Skillbuilders Therapy for Children in Cockburn Central | Medical and health

Skillbuilders Therapy for Children

Locality: Cockburn Central

Phone: +61 1300 132 785

Address: Unit 1/24 Hammond Rd 6164 Cockburn Central, WA, Australia

Website: http://www.skillbuilders.com.au

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• Medical and health
• Speech pathologist
• Physical therapist
• Occupational therapist

25.01.2022 These Student Lap Desks are the perfect way to turn any chair (or space) into the perfect work surface. Made from sturdy, high-quality plastic they are extremely durable and easy to clean. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/student-lap-desk.html

25.01.2022 This idea is brilliant

25.01.2022 Lisping is an articulation error that is usually noticed when a child has difficulty producing the /s/ and /z/ sounds. It can often look like your child is poking their tongue out between their teeth to say these sounds, which is known as interdental lisping. Whilst interdental lisping and dentalised lisping can be developmental in nature, a lisp should not continue past the age of 4-4.5 years. Lisping is a habitual speech error and a speech pathologist can support your c...hild to resolve this difficulty if it is continuing past this age. There are 4 types of lisps: --> Interdental: The tongue comes out between the teeth to make a /th/ like sound instead of a /s/ or /z/ e.g. snake becomes thnake or zoo becomes thoo. --> Dentalised: The tongue gets pushed firmly against the back of the teeth and can cause the /s/ and /z/ sounds to sound muffled. --> Lateral: These lisps are atypical and might sound slushy or wet like the childs spit is in caught whilst making the sound. --> Palatal: These are tricky to describe, but it sounds like a /h/ sound, closely followed by a /y/ sound. This is the middle of the tongue touching the soft palate, which causes the sound to become distorted. It is important to remember that lisping does not always happen on a /s/ and /z/, but it can also include, /sh/, /zh/, /ch/, /j/, /t/ and /d/.

25.01.2022 We have 2 spots left in our Block 2 School Holiday Programmes for Literacy Booster Group and Social Eyes (years 3 and 4). For more details, please visit https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/holiday-programmes

24.01.2022 Block stacking is great for practicing fine motor skills control, problem solving and visual motor skills at the same time! These 3 games are available in our store and make the perfect gifts for friends! https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/zimbbos.html... https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/big-blocks-balancing.html https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/monkey-blocks.html

24.01.2022 How are the School Holidays going for you?

23.01.2022 We still have some spots left in Block 2 of our January School Holiday Programme, this runs for 2 weeks from January 18th. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/holiday-programmes

23.01.2022 Get the kids to make this one! Peg pinching is great for building strength of fine motor muscle and coordination. They also encourage the pinching action between the thumb and finger which helps in the development of good finger grip. We love TheDadLab - they have all sorts of great ideas!

22.01.2022 Many parents are concerned that stress and anxiety are becoming more prevalent in our childrens lives. While some children do experience problematic levels of anxiety, learning to cope with moderate anxiety actually helps children do their best at home and at school. It is normal for children to be somewhat anxious about things like being in the school play, taking a test or going into a new situation. If we didnt feel a bit anxious about situations like these we wouldn...t try our best! However children may not be able to tell us when they are feeling more concerning on-going anxiety and worry. Signs of anxiety in children can include: - Frequent tummy aches or head aches - Trying to avoid anxiety provoking activities or situations (this can sometimes look like getting "silly" as well as becoming withdrawn) - Refusing school or having trouble separating at school - Finding it hard to get to sleep - Worry about being alone - Being overly self-critical - Skin picking, hair pulling and other body focused behaviours - Repetitive rituals such as frequent hand washing, counting or checking There are lots of practical ways to help children understand and manage anxiety and this is something we can work on with you and your child at Skillbuilders. There are also lots of wonderful resources that can help children in this area. One example is Fear Factor the sixth book of the Ant Patrol Childrens Stories. In this book, suitable for 5-11 year olds, children are introduced to Wilbur Ant. Wilbur worries too much. This worry stops Wilbur from joining in with the fun and adventure of the Ant Patrol. Parents and professionals can use this book to help children manage their worries and feel good again.

