Occupational Therapy
Paediatric occupational therapy services in Perth
At iThrive Health in West Leederville, Perth, we specialise in paediatric occupational therapy, focusing on assessing, diagnosing, and supporting children aged 3-17 living with learning or developmental difficulty.. We aim to ensure that no child is hindered by their unique difficulties and challenges, paving the way for better opportunities in later life.
Supporting children’s growth with expert paediatric Occupational Therapy
At iThrive Health, we specialise in helping children navigate learning, developmental, and sensory challenges through tailored occupational therapy. Our experienced therapists provide personalised support to enhance fine and gross motor skills, handwriting, literacy, emotional regulation, and concentration. By addressing each child’s unique needs, we empower them to build confidence, succeed in school, and develop essential life skills for a bright future.
Our paediatric occupational therapy services
Handwriting
We help children improve pencil grip, letter formation, and writing fluency for more precise, confident handwriting.
Fine Motor
Our therapy strengthens hand muscles, coordination, and dexterity to support everyday tasks like writing and dressing.
Gross Motor
We develop balance, coordination, and posture, helping children move confidently in play and daily activities.
Motor Dysgraphia
We focus on hand strength, motor control, and letter formation to improve writing clarity and ease.
Emotional Regulation
Our therapists teach self-awareness and coping strategies to help children manage emotions effectively.
Behaviour Support
We provide strategies to help children self-regulate, improve focus, and develop positive behaviours.
Sensory Processing
We assist children in sensory integration and adaptive responses to improve daily experiences.
Attention Difficulty
Our therapy enhances focus, impulse control, and executive functioning for better learning and engagement.
ADHD
We support children with ADHD through self-regulation, organisation, and attention-building strategies.
Autism (ASD)
Our team helps children with ASD develop social, communication, and sensory processing skills.
Social Skills & Play
We guide children in turn-taking, communication, and friendship skills to foster positive interactions.
Executive Functioning
We help children improve planning, organisation, and problem-solving for better daily independence.
Meet our occupational therapists
Some other helpful Paediatric occupational therapy resources
Understanding the NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds and supports individuals with disabilities, including eligible children. This program helps families access necessary therapies and services, ensuring children receive early intervention and long-term support.
Who is eligible?
What support does the NDIS cover?
How to apply for NDIS support
Getting started with NDIS services
Functional Capacity Assessments
A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) evaluates a child’s abilities, challenges, and support needs in daily activities. NDIS funding, plan reviews, or reassessments are often required to ensure the child receives appropriate support for their goals. The FCA provides a detailed picture of strengths, challenges, and areas for additional support. It helps guide NDIS decisions and therapy plans, improving the child’s independence and participation.
What is evaluated in an FCA?
How the FCA supports NDIS funding
Who conducts an FCA?
Why choose iThrive Health?
Next steps
School Screening Services
Our Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology team offers tailored school screening programs to support student success. Designed mainly for Kindergarten and Pre-Primary students, the program can be adjusted to fit your school’s curriculum and timeline, whether in Term 1 or later in the year.
Why conduct an OT and speech school screen?
How and where are screens conducted?
Optimal screening age & timing
The screenings are ideal for Pre-Primary students (4.5-6 years old), but we also support Kindergarten screenings in the latter half of the year. Many schools prefer screenings in Term 1 to have insights before parent-teacher meetings.
Key focus areas
Our OT screen assesses fine motor, gross motor, visual motor skills, social & emotional development, attention & focus, and sensory processing. Our Speech screen assesses speech, language and communication development. Data is collected via child assessments and parent questionnaires to create a concise one-page report per child outlining findings and recommendations.
Class-wide insights & reporting
Along with individual reports, we provide class-wide developmental insights, including graphs and tables, to help teachers spot trends and focus areas. We also offer practical strategies for supporting students.
How to book a school screening
To organise an OT or Speech screening at your school, email or call us for pricing and availability.
Fees & Rebates
At iThrive Health, we are committed to making therapy accessible and affordable for all families. We provide guidance on Medicare rebates and NDIS funding to help cover therapy costs, ensuring financial concerns don’t interfere with quality care.
Therapy enrolment fees
Follow-up therapy blocks
Private health insurance
Medicare rebates
NDIS – ECEI Funding
Questions?
Answers to the most commonly asked occupational therapy questions
Do I need a referral for my child to access Occupational Therapy?
What do Occupational Therapists do, and how can they help my child?
At iThrive, our Occupational Therapists specialise in the assessment and intervention of children from as young as three years of age through to early adulthood.
Our OTs complete comprehensive assessments tailored to your child’s unique strengths, challenges, and goals. From there, we develop an individualised therapy plan that combines clinical findings with your family’s priorities and concerns.
Therapy may occur one-to-one during our therapy blocks or as part of a group program in our school holiday intensives. Sessions often involve a combination of focused work within our quiet, private therapy rooms and movement-based activities in our purpose-built sensory and gross motor gymnasium.
Within the therapy room, children may work on areas such as fine motor skills, handwriting, emotional regulation, attention, confidence, and social skills. Therapy may then transition into our sensory gymnasium, where children can develop coordination, strength, balance, sensory regulation, body awareness, and gross motor skills in a way that feels engaging and fun. This combination of approaches allows therapy to feel purposeful, enjoyable, and highly effective in supporting children to achieve meaningful goals.
What does the assessment process involve?
Every assessment is tailored to your child’s individual needs.
The process generally begins with a phone consultation between the parent or guardian and your child’s Occupational Therapist a few days before the assessment. This gives us the opportunity to gather important background information, better understand your concerns, and establish goals for therapy.
Your child will then attend a 90-minute in-clinic assessment, where the therapist gains insight into areas such as fine motor development, gross motor skills, sensory processing, attention, confidence, emotional regulation, and functional independence.
We use evidence-informed and research-based assessment tools to ensure we gain the clearest possible understanding of your child’s strengths and areas of challenge. While assessments are designed to provide valuable clinical information, they are also intended to feel engaging and enjoyable for children. For many families, this first appointment becomes an important opportunity for the therapist and child to build trust and rapport, helping your child feel comfortable and excited about future sessions.
What happens after my child has been assessed?
Following the assessment, your therapist may discuss some initial observations, recommendations, and suitable therapy options with you. With the support of our friendly administration team, you will have the opportunity to secure an ongoing therapy day and time within the current and upcoming therapy blocks. In many cases, therapy can begin as early as the following week.
Your therapist will then commence the report writing process, which combines information gathered from your intake forms, parent discussions, pre-assessment phone consultation, and formal assessment findings. Due to the detail involved, reports can take up to three weeks to complete. The report provides a comprehensive summary of findings and may include clinical observations, relevant diagnostic considerations where appropriate, therapy recommendations, home strategies, and school-based suggestions. Many families find the report valuable to share with teachers and other professionals involved in their child’s support. School observations or consultation may also be recommended where appropriate and can be discussed at any stage throughout your child’s therapy journey.
What does a therapy session involve?
Each therapy session is tailored to your child’s individual goals and stage of development.
Early sessions may include an element of rapport building to help your child feel safe, comfortable, and connected with both the therapist and therapy environment. Sessions may begin in our sensory and gross motor gymnasium to support movement, regulation, and engagement before transitioning into a private therapy room to work on more focused therapy goals.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to be involved throughout the therapy process wherever possible. This helps families better understand the strategies being used and supports carryover into the home environment. At the end of each session, your therapist will spend a few minutes summarising what was worked on, progress observed, and recommendations for ongoing support.
