Blogs & Articles | Clinic for Occupational Therapy

July 2026 · 4 min read

7 signs your child may benefit from occupational therapy

Parents often wonder whether a certain behaviour is "just a phase" or something worth having assessed. While every child develops at their own pace, a few patterns are worth paying attention to.

1. Delayed motor milestones — sitting, crawling, walking or running noticeably later than peers.
2. Clumsiness or poor balance — frequent falls, bumping into things, or avoiding playground equipment.
3. Strong reactions to touch or textures — refusing certain clothes, food textures, or grooming activities like hair brushing and nail cutting.
4. Difficulty with handwriting — an awkward pencil grip, very heavy or very light pressure, or letters that don't sit on the line even after practice.
5. Trouble with daily tasks — struggling with buttons, zips, cutlery or shoelaces well past the age most children manage them.
6. Difficulty with attention or transitions — getting stuck on one activity, or becoming distressed when a routine changes.
7. Avoiding or seeking movement excessively — either avoiding swings and slides, or constantly needing to jump, spin or crash into things.

None of these on their own means a child "needs therapy" — but if several apply, or they are affecting school and family life, a proper OT assessment can tell you clearly whether support would help, and what kind.

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July 2026 · 5 min read

5 simple sensory play ideas you can set up at home

Sensory play isn't just fun — it helps the brain learn to process touch, movement, sound and sight more efficiently. Here are five easy activities using things you likely already have.

1. Rice or lentil bin — fill a tray with dry rice or lentils and hide small toys inside for your child to find with their hands.
2. Playdough squeezing — kneading and rolling playdough builds hand strength that later supports handwriting.
3. Bubble wrap stomping — a simple, joyful way to give the body deep pressure input.
4. Blanket burrito — rolling your child gently in a blanket (with their consent and comfort) can be calming for children who seek pressure.
5. Obstacle course with cushions — crawling under a table, stepping over cushions and balancing on a line of tape builds coordination and body awareness.

Watch how your child responds — some children will want more of an activity, others may find it overwhelming. If you're unsure what's right for your child's sensory profile, ask us at your next session; we're happy to tailor a list specifically for them.

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June 2026 · 4 min read

Improving handwriting: exercises that build the right foundation

Handwriting struggles are rarely about "not practising enough." More often, the muscles and coordination behind writing haven't fully developed yet. These exercises target that foundation.

1. Clothespin pinching — opening and closing clothespins onto a cardboard edge builds the pincer grip used to hold a pencil.
2. Vertical surface writing — drawing or writing on a wall-mounted easel or whiteboard strengthens the wrist and shoulder in a way flat-table writing doesn't.
3. Tearing paper into strips — a simple activity that builds the small hand muscles needed for pencil control.
4. Tracing large shapes before letters — circles, lines and zigzags build the motor patterns letters are built from.
5. Squeezing a stress ball or therapy putty — a minute a day of hand squeezing builds the grip strength needed for longer writing sessions without fatigue.

If handwriting continues to be effortful despite regular practice, it's worth having a therapist assess grip pattern, hand strength and visual-motor skills directly — the right exercise plan looks different for every child.

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May 2026 · 5 min read

Occupational therapy for autism: what parents should know

When a child receives an autism diagnosis, parents are often handed a list of recommended therapies without much explanation. Here is what occupational therapy specifically contributes.

Sensory regulation — many autistic children experience sound, touch, light or movement more intensely (or less intensely) than others. OT identifies each child's sensory profile and builds a plan that helps them stay calm and comfortable — at home, in school, and in noisy public places.
Daily living skills — dressing, brushing teeth, eating a wider range of foods, toileting. These are broken into small, achievable steps and practised in a supportive way, at the child's pace.
Play and social participation — therapy builds the motor and imitation skills that make joining games and group activities easier, without forcing interaction.
School readiness — sitting tolerance, following routines, handwriting and managing transitions between activities.
Parent partnership — perhaps most importantly, OT gives parents practical strategies: how to structure routines, prepare for haircuts or dentist visits, and set up the home environment for success.

Good occupational therapy for autism is respectful, individualised and goal-driven — and it works best alongside speech therapy, which is why our clinic plans both together with the family. If you have questions about whether OT would help your child, we're always happy to talk it through before you commit to anything.

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June 2026 · 5 min read

Returning to daily life after a stroke: what occupational therapy can do

Stroke recovery is often associated with physiotherapy and regaining movement, but many of the tasks that matter most day to day — eating, dressing, writing, managing money, cooking — fall under occupational therapy.

Relearning daily tasks — occupational therapists break tasks like buttoning a shirt or making tea into manageable steps, rebuilding both the physical movement and the sequencing.
Hand and arm function — targeted exercises and, where needed, splinting support to regain strength, coordination and use of the affected hand.
Home adaptations — simple changes (grab bars, adapted cutlery, non-slip mats) that restore independence and reduce fall risk.
Cognitive and visual support — for stroke survivors with attention, memory or visual-processing changes, therapy includes strategies for safely managing daily routines.

Progress after a stroke is rarely linear, but structured, consistent occupational therapy — started as early as medically appropriate — meaningfully improves independence and quality of life. If you're supporting a family member's recovery, we're glad to talk through what a realistic plan looks like.

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Practical guidance from our therapists

7 signs your child may benefit from occupational therapy

5 simple sensory play ideas you can set up at home

Improving handwriting: exercises that build the right foundation

Occupational therapy for autism: what parents should know

Returning to daily life after a stroke: what occupational therapy can do

7 signs your child may benefit from occupational therapy

5 simple sensory play ideas you can set up at home

Improving handwriting: exercises that build the right foundation

Occupational therapy for autism: what parents should know

Returning to daily life after a stroke: what occupational therapy can do