22.01.2022 This is a pretty standard conversation after school How was your day? Good. What did you do? Nothing much.... So if you want to get your kids talking, try some of these questions that can't be answered with a yes or no. Of course, if your child doesn’t want to talk about school, you should respect that too. Some children need a little space and time to relax after school before they are ready to talk about it.

22.01.2022 Rainbow Breathing is a technique we use in our Mindful Movement class, encouraging kids to take a deep breath, hold (at the top of the rainbow), then exhale. Repeating for each colour of the rainbow - its great for those who may struggle to stay focused.

21.01.2022 Our easy-grip tweezer tongs help little ones gain muscle control, coordination and fine motor skills! Kids simply grip the tongs like a pencil to grab and sort objects building the skills they need to begin writing! Our set includes 4 tongs https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/fine-motor-tweezer-tongs.h

21.01.2022 Sounds about right

21.01.2022 Works perfectly with baking paper - a great way to keep the kids entertained and work on those fine motor skills!

20.01.2022 Our small group therapy programmes are run weekly during the school term and are a great way for children to access our Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists in a group setting. We have a range of programmes to target writing, socialising and bullying, mindful movement as well as other more targeted areas. If you are not sure which programme would best suit your child, send us a message for more details.... Full timetable available here: https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/group-programmes

20.01.2022 These discreet springs are perfect for providing deep pressure input to your fingers! These neat pincer and tripod grasp-building, pocket-sized sensory fidgets are perfect for anxiety and stress relief, keeping restless fingers busy, and for promoting/building finger grasps. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/springy-coils-fidget.html

20.01.2022 What is Phonological Awareness in Preschoolers? - Phonological Awareness is the foundation for learning to read - It is the ability to recognise and work with sounds in spoken language - Some children pick it up naturally, others require some support... - In preschoolers, it means being able to pick out rhyming words and count the number of syllables in a word - It also involves alliteration (how sounds repeat themselves). Eg. Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled peppers Signs that your preschooler is struggling with phonological awareness: - Trouble learning nursery rhymes - Not enjoying listening to rhyming stories - Trouble counting out syllables in words - Difficulty noticing sound repetition or alliteration Speech Pathologists at Skillbuilders are trained in assessing phonological awareness and providing intervention.

19.01.2022 Such a great explanation! Whats your kids favourite book to read?

19.01.2022 Flexible seating options are important in the classroom and in the home for both children and teenagers. A seat that provides subtle movement can increase a childs engagement by enabling movement while staying seated. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/categ/seating-options.html

19.01.2022 EazyHold gives children the ability to hold onto tons of different items with ease. We have a range of colours and sizes for various objects and activities. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/catalogsearch/result/

19.01.2022 Sharing this as it’s very useful. There’s always a lot of talk about Executive Functioning but not so much with clear strategies.

18.01.2022 A quick and easy setup for some indoor fun on a rainy day - keep those kids moving!

17.01.2022 Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. We look forward to seeing you in 2021! We will be re-opening on Tuesday January 5th.

17.01.2022 Jumping is an important skill, but if your little one is having difficulty we have some tips which may help. Firstly, as a developmental indicator, jumping usually starts to emerge around 18 months to 2 years of age. By 3 most children are able to jump. Jumping is an activity that helps to develop better proprioception, motor planning, balance and core muscle strength, which in turn assists with attention and learning, sensory regulation, and gross motor development. So its ...more than just fun! Children with limited strength around their knees, ankles and feet may experience difficulties/limited balance, coordination, and motor planning. Here are some things that may help: - Make it fun by using a variety of climbing and jumping toys and games - Practice animal walks such as kangaroo jumps and frog jumps - Encourage bending at the knees and bouncing - Have objects on the ground (hoops, mats, ropes, etc) and encourage your child to jump over, on, in and out. - Model jumping by demonstrating and participating in the games with your child, eg Hokey Pokey - Use bubbles to motivate jumping (reaching up high), encourage jumping in puddles or down from a low step - Children may need to hold hands initially -hold hands as low to the ground as possible, transition toward holding 1 finger, then onto a loose cloth and then no holding.

