Services occupational therapy

The goal for Early Childhood Early Intervention services at Ability Beyond Therapy is to provide client-centred therapy to address the child’s functioning in a variety of settings, so they can achieve their highest level of independence.

Our therapists strive to increase the child’s overall independence across all environments and support families in building routines and roles that allow for children to interact and participate in their environments. 

You know your family best and the therapists at Ability Beyond Therapy want to work together to meet the goals you have for your child and family.

  We are trained in and implement The Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) feeding approach. This approach is a developmental feeding therapy program that allows the child to interact with the food in a playful, non-stressful way. It helps increase the child’s comfort level by exploring different properties of foods, including the color, shape, texture, smell, taste and consistency.   The SOS approach follows a systematic hierarchy to feeding, from tolerating foods in the room, interacting with foods, smelling, touching, tasting and eventually eating the food. Parent education and involvement are an essential part of the SOS approach. Parents can be directly involved in the sessions.   ​ However, every child is different and unique and we find that some may need a slightly different approach which is why we do not follow this approach strictly with every child.  Some children benefit from some aspects of a soft behavioural approach to feeding.  
We custom tailor our approach for each of our children based on a number of factors that we discuss with you at every step of the way.      

The goal of Aquatic Physiotherapy at Ability Beyond Therapy is to provide individualised, goal-directed physiotherapy in a warm-water environment. Aquatic Physiotherapy uses the natural properties of water to support children’s movement, strength, balance, coordination, confidence and overall participation.

Buoyancy reduces the amount of weight placed through the body and joints, which may make movement easier and more comfortable. The warmth of the water may help relax tight muscles, while gentle water resistance provides opportunities to develop strength, endurance and postural control in a safe and supportive environment.

Aquatic Physiotherapy may benefit children with developmental delay, cerebral palsy, neurological conditions, Autism, Down syndrome, low muscle tone, muscle stiffness or spasticity, reduced strength and endurance, balance and coordination difficulties, joint pain, hypermobility, sensory-processing differences or reduced confidence in the water.

At Ability Beyond Therapy, each aquatic physiotherapy program is tailored to the child’s individual abilities, needs and therapy goals. Sessions may include activities targeting mobility, balance, gross motor development, strength, coordination, body awareness, water confidence and functional participation. Skills practised in the pool are selected to support the child’s participation at home, kindergarten, school and within the community.

Families and carers are an important part of the therapy process. Our physiotherapist works collaboratively with families to understand their priorities, develop meaningful goals and provide strategies that can be carried over from the pool into everyday routines and activities.

Every child is different, and Aquatic Physiotherapy may not be suitable for every child. Before commencing sessions, the physiotherapist will consider the child’s medical history, physical abilities, water safety, support requirements and therapy goals. The frequency and structure of sessions are then arranged according to the child’s clinical needs, pool access and appointment availabilities.