Referral Indicators

Occupational Therapy focuses on the following areas of a child’s development. If you notice any of the difficulties mentioned, a referral to Thrive OT is appropriate.

Gross motor skills (physical skills like running, jumping and co-ordination)

• Clumsy – often trips over, bumps into things, awkward movements
• Poor balance
• Weaker than other children his/her age (floppy/lethargic)
• Difficulty with hopping, jumping, skipping, running, throwing/catching a ball compared with other children his/her age
• Avoids or shies away from playground equipment
• Poor posture
• Difficulty copying body position or performing new motor sequences

Fine Motor (table top skills, e.g. using pencils and scissors)

• Hasn’t developed a dominant hand
• Difficulty holding pencil, immature grasp
• Difficulty using scissors
• Alternates hands when crossing the midline
• Draws on one half of the paper only
• Difficulty with drawing, copying shapes or colouring-in
• Difficulty with manipulating small objects/fine dexterity tasks
• Can’t use both hands together with ease

Sensory Processing

• Distressed by loud or sudden sounds
• Avoids water/sand/messy play, dislikes getting hands dirty
• Dislikes grooming tasks e.g. hair brushing/ washing, haircutting, toothbrushing, nail cutting
• Overreacts to touch, can’t stand in line
• Constantly touching or mouthing objects
• Seeks excessive movement
• Unable to sit still, restless or fidgety
• Under-responsive or appears lethargic, lazy or unmotivated
• Hesitates to play or climb on playground equipment
• Seems unaware of own body or body position in space
• Bumps into things, frequently knocks things over
• Restricted diet, picky eater
• Reacts strongly to smells
• Unusually high or low pain threshold
• Avoids eye contact
• Mood variations, outbursts or tantrums

Visual Perception

• Cannot complete puzzles/block designs appropriate to child’s age
• Difficulty copying shapes, numbers, letter formations
• Difficulty sorting objects according to shape, size and colour
• Has a hard time finding things eg. objects in locker or desk
• Letter/number reversals
• Difficulty discriminating similarities and differences
• Difficulty copying from the blackboard
• Difficulty with position concepts (in front of, behind, under…)

Self-help skills (such as dressing, using cutlery)

• Difficulty with dressing – sorting back from front, doing up fastenings
• Difficulty with eating – messy eater, spills often, difficulty managing cutlery
• Toileting – difficulty managing clothes, wiping self, opening/closing taps to wash hands

Social/emotional

• Poor concentration, easily distracted
• Doesn’t shift attention easily
• Can’t focus attention to complete a task
• Difficulty settling or separating, often restless
• Difficulties coping with change or unpredictability
• Poor frustration tolerance
• Impulsive
• Overly sensitive
• Emotionally immature
• Temper tantrums
• Overly affectionate
• Fights frequently
• Anxious