17.01.2022 Parents will often say they wish they had consulted a Speech Pathologist earlier but they usually don’t say their child saw a Speech Pathologist too soon! Children’s consonant acquisition and accuracy are one of the main indicators used by Speech Pathologists to measure children’s speech maturity and intelligibility. Most consonants are acquired on average by the time children are 5 years old and by this time 90% of consonants in words are produced correctly.... It’s important to seek advice earlier than later because we know that children with speech sound disorders are at higher risk of literacy related problems (learning to read and write). Please message us if you are concerned and would like to book in with a consultation.

16.01.2022 As the busy season is upon us, we'd love to say thanks to all of our families and customers and wish you all a happy and safe Christmas. We will be taking a small break over the holiday season with our Therapy sessions wrapping up this Thursday 17th of December (except for a few super keen little people!) Our store will also be taking a break from Tuesday 22nd December and we will all re-open on Tuesday January 5th.

16.01.2022 Our Term 4 Group Programme is expanding and we have spots available in the following classes Check out our website for the full timetable Move Write 2 Learn These groups target children's fine motor, gross motor, handwriting, language skills for writing, planning stories and independent working skills. ... Mindful Movement This group will teach your child fun, empowering and accessible movement, as well as breath and mindfulness The Three R's These groups provide children with strategies to assist them in dealing with friendship issues, bullying and teasing, as well as helping with emotional self regulation in the playground. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/group-programmes

15.01.2022 Picky Eaters? Did you know you can use any of the ARK Chew products as a dipping tool for foods - The Z-Vibe has a smooth, gentle vibration that helps normalise sensitivities and "wake up" the mouth at mealtimes. The fun mouse character also creates a friendly experience with spoon ears. One ear has a smooth back and the other is textured. It's also great for mouthing/biting/chewing. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/z-vibe-mouse-tips.html

15.01.2022 Rather than saying Use Your Words it can be helpful to provide a prompt that you know would work best with your child. Here are some great alternatives.

14.01.2022 The Bean About is a fun looking, super light and easily transportable seating option. It gives good support for floppier children with low muscle tone and gives a great sensory cuddle for those children needing one. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/bean-about-beanbag-seats.h

14.01.2022 This is a great little visual to explain why some kids avoid fruit and veggies.

14.01.2022 Some great tips here for those who have young children not yet talking.

14.01.2022 The cutout window tracker is an inexpensive tool that not only helps with reading but also completing worksheets as it can assist with visual tracking and visual attention to the task. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/cutout-window-tracker.html

13.01.2022 I'm sure many parents of 1 year olds are all too familiar with the shoes and socks off skill - especially in a shopping trolley! But this is also a nice indication of what age your child should be learning to master different skills. While some of these tasks may seem simple to us, its important to remember that for a child it requires a combination of fine motor skills, visual perception, postural control/stability, bilateral coordination, body awareness, motor planning, and hand-eye coordination!!

13.01.2022 We've just added some amazing Riley Callie Resources to our store! A great way to engage kids in conversations about traditional Aboriginal stories, tools art and music. While learning about Indigenous Australia children are also developing visual memory and auditory memory skills. Double bonus! https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/catalogsearch/result/

13.01.2022 Would anyone like this desk? We'd love it to go to someone we know who can use it! We need the area for a fun new reception play space for our kids.

12.01.2022 Our Move Write 2 Learn Group is great for children who would benefit from help to boost skills and confidence in: Fine and gross motor skills Handwriting and written language Reading (visual processing) and literacy Independence Skills (planning, organising, concentrating)... This Group Programme is aimed at Years 2 - 4 (Lower Primary). For information on this and our other Group Programmes, please visit https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/group-programmes

10.01.2022 Anna, our lovely Physio, is looking to run an intensive bike riding group during the January school holidays as there have been some special requests. If you would like your child to participate please let us know in the comments or send us a message.

