Paediatric clinics & screening assessments

Clever Bees Paediatric Occupational Therapy are highly experienced at conducting a range of clinics and screening assessments for children and young people that can provide significant insight into their development.

Problems in child development can arise due to a range of factors. Specific assessments can provide clarity about any developmental issues or concern and help to formulate a plan to overcome any identified challenges.

As practitioners, we regularly witness the enormous benefits of paediatric clinics and screening assessments in early intervention. By understanding any developmental, behavioural, or physical challenges early we tailor individual therapy programs to maximise development and minimise any gap between a child’s ability and those of same-aged peers.

If you have any concerns about the development of your child, no matter how insignificant it may seem, make an appointment to speak confidentially to one of the Clever Bees Paediatric Occupational Therapy team.

Happy kids are painting at home. The girls are being creative work sitting at the desk.

Developmental screening assessments

Developmental screening assessments are recommended when there are concerns about a child’s ability to meet expected developmental milestones and perform everyday tasks. Assessments will identify a child’s strengths and challenges in a range of developmental areas including cognitive, social, emotional, language, physical development, self-care, and self-direction. 

We use the results of these tests to work with the child, their family and their overall health and wellbeing team to determine appropriate and tailored management plans and life-skill programs to maximise a child’s developmental potential.

Preschool and kindergarten screening

Preschool or kindergarten screening is a useful way to provide parents advice on whether a child is ready to start school and to assist with making informed decisions about how to proceed.

Age is a key factor, and in NSW students can start school on the first day of first term if they turn five by July 31 that year. All NSW children must be enrolled in a primary school in the year they turn 6.

The Clever Bees Paediatric Occupational Therapy team welcome all enquiries from parents uncertain if their child is ready for preschool or kindergarten. Our screening assessment can help guide your decision-making.

There are a range of factors that need to be considered, including:

Motor assessments

Motor skills are used every day throughout our lives. They help us move and do everything from lifting heavy items to typing on a keyboard. Motor skills and motor control begin developing after birth and will progress as children grow.

Having good motor control also helps children explore the world around them, which can help with many other areas of development.

Motor skills are broken up into two categories: gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Mastering both are important for children’s growth and independence.

Gross motor (physical) skills are those which require whole-body movement involving the large core stabilising muscles of the body to perform everyday functions, such as standing, walking, running, and sitting upright. It also includes eye-hand coordination skills such as ball skills (throwing, catching, kicking).

Fine motor skills are finger and hand skills such as writing, cutting, opening lunch boxes, and tying shoelaces. The development of these skills relies upon the age-appropriate development of physical skills (such as core trunk control and shoulder strength) providing the stable base from which the arm and hand can then move with control.

Our paediatric occupational therapists can conduct a screening assessment to determine if your child is displaying any atypical motor development and if so, create a personalised therapy program to address any delays.

Sensory assessments

Sensory issues are complex because a child’s sensory system could be a mixture of over reactive, under reactive, or actively engaged. Each child reacts to sensory information differently.

Sensory processing is the way the nervous system receives sensory messages and generates them into responses. Most of us are born with the capacity to receive sensory information and organise it effortlessly into appropriate behavioural and physiological responses.

Contact our team

If you have any concerns about your child’s ability to process sensory information, contact our team to arrange for a screening assessment.