Clinic appointment FAQ's

We would always appreciate you letting us know if you're unable to make your appointment. You can do this by contacting our admin team on: 0191 3876359 or emailing: cdda-tr.childrensoccupationaltherapy@nhs.net

Siblings are welcome to attend appointments. However, if it is possible to arrange childcare this would make the session easier for parents to talk to the therapist without distractions.

Please bring your completed parent questionnaire, which will be sent out with your appointment letter. This looks at your child's functional areas of difficulty which will be discussed with the Occupational Therapist. Your child may be asked to participate in activities at the table or on the floor to assess their need.

Be mindful that your child may be required to do exercises on the floor.

General FAQ's

Occupational Therapy can help a child/young person participate in the activities within their daily lives. Working closely with families and schools, an OT may provide interventions depending on the individual's needs and goals.

Yes. Occupational Therapy can help with:

  • Handwriting
  • Scissors
  • Fine motor/gross motor skills
  • Posture and seating

Occupational Therapy advice may look at techniques, equipment and/or positioning for:

  • Feeding/drinking
  • Dressing
  • Toileting
  • Hygiene/grooming

Occupational Therapy can provide advice and training to enable your child to participate in play activities such as:

  • Fine and gross motor skills
  • Engaging in community groups
  • Bike riding
  • Sensory play

There may be times when you are not satisfied with an aspect of care or treatment that you or a relative has received. Firstly, please talk to a member of staff as soon as possible as we can usually answer your concern and questions and put things right quickly. You can contact us via email, telephone or directly with your Occupational Therapist. 

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

PALS will listen to your concerns or queries and will help sort out problems quickly on your behalf, liaise with other trust staff as necessary. Details of how to contact PALS can be obtained from a member of staff or, leaflets are available in the day room.

Formal complaints

If you are unable to resolve your concern with our staff, you can contact the Patient Experience Team.

Top tips & useful resources

We've developed a one-stop resource hub made up of useful online websites and other tools, to help families and schools. In addition, there are also a number of community resources available. 

  • Your therapy source: Lots of activities and games to try for handwriting, fine motor skills, visual perception, sensory motor and self-regulation, and life skills. Downloadable content and links to extra information. 
  • Recycling OT: lots of different posts that have some helpful ideas such as hand exercises, games and ideas for fine motor skills, handwriting, organising etc.  ​​​​​​​
  • Mama OT Blog: A helpful site that gives tips and tricks for parents and carers on independence skills. ​​​​​​​
  • Box of Ideas: a website that boasts 1000s of ideas, guidance and information for early years to employment, such as practical skills and ideas to try for home and school.  ​​​​​​​
  • The OT Tool Box, some good sensory Self-Regulation ideas:​​​​​​​
  • Kids Independently Developing Skills (KIDS)​​​​​​​
  • The Henry Approach: HENRY provides a wide range of support for families from pregnancy to age 12 including workshops, programmes, resources and online help

Handwriting
Sometimes writing can be difficult to read. Some children may struggle with pencil control, pressure and fluency; letter sizing and reversals, some ideas for these areas are included in this leaflet: Top Tips for Messy Handwriting

Handwriting can be slow for many different reasons, poor letter formation, difficulty copying from the board, or hands getting tired when writing. Some children may have 'bendy' finger joints. This means they can become tired or their hands may ache when writing large amounts of text. Some ideas to help with slower handwriting are included here:  Top Tips for Slow Handwriting

Some useful websites to help with developing handwriting skills include:

Scissor Skills

Gross Motor Skills

Organisation at home and school:

Feeding: Please have a look at our information leaflet that addresses cutlery ideas and managing picky eating: Feeding Leaflet

Cutlery: Please watch this short video on our recommendations for how to help develop cutlery skills, using your knife and fork together in play and moving onto food. It talks about the best cutlery to use for your child when developing this skill. Cutlery Top Tips video.

Getting Dressed: Please have a look at our information leaflet that addresses the skills you can practice to help develop dressing skills. Getting Dressed Leaflet

Socks: Please watch this short video on our recommendations for how to make dressing socks easier and progressing this skill for your child. 

Shoelaces: Please watch this short video on our recommendations for developing shoe lace tying. 

Buttons and Fastenings: Please have a look at our information leaflet that gives some ideas on how to manage buttons and other fastenings when dressing. Managing buttons and fastenings Leaflet

Hair, Teeth and Nail Care: Please have a look at our information leaflet that gives some ideas on how to help manage hair/teeth brushing and hair/nail cutting. Hair, Teeth and Nails Leaflet

Toileting: Please have a look at our information leaflet to help give you some ideas on managing issues related to toileting. Toileting Leaflet

Fun and Games: Fun activities for children with hemiplegia. You will need to fill in the form to get access to this great resource. 'Fun n Games'