10.01.2022 *Limited spots left* Get ahead in your planning, and help your child achieve their best in 2021. Our School Holiday Programme is about best preparing your child for the year ahead. From writing to socialising, our programmes help give children the tools and knowledge they need to achieve their best. Our group programmes are run by our Occupational Therapists and/or Speech Therapists and are limited to 4 children per class.... See our website for more details and the full timetable https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/holiday-programmes

09.01.2022 Enjoy these school holidays

09.01.2022 Suction plates are a great way to introduce plates to your child - without the risk of them throwing the plate away! These plates also have the added bonus of side walls to help with scooping so children can have more success with self-feeding. Available in navy, teal and pink... https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/oxo-tot-stick-stay-suction See more

09.01.2022 There are so many benefits to kids doing an activity on a vertical surface! * Engages back and abdominal muscles * Strengthens core and shoulder muscles for better stability * Works on larger arm movements and control, which also incorporates crossing of the midline * Improves visual-motor skills, visual attention and hand-eye coordination... * Facilitates wrist extension which allows fingers to assume an ideal position for pencil grasp Some activities you might like to try include: * Tracing pictures against a window (with light coming through the window) * stamping/drawing/colouring/writing on whiteboard/blackboard or paper stuck on the wall. * painting a wooden fence with water or colouring the fence/outdoor wall with chalk * spray bottles (spray plants, fence or pictures coloured with washable textas stuck onto an outdoor wall -the colours will melt/wash off) * magnet activities on a whiteboard/ on the fridge * shaving foam on a mirror or whiteboard * foam shapes on a mirror or on the tiled bathroom wall (with a little water to make them stick) * helping to peg the washing onto the line * washing windows, scrubbing walls/tiles, erasing whiteboards/blackboards * draw a large racetrack on the wall or poster paper stuck onto the wall and drive a car around it. Some of these activities have the added benefit of working on hand strength/fine motor skills as well, eg spray bottles, egg chalk, tracing, clothes pegs. Some activities could also be done while standing/kneeling on a wobble cushion to further activate the postural muscles. For shoulder stability in other positions, also try: activities on the under surface of a table while lying on your back under the table, and working on activities on the floor while pushing yourself up on your arms.

09.01.2022 Looking for some last minute gift ideas? Check out our Games category https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/categories/games.html

08.01.2022 This term we are launching a new group programme aimed at 12-14 year olds. We focus on teen emotional awareness and self regulation. During the programme we discuss the social media world, relationships as well as organisation and executive functioning strategies we need for school and in the community. These classes will be held at our Canning Vale centre every Tuesday during Term 1 between 4:30-5:30pm. The group will be led by Maddison Balk, Occupational Therapist an...d Danielle Hutton, Speech Therapist. It is a great opportunity for the teens to relate to one another, help each other out and offer/receive support together. See more

08.01.2022 Who knew you could break down communication barriers by actually using a barrier!! There are so many benefits from using barrier games with your child including listening skills, oral language skills, understanding concepts and vocabulary and social skills. They are one of the most universal therapy interventions available! Barrier games are flexible portable and inexpensive and can be easily customised for your childs interests which makes them even more motivating and fun!... The MagneTalk range is a great place to get started and is very popular amongst Speech Therapists. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/catalogsearch/result/

07.01.2022 Wed love to see you in our store, but due to WAs ongoing Phase 4 restrictions our Therapy Store is open by appointment only. Please simply book online at a time convenient to you. An alternative option is to shop online and then select a time to collect in store. To make a booking, please visit... https://my.powerdiary.com//dbc2cdae-c793-4f23-86d4-34323ef See more

07.01.2022 A reminder for those who may be doing it tougher than others at the moment

07.01.2022 Have you experienced any or all of these lately?

07.01.2022 Tis the season for gatherings and unsolicited advice - do you have any you would add?

06.01.2022 Well written and a great read

06.01.2022 This is a fantastic video explanation to show your kids or share with family and friends for those who may know someone with autism.

06.01.2022 3R's - Regulation, Resilience and Relationships will assist children to learn sensory self regulation strategies and to develop skills in dealing with friendship issues, bullying and teasing, as well as helping with emotional self regulation in the playground. This January school holiday programme will run in small groups of 4 to 5 children for K/PP, Year 1 and Year2/3. For more information, please visit https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/holiday-programmes

05.01.2022 We could not agree more Apps are a great tool, but can never replace what a Speech Therapist can assist with.

05.01.2022 Love this setup from @playroomstories with 3 activities! 1 Run through the maze 2 Kick the ball through the maze 3 Use an object to push the ball through the maze!... Playroom stories is on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/playroomstories/

