Shona Saayman, Occupational Therapist
Children in Cape Town

Occupational Therapy with ChildrenCreativity based Support Groups for Adults with Mental Health challengesNeurological Rehabilitation for cognitive and memory deficits, and promoting overall function.

Occupational Therapy involves the use of activities in treatment. Treatment focuses on assisting people with a physical, emotional, sensory and/or cognitive challenge to be as happily independent as possible in all areas of their lives\. after an accident or injury, where functional loss is experienced\. when help is needed to be as independent in life after an illness or during the aging process. OT can help children with various needs to improve their cognitive, physical, sensory and motor skills and enhance their self esