Elriza Janse van Vuuren
I’m a wife, mother, friend and Occupational Therapist. I have a special interest in early intervention, starting from the pre-term infant, up to the age of six. I strongly believe that the earlier we start with intervention the better the outcome. I did my Master’s degree in Paediatrics and my dissertation in prematurity. I also have an interest in Sensory Integration and qualified in Ayers Sensory Integration in 2010.
I believe in team work and a holistic approach. In our little ones, something as simple as changing the routine, the way we play and talk to them can have an enormous impact on the child and the whole family. The parents, siblings, caregivers and teachers are an integral part of the team.
There is a misconception that medication is the only answer, but occupational therapy can have such a big impact that it is often not necessary to go the route of medication.
BHF – Practice number 0325813
Suzanne Louw
Occupational Therapy is fun!
When a child is in therapy, they should have fun while
improving their skills. I’m passionate about helping children between the ages of 2 and 10 to reach their full potential.
I’m working at Laerskool Anton van Wouw and at Pretoria East Therapy Centre.
The classroom is such a big part of school-aged children’s day that I invest time to observe children in the classroom and help make adaptations when needed.
It can be as little as the placement of the child in the classroom, a pencil grip or a chewy pencil topper. The parents, teachers, and caregivers/au pairs are all team members whose roles
are highly valued.
Treatments and Diagnosis
Sensory Integration
Sensory processing can present differently in each child. The
main categories are being over-responsive (sensitive), under-responsive and
seeking.
Sensory over-responsive: Some children can be very sensitive to sensory
stimuli for example tactile defensiveness where the child dislikes participating in activities such as painting, playing in the sandpit, being touched and wearing specific textures. Children can also be oral sensitive to certain textures and might prefer only smooth food and become a picky eater. Some children are auditory sensitive and startle very easily. They might also get over-stimulated in noisy environments such as shopping centers and birthday parties. Children can also be vestibular sensitive and avoid jungle
gyms, slides and swinging.
Sensory under-responsive: These children are often described as being
passive and have a reduced awareness of sensory stimuli. For example they
have a high pain threshold and they might not noticed that they are cold
without a jacket. The children with under-responsivity to tactile stimuli and
proprioception (deep pressure) often present with poor body awareness.
People then describe them as being clumsy.
Seeking: These children just can’t seem to satisfy their need for specific
sensory input. They will jump, bump, rock and spin themselves the whole day
long. They often don’t understand “personal space” and will feel the need to
touch everything. These children are often described as having “ADHD” but
with the necessary treatment these characteristics can be subdued.
Developmental Delays
Often babies reach their milestone later than expected. This can be due to bio-mechanics (imbalance between the flexor, tummy muscles and the extensors, back muscles), vision, sensory (tactile defensive, vestibular sensitivity, under-responsiveness which results in poor body awareness), prematurity and appropriate stimulation and expectations. Babies who were born premature are at a higher risk of developmental delays.
Self-regulation in the young child
A baby/child with good self-regulation is a good sleeper and feeder. A baby should be able to maintain a calm-alert state in order to feed well. Often reflux is present in babies/children with poor self-regulation. A baby should be able to self-soothe from 8months of age.
Special Needs: Autism, Genetic disorders, visual impairments
Children with specials needs often have sensory processing disorders. They also often need adaptations and alternative methods to learn and reach milestones. In these cases, school placement is particularly important to ensure the child reaches their full potential.
School readiness
School readiness includes gross-motor skills, fine- motor skills, visual perception, attention and concentration. Often children with low muscle tone will struggle to maintain an upright posture during table top activities. So much of their energy would be used to keep them upright that there is not enough energy left to concentrate and learn.
Their shoulders would often not be strong enough for stabilization to support good fine-motor skills. Fine-motor skills include pencil grip, colouring, drawing, cutting and manipulation of small objects.
A child’s concentration is evaluated in terms of their ability to focus on a task at hand, following verbal instructions, their distractibility, task completion and impulsivity.
Testimonials
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Latest Occupational Therapy Articles
Play Ideas for an 18 Month Old Child
Play dough – you can make your own: 250ml flour, 125ml salt, 15ml Crème of tartare. Mix all the dry ingredients. Add 250ml boiling water
School Readiness Activity Ideas
Gross-motor skills: Sit opposite him. Take up positions and let him copy them Skipping, galloping, star jumps Crawl and push a large soft ball with
Guidelines to Improve Attention and Concentration
Ensure he looks in your eyes when talking to him. You can encourage eye contact by physical touch; on the shoulder or even on his
Contact Details
Address
390 Manitoba Drive, Faerie Glen
Telephone Number
083 292 5544
Hours
Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00
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