05.01.2022 A simple way to set up an obstacle course in your backyard!

04.01.2022 Sometimes excessive mobility in the thumb joints can pose a few problems for children in the development of their fine motor skills. We use the thumb to stabilise objects for precise movements eg: to hold a pencil But we also rely on our thumbs to provide strength for power movements of the hand eg: to use a hammer. ... With excessive mobility or laxity around the thumb joints, it can be difficult to maintain control for precise hand movements. So how can we help children and teenagers with hypermobility in the thumbs? > Specialised pencil grips eg: the pencil grip, grotto, pen again, pinch grip are good examples > Finger splints eg: CMC stabiliser, > Angled boards to minimise pain and fatigue > A programme developed by an OT to improve hand strength > OT assessment to identify if additional supports are required for school assessments and/or high school exams Youll find a range of pencil grips, splints and angled boards in our School Tools range https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/categori/school-tools.html

04.01.2022 Always a great reminder

04.01.2022 A great visual for the Zones of Regulation!

03.01.2022 Jenga just got a little more fun! Roll the dice to see what colour block you have to remove! Lots of fun and a great way to promote concentration and fine motor skills. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/tumbling-tower.html

03.01.2022 Some great ideas here! Its so important to develop those Fine Motor skills - have fun!

02.01.2022 It’s not St Patrick’s day today ?!! We all happened to colour coordinate today, even Jasmine, our lovely work experience student!

02.01.2022 Cooking with Nana

02.01.2022 These click n connect writing stencils are the perfect introduction to start writing. Colour coded for easy recognition White dots to show the starting position Display arrows to show direction... They come in two sizes, large for beginner writers and small for refining technique, shop them here https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/william-ready-ultimate-ste

02.01.2022 What is your approach to Screen Time - so much judgement seems to come from this topic! Have a read of how E M M A Play At Home Mummy manages this with her kids.

02.01.2022 We finished 2020 with an amazing day doing the Zoomazing Race at Perth Zoo. Lots of fun! Then lunch next door at Sopranos (lovely team there), and finished off the day at Rambla on Swan (of course!) Really big day!! Really big year! Also sad as we said farewell to the wonderful Kara. Kara Breitenbach has been with us at Skillbuilders for 9 years. We’ll all miss her heaps

01.01.2022 Some great suggestions to work those fine motor skills nice and early - but also give you some time to fit in a hot coffee!

01.01.2022 Its fair enough to say no to mushy peas! The reason babies can be reluctant to accept food can sometimes be complicated and may need further investigation. Sometimes a fear of the spoon itself can develop. If your little person is refusing the spoon here are some simple tips that can help: - keep his hands busy and give him some control with his own spoon - a little bit of hand over hand modelling can encourage him to use the spoon if needed ... - introduce turn taking (my spoon, your spoon) - aim to place the spoon at the sides of his mouth rather than the front or middle (to avoid triggering a gag reflex) - use more comfortable spoons, you can view our range of spoons here https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/catalogsearch/result/ See more

01.01.2022 Its here! Our Term 1 timetable for our Group Programmes is now available. If you feel your child could do with some extra support in a particular area, then our Group Programmes are a great way to combine the benefit of seeing our Occupational and Speech Therapists on a weekly basis with the added benefit of peer support. We've had lots of interest from our Holiday Programme attendees so spots are filling up quickly. Please get in touch if you would like to sign up your chi...ld. Our programme will start next Monday 15th of February. If you are unsure which programme is right for your child, please message and we'll be able to assist or alternatively contact Caryn on 0418 940 946 https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/group-programmes

01.01.2022 A wonderful resource that can help children understand and manage anxiety is Fear Factor, the sixth book of the Ant Patrol Childrens Stories. In this book, children are introduced to Wilbur Ant. Wilbur worries too much and this worry stops Wilbur from joining in with the fun and adventure of the ant patrol. The Ant Patrol Childrens Stories is a 6 book series that teach the skills for life and learning intended for children aged 5 to 11 years.... https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/the-ant-patrol-childrens-s

01.01.2022 The perfect discreet necklace for those who like to chew! Use this "chewelry" as an oral fidget (or even hand fidget) to help calm, soothe, and self-regulate during times of stress, or to better focus during homework and other activities. https://www.skillbuilders.com.au/ark-krypto-bite-chewable-n