, Speech Pathology and how to book in, please click here: https://bit.ly/37pn9pH

21.01.2022 What a great start to our Intensive School Readiness Program today! We had lots of fun tracing letters and numbers, working on phonemes and words that start with certain letters, 1-to-1 correspondence with letters & pegs and some group games to assist with turn taking and team work skills. A big morning of learning essential skills, making new friends and most importantly - lots of smiles all around By keeping the group size small and having multiple facilitators, we were able to give each child the focussed attention they needed. We can’t wait for the rest of the sessions! If you are interested in a School Readiness Program for your child, unfortunately our School Holiday Program is booked out...BUT we will be commencing a regular weekly program very shortly! Get in touch with reception on (02) 8515 0666 to register your interest.

19.01.2022 If your little one gets "the worries" or a "bubbly tummy" - also known as anxiety - try this simple trick to focus their attention, their hands and their breathing, and bring back some calm. Source: NSW Department of Education

19.01.2022 VISUAL DISCRIMINATION: Looking for a quick and easy way to keep little hands occupied during these school holidays? This simple activity uses only playdough and toothpicks and can help improve fine motor skills, visual perceptual skills and shape identification. ... Just roll playdough into small balls, then use them to attach toothpicks together to form different shapes. For an added challenge, try making 3D shapes like a cube.

19.01.2022 Shire Therapy Group can provide mobile therapy services, allowing more convenience for your child to see a therapist. By offering screens at your child’s childcare centre, parents/guardian do not need to be present. These assessments provide parents/guardians with an opportunity to refer their child for a screening evaluation, to ascertain if follow up testing or therapy is required in the clinic setting. These in-centre screenings are offered free of charge. We are currentl...y taking centre details to re-commence this service after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and it is safe for us to do so. Please call us on (02) 8515 0666 if you would like more information or put your centre's name down for when we re-commence sessions.

18.01.2022 Need an activity for the School Holidays? Great news - We are running our hugely popular LEGO LEGENDS Program again! Your LEGO Legend will have fun taking on a range of awesome building projects, working in both a team and individually, as well as lots of other LEGO themed games and activities. Last holidays, our LEGO Legends loved their virtual trip to LEGO World and starting the sessions with Animal Yoga! Dates: Wednesday 30th September & Wednesday 7th October Time: 9.30am ...- 12.30pm Location: Shire Therapy Group Suitable for children aged 5 - 11 years old. Your child may attend one or both sessions. To book your child in or to find out more, visit here: https://bit.ly/2YEDS3p

18.01.2022 Shire Therapy Occupational Therapist, Lauren O'Flynn, has written a beautiful message for our wonderful Shire Therapy Group Mothers. Link below. http://shiretherapygroup.com.au///05/07/happy-mothers-day/

18.01.2022 Visual discrimination is the ability to differentiate among symbols and forms. This can include being able to match or separate colours, shapes, letters and size. We need good visual discrimination skills when we read to see words like pat and tap are different, even though they have the same letters. Similarly, children with underdeveloped visual discrimination skills may often confuse letter b/d and p/q. Encouraging children to sort objects by form can be an easy way to improve these skills.

18.01.2022 THERAPIST PROFILE: JORDAN Positiion: Occupational Therapist... How Long have you been at Shire Therapy Group? 6 months Nickname? Jord/ Jordz What made you decide to become an OT? I love working with and helping children and I felt that being an OT was the best way I could make a difference in the lives of children and their families. Tea or Coffee? Coffee. Definitely coffee. Favourite Travel destination? Vietnam and South East Asia. Europe is next on the list. Most used saying in your therapy sessions? Good job! Favourite part about the job? Seeing the look on a child's (and parent's) face when they achieve a goal they have been working really hard on during therapy. Any skills/ hobbies? Playing netball If you could change one thing in the world what would it be? COVID19 Favourite TV show: Survivor

17.01.2022 THERAPIST PROFILE: LAUREN Positiion: Occupational Therapist How Long have you been at Shire Therapy Group? ... One year Nickname? Loz What made you decide to become an OT? An overall interest in health and holistic medicine, as well as watching family member born with severe CP and the constant battles and advocating for services and assistance in daily living. Tea or Coffee? Coffee Favourite Travel destination? If missing you will probably find me in Playa Del Carmen (Mexico) Most used saying in your therapy sessions? Are your listening ears switched on Favourite part about the job? Definitely the funny little things that the kids come out with in sessions If you could change one thing in the world what would it be? That’s a hard one at the moment I would probably wipe out COVID or develop a vaccine so that we can return to normality! Favourite TV show: I was hooked on Netflix series Queen of the South BUT I’m a sucker for reality TV!

16.01.2022 "Tutoring can help students become more confident, become more active participants in class, they become better learners." If you are interested in one on one tutoring for you child contact us on 85150666

15.01.2022 Today is R U OK?Day. It’s a reminder to start a conversation that could change a life today, tomorrow and any day it's needed. Learn what to say after R U OK? so you can keep the conversation going when someone says they're not OK. Visit www.ruok.org.au/how-to-ask... #RUOKDay #theresmoretosay #RUOK See more

13.01.2022 What a bunch of LEGO LEGENDS From building skyscrapers, to cars, motorbikes and drones - our Lego Legends thought 'everything was awesome' during this morning session! Once they received their official 'Lego Builders Licence', the children enjoyed a range of activities, including a very special 'Pirate Yoga' warm up, taking turns as Builders/ Engineers/ Suppliers during group building projects and a fun Lego Board Challenge. ... The Lego Legends wrapped up the day with some free play and were each awarded a special certificate for individual efforts throughout the day

12.01.2022 We are very excited to be running our Lego Legends School Holiday Program again in the upcoming Spring Term Break Last Holidays our Legends, with a little help from our 'Lego Masters' had the best time building everything from Kangaroos to Spaceships Lego Legends is open to all children aged 5 - 11 years old. To find out more or reserve a place, visit: https://bit.ly/2YEDS3p

12.01.2022 Shire Therapy Group is very pleased to welcome Kellie to the team as a Counsellor. Kellie is a qualified counsellor and brings with her over 15 years’ experience working with children in a variety of clinical settings. Kellie’s expertise is in building relationships with children that enable them to work through their worries and concerns and develop a healthy self-concept. If you would like to enquire about Counselling for your child, please contact us on (02) 8515 0666.

12.01.2022 The children have been having a great time in our weekly School Readiness classes! There are so many different and fun ways to learn our number recognition and letters!

11.01.2022 We are so lucky to have such a wonderful, supportive community at Shire Therapy Group where our clients and their families motivate us as much as we motivate them

10.01.2022 INTENSIVE SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM Shire Therapy Group is running an Intensive School Readiness Course in January for children starting school in 2021 who may need additional preparation/support in the following areas: Literacy expansion Phonemic awareness... Numeracy development Gross/fine motor refinement Preparation for school expectations Classroom transitions Emotional/self-regulation Self-help skills For all the details visit our website here: http://shiretherapygroup.com.au//intensive-school-readine/ Please contact reception on 02 8515 0666 for more information or to book your child in

09.01.2022 COLOUR MATCHING ACTIVITY Good for: Pincer grip, precision, follow instructions, colour matching You will need:... Coloured pegs Coloured toothpicks (you can dye ordinary toothpicks) Coloured cups (optional) Instructions: Using the small pegs, transfer matching coloured toothpicks into cup e.g. using a green small peg, transfer the green toothpick into a cup containing other green toothpicks. If you had a green cup, the green toothpick would be transferred into this. For younger children, large pegs and paddle pop sticks can be used instead.

09.01.2022 At Shire Therapy Group, we strive to mix work and play. Using scooter boards in therapy help children develop postural stability, strength, motor planning skills, bilateral coordination, and more. Although a lot of fun for both the child and the therapist, all sorts of fundamental movement skills are being developed in activities using the scooter board.

09.01.2022 Yesterday at Shire Therapy Group, we had a lot of fun talking about emotions and exploring how we all have different thoughts and feelings; even to the same thing or event! Effectively recognising and regulating our own emotions, being aware of other peoples’ feelings, reading body language and responding appropriately (most of the time) is largely an expectation for school aged children and above. Difficulties in these skills can contribute to feelings of low self-esteem and social difficulties. To find out more about emotional regulation or to book an appointment with one of our skilled therapists, please contact our reception 8515 0666.

09.01.2022 Daily Routines are an amazing tool to help take pressure off you to constantly come up with new activities for your children. Routine is also something your children are actually very acclimatised to, following one each day at school (whether they know it or not!). A daily schedule can be a particularly helpful tool for children with autism, or children who generally struggle with change. Below is a fantastic example of School Age routine from calm.the.chaos_... How is everyone going at home? What has worked for you?

08.01.2022 SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM At Shire Therapy Group, we run a comprehensive School Readiness Program designed to assist your child in the transition to Kindergarten, introducing them to certain aspects of school life. It focuses on development in physical/health, social and emotional capacities as well as language acquisition, literacy, numeracy and cognition. The program supports children who may need additional preparation, to build their confidence in approaching tasks require...d when they enter big school. The program aims to provide a fun environment, helping to create a positive view about school and learning, that students can take on throughout their school life. Our classes are run in small groups to help familiarise the children to a classroom like setting and enable the teacher to cater for the individual needs of each child in the class. Keep an eye out for an exciting announcement about our School Readiness Program soon! See more

08.01.2022 We now offer a permanent School Readiness Program! Based off the success of our recent holiday program, we are very excited to offer two small group sessions each week, running from 10.00am - 11.00am. The program is for children who are starting school in 2021 and require additional assistance in areas such as numeracy, literacy, self-help skills, classroom transitions, gross/fine motor refinement, phonemic awareness and emotional/ self-regulation. ... The small group size, combined with our highly experienced educators, ensure each child gets the attention needed to build confidence and create a love of learning that will last throughout their school career. Sessions are $35 each. Shire Therapy group is now taking enrolments for Term 3, with only limited places remaining. Please call reception on (02) 8515 0666 to find out more or to secure a place for your child today.

08.01.2022 NEW BLOG POST: MUSCLE TONE Muscle tone refers to the natural level of contraction that your child has in their muscles. It is important as it affects the postural control and stability of children. To find out about the different levels of tone and these affect children's movements, read the blog post here: http://shiretherapygroup.com.au/index.//11/12/muscle-tone/

07.01.2022 VISUAL PERCEPTION Simply put, Visual Perception is the brain giving meaning to what the eyes see. It’s a critical process where the brain extracts and organises information, and It is required to perform everyday tasks such as dressing, eating, writing, and playing. Some elements of visual perception include; The ability to focus on important visual information and filter out unimportant background information (Visual Attention), an ability to recall visual distinctions ...of a form or object (Visual Memory), The ability to recognise a form or object when part of the picture is missing (Visual Closure) and an ability to determine differences or similarities in objects based on colour, shape and size (Visual Discrimination). Some common indications children are struggling with Visual Perception include: Having trouble completing puzzles or dot-to-dots, losing place on a page when reading or writing, having trouble remembering sight words, having trouble remembering the alphabet in sequence and having difficulty filtering visual distractions to focus in the assigned task. If you believe your child may have Visual Perception issues, our Occupational Therapy Team can perform an assessment to determine if any issues are present.

06.01.2022 Happy Mother's Day to all of our beautiful mums! Comment below how your Mother's Day looks in emojis. We hope it's a bit like this...

06.01.2022 We thought this might make a few of our Shire Therapy Group families smile

06.01.2022 It was a big week in our School Readiness Program! Our friends worked extra hard as we focused on the recognising and writing the letters ‘m’ and ‘n’ as well as the numbers ‘5’ and ‘6’. Our educators used a variety of resources such as flash cards, dice, whiteboard, magnets and workbooks to accommodate different learning styles

06.01.2022 ACTIVITY: THREADING Threading is a fun way for children to start using both hands together. Threading beads uses similar hand movements to gripping a large pencil and can build fine motor skills and the hand-eye coordination needed for school related tasks. Threading beads can also improve concentration, planning and emotional regulation.... To expand the benefits of this activity, a child can be asked to count the beads or name the colour/ shape. If you don't have rope or beads, why not get creative and decorate some toilet paper rolls then cut into smaller rings (the larger hole will also be easier for younger children).

06.01.2022 Spots are filling up fast for the Intensive School Readiness Program we are running during the July School Holidays. Call us on 8515 0666 or email us at [email protected] to find out more or book your child in today!

06.01.2022 Simple games such as Pop up Pirate are great to introduce young children to turn taking and sharing. Children need to regulate themselves, resist the urge to act impulsively and wait patiently for others to finish their turn. When a child has difficulty grasping these social skills, they may struggle making and sustaining friendships, resolving conflicts, dealing with failure and showing empathy to their peers. Other simple ways that you can help improve your childs’ social... skills include: 1. Singing songs e.g. ‘If you’re happy and you know it’ to help teach your child about different emotions. 2. Role play or create simple social stories about everyday scenarios e.g. how to ask a friend to play at lunchtime. 3. Make and wear masks together to help improve eye contact. If you have any concerns with your childs’ social skills development or you would like some additional help and strategies, please contact Shire Therapy Group.

05.01.2022 ACTIVITY POST: MIRROR PLAY A fun and super quick set-up activity To play: ... 1.Sit opposite your child. 2.Create a pattern or shape with coloured sticks and pom poms. 3. Ask your child to ‘mirror’ the pattern from where they are sitting. 4. Swap places to check if they are the same. Benefits of mirror play: Visual scanning Pattern recognition Memory Fine motor control Planning and organisation Let us know how you go!

05.01.2022 Here is a great article we thought may be helpful for some of our families ahead of the new school year. If you require any additional support or guidance, please get in touch with Reception on 8515 0666 to learn how the Shire Therapy Group team can assist your family. https://www.autismactually.com.au//10-tips-on-helping-auti

04.01.2022 Sensory swings are powerful sensory strategy when it comes individuals with sensory processing needs, as it greatly improves sensory modulation. Sensory modulation is the organization and regulation of sensory input through the central nervous system to enable skills and abilities such as attention, activity levels. For example, a child who is struggling to complete an assigned task in a classroom setting may break down and resolves to a pattern of hitting, biting or kicking. At Shire Therapy group, we use a swing to elevate your child's sensory feedback to aid their emotional regulation as it acts as a safe space for a child to gain calming vestibular input through slow and predictable motions.

03.01.2022 HOPSCOTCH Hopscotch truly helps children master control over their body. There is quite a lot to playing - Children need to determine the path to follow, balance on one foot (while not moviing the other side of their body) or sometimes transfer from a hop to a jump and back to a hop, avoid jumping on the line, turn around and repeat in the reverse direction. This seeming simple game actually helps build muscle strength, improve coordination, prioprioception and body rythem a...swell as balance. Hopscotch is also great for social development as it's usually played with a group so includes following rules and turn taking. This is an easy one to do at home, and why not get involved next time - it might be harder than you remember!

03.01.2022 INTENSIVE SCHOOL READINESS: SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM Shire Therapy Group will be running an Intensive School Readiness Course during the upcoming July School Holidays. The program is for children in kindergarten this year who have missed classroom time due to COVID-19, as well as children starting kindergarten in 2021. ... The program supports children who may need additional preparation/support in the following areas: Literacy expansion Phonemic awareness Numeracy development Gross/fine motor refinement Preparation for school expectations Classroom transitions Emotional/self-regulation Self-help skills WHERE: Shire Therapy Group WHEN: July School Holidays Week 1: 9.30am - 12.30pm Tuesday 7th & Thursday 9th &/or Week 2: 9.30am - 12.30pm Tuesday 14th & Thursday 16th WHAT: 2 x 2 day Programs. Your child may attend one or both weeks - each week offers a new program! Please contact reception on 02 8515 0666 for more information or to book your child in