Children/young people with developmental and learning disabilities or sensory problems
Skills for nursery or school
- Problems with writing: messy handwriting, getting letters and/or numbers the wrong way round, insufficient development of a preferred hand to write with.
- Difficulty cutting, tearing, folding, drawing.
- Problems with fine motor skills.
- Planning difficulties.
- Problems with spatial orientation.
- Difficulties doing tasks independently.
- Problems with concentration and attention.
ADL (Activities in Daily Life)
- Difficulty getting dressed and undressed, tying shoelaces, doing and undoing buttons etc.
- Not able to play much, or with difficulty.
- Problems with fine motor skills.
- Limited use of one side of the body.
- Problems showering, washing, combing hair etc.
- Difficulties doing tasks independently.
Movement
- Difficulty getting around.
- Fear of falling or moving, dislike of climbing or playing on the swings.
- Problems sitting.
- Limited use of one side of the body.
- Problems with hand-eye coordination or fine motor skills.
- Difficulty getting your hands to do what you want them to do.
- Clumsiness, often knocking things over or walking into things.
Processing stimuli
- Problems with perceiving and dealing with stimuli
- Oversensitivity to touch stimuli: being touched, certain clothing or material experienced as unpleasant.
- Easily distracted, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sitting still.
Adults: “DREAM" coaching: occupational therapy for young people and adults with psychiatric problems, ASD, addictions etc.
A few stories about “Dream” coaching
Addiction: This client is looking for a meaningful way to spend his time, ideally a job. He lives alone in a council house and has an addiction problem (alcohol and other drugs). Along with his family doctor and other care providers (home care, Public Centre for Social Welfare etc.) we are working on the “obstacles” he is facing, getting rid of them one by one and looking for work.
Autism: This client still lives with his parents; he experiences the world a bit differently to others in society. There are certain skills he is “expected” to have, but he has learned them more slowly or not quite as well. We are going to work on these skills together, and as an occupational therapist, I try to be a bridge between him and society. We strengthen his skills and try to make adjustments in his search for meaningful daily activities and employment.
Physical disability: This client has reduced mobility and has lived at home until now, with the support she needs. I support her and her parents in her search for an independent life. She is currently in student accommodation. Together we teach her to “transfer” safely from one place to another, get dressed and go to the shops, do the cleaning, cook her meals, etc. on her own: everything she needs to live independently.
Starting point: who you are
Ergo-Droom helps by thinking together about the past (addiction, depression, physical disabilities, autism etc.) and the present, and building a dream together (finding new work, taking up old hobbies again, visiting friends, living independently etc.).
We use various methods to reflect on:
- What am I good at? (strengths, skills etc.)
- Where do I want to be? (what is my dream)
- What do I want to ban from my life? (what disturbs or obstructs me)
- What am I loyal to? (what is important)
- What am I less good at? (weaknesses)
We go on a journey together:
- Looking for employment or voluntary work together (job carving – job matching)
- Planning together and consolidating dreams
- Working on self-confidence through experiences of success
- Finding calm by learning to plan
- Starting with strengths
- Turning weaknesses around
- etc.
Spinal health
If you have had a bad back in the past, you know just how important your back is. During personal or group spinal health training sessions (at the practice, at home or at work), you get tips and advice that show why it is important to pay attention to your back in the way you move, work and sleep.
Back injuries or problems such as hernias are often the proverbial last straw. You don’t get a hernia from one wrong movement, but because you have made that movement wrongly a hundred times.
To avoid back problems, you need a healthy balance between your back’s capacity to bear strain and the strain it has to bear. You can increase your back’s capacity by keeping it in good condition. You can reduce the strain on your back by avoiding activities and habits that are bad for it, such as bending over to lift things up or slumping when you sit. Good spinal health isn’t difficult, but you sometimes need to make a few adjustments.
Together we consider:
Your posture
Always try to respect the natural curvature of your spine and pay attention to your posture whether you are sitting, standing or walking. This will distribute the strain on your back muscles correctly.
Together we find out what the best postures are for you.
Your workplace
Do you spend a lot of time sitting in front of the computer? If so, we will look for a suitable chair and desk together, and check whether your computer screen is at the right height.
Making adjustments doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Adjusting the back rest on an office chair or using a cushion to change its angle can help a lot already.
We don’t just look at your back – we consider your entire posture.
Movement
Make sure you get enough exercise. It is a myth that back pain clears up if you simply get enough rest. If you don’t get any exercise at all, the symptoms will actually get worse over time. We will decide together which sports are right for you: we consider your interests and abilities together. You can also train your back muscles specifically by means of exercises that we teach you at the practice or with a physiotherapist’s supervision.
The right way to lift things
We teach you how to lift things or do daily activities in a way that is easy on your back.
People spend a lot of time sleeping
Make sure you have a mattress and bed base that offer enough support in the right places. When you buy a new bed or mattress, it is best to get the information you need in advance so you know what to look out for. We will also consider the position you sleep in.
Start while you’re young
At the practice, we teach children and young people to move and adopt a good posture (when playing, studying and so on). Little children can naturally lift things the “right” way, but they may stop doing this as they get older, while their bodies are developing muscles and are growing fast. When children just sit around all day, they do not lay the foundations for a fit and healthy body.
We also look at the right posture for play, both on the ground and when playing computer games or using a phone/tablet.