Therapy

Therapeutic Listening

therapeutic listening

What it is? What does it do?
Therapeutic listening is a sound-based treatment for people who have difficulty with processing sensory information, listening, attention, focus and communication. Therapeutic listening is appropriate for all ages and it has made significant results with people who tried it. Such results include: increase energy levels, increased attention, better tolerance to noise and improved handwriting.

How does it work?
When the client listens to the music, they activate certain parts of their brain. This is specific to the track and the purpose of the therapy. These tracks are electronically programmed to vary in frequencies and pitch, depending on the area of the brain it is supposed to stimulate. Such areas of the brain, include the parts involved in regulating bodily functions, attention, relating to others and organizing behaviour.


Description of equipment used:
During the therapy process if therapeutic listening is found to be an appropriate intervention, these methods may be utilised on an individualised basis by our trained therapists to support a client in achieving their goals.

Firstly, it consists of a series of tracks prescribed specifically for each child/adult. The reason they are specifically prescribed, is that each track is designed to stimulate a different or a specific part of the brain and a certain neurological pathway. Secondly, a high quality over ear headphones.

The client may choose to work on a variety of skills, by listening to different tracks based on their preference or the recommended skill chosen by the health professional. Listening time consists of 2 times a day, each for 30 minutes, with a minimum of 3 hours between listening times.

Further reading: https://vitallinks.com/parent-center/therapeutic-listening-for-parents/

Sensory Diet

The following interventions are a few examples of how our occupational therapists may support an individual with sensory processing difficulties 

Sensory diet
This involves prescribing a ‘diet’ of sensory activities for a child to complete throughout the day. These activities will be tailored by your occupational therapist to help a child maintain the “just-right” level of alertness throughout the day. 

Therapressure brushing protocol
The Wilbarger Protocol (also referred to as brushing therapy) involves brushing the body with a small surgical brush throughout the day. This technique has seen noted improvements in processing of sensation when implemented in an individualised program by a trained therapist. 

Oral-Tactile technique
The Oral Tactile Technique, is a technique aimed at supporting children with oral defensiveness. Those with oral defensiveness may exhibit behaviour such as trouble eating certain foods or brushing teeth etc. Utilisation of this technique requires a trained therapist and includes using a finger to specifically swipe along the inside of a person’s mouth. When utilised appropriately and correctly prescribed, this may support an individual with management of oral sensation.


Love Real Food

Does your child:

  • Refuse to try any new foods?

  • Have a very particular repertoire of foods he/she will touch?

  • Have difficulty making it through mealtime?


Love Real Food is a group program to help children and their families who find meal-times a challenge because of fussy eating habits and a dislike of trying new foods. We run classes each school team for eight (8) weeks with an Occupational Therapist and a Nutritionist. 

Families can choose to begin with an education based approach which supports learning about food and playfully engages children in food exploration without many of the associated behaviours they have created in the home environment. The groups run out of Caringbah Girl Guide hall, 5 Jacaranda Rd, Caringbah, on Monday and Friday afternoons.

Following your first term at Love Real Food, there are two groups to choose from should you have additional goals to achieve. 

  • Food School

  • Cooking School


How We Can Support Your Child

The myth about eating is that it only requires trying foods, chewing, and then swallowing. In reality, eating requires a whole set of skills that include our senses and preference, the ability to sit and attend, as well as fine and oral motor skills. Our therapists will be able to help you discover what challenges your child is facing when it comes to trying new foods and give you  the right strategies on how to approach these behaviours with playful engagement. Our Love Real Food group pays close attention to these developing skills whilst providing exposure to all food groups to improve your child’s behaviours around food.

Click here for more information

Soft Tissue Treatment

Using a combination of trigger point release, myofascial treatment, stretching and strengthening, plus education about the impact positional and repetitive movements, soft tissue OT can have a positive effect on overall performance. Chronic pain, tension and balancing muscle patterns following acute injury/incident, are all aspects of typical movement and occupation that can be supported through the use of soft tissue OT.

Studied as a postgraduate course, soft tissue OT is a specific area of practice which is provided by therapists at Early Links. This practice does not include manipulation of joints and/or pressure directly on underlying organs/nerves. Soft Tissue OT does use techniques aimed at reducing "knots" in muscles and returning optimal muscle movement/function, including balance between opposing muscle groups. Early Links OTs will often combine soft tissue practice with functional neurology techniques to optimise the neuromuscular results - aka "relaxation and connection to body movement"

Depending on your condition, your Occupational Therapist may suggest including soft tissue treatments in your next session. Most commonly used within the stage 2 of an Achievement Plan and/or with athletes in the maintenance phase of their Performance Plan.

Handwriting Intervention

HANDWRITING

Does your child:

  • Find ways to avoid sitting down when it’s time to do homework?

  • Have difficulty producing legible handwriting?

  • Seem to take longer than usual in completing home and class assignments?

 

How We Can Support Your Child

Doing homework can be tricky when your child is reluctant to pick up the pencil. Early Links Occupational Therapists will help breakdown the processes needed for handwriting. Our therapists will assess the skills your child needs to sit at the table, hold the pencil and maintain attention.

Sessions for Handwriting will include:

  • Activities to improve postural control and major muscle groups needed to stay seated at the table

  • Strategies to improve focus and concentration by teaching your child how to recognise their alertness

  • Direct practice to improve handwriting speed and legibility

 

Speak with an Occupational Therapist about help with Handwriting - click here

Learn more about how the Early Links Team will assess and create a performance program

 

Presentation & Trainings

Early Links offered the following education packages and training opportunities - 

  • School Development Day

    • Self Regulation

    • Managing Challenging Behaviours Practically

    • Affective-Neuroscience for Learning

    • Social Skills in the Playground

  • Clinical Supervision and Mentoring

    • Working with families and children

    • Goal Setting

    • ReBOOT Framework for clinical practice in Occupational Therapy

    • Personal Mentoring for Professional Development

  • Consultation for Technical Improvements - Sport

    • Individual athlete skill development

    • Working with affective neuroscience to inform teams coaching

  • Consultation for Stress Management in the workplace

    • Neuro-Affective Development in stress management

    • Practical strategies to improve individual performances within the team

To find out more information, please contact Jacky Peile, for a Quick Chat

Or call Jacky directly on 0430 935 016

Group Holiday Programs

Holiday Programs

School holidays are a time for family, fun, and recovering from the fatigue that 10-weeks of learning will place on little brains and bodies. Holidays are also a great opportunity to refine the foundation abilities which help children to better adapt to the learning and memory demands of the next school term. The Occupational Therapists from Early Links have partnered with education specialists to provide group programs which encourage and support various skills and abilities to develop within activities typically explored during school holiday time. Check the What's New section for open Group registrations


Zoo Day

A fun-filled day for the who family to enjoy. With the support of volunteer University Students, we can provide families with additional support and in the moment strategies to manage challenging behaviours, feelings of overwhelm for both children and parents, plus offer siblings an opportunity to connect with other kids in similar situations.

Please let us know if you're interested as we will run these events one weekends or in school holidays when multiple families are available


YOGA

Breathing, posture and stability are all key abilities which are required to have the endurance to sit at a table for 5 hours per day, and to play competently with your friends for another 2 hours per day. Our YOGA program is taught by qualified yoga instructors and will also have an OT in the group to support various needs and to help children reference their change in attention, concentration, and posture in terms of helping with school-based learning.

Groups run for 45-mins & parents are encouraged to participate too

TBA when  this group is next running


COOKING

TBA when  this group is next running


GARDENING

TBA when  this group is next running


HANDWRITING

TBA when  this group is next running


School Readiness Groups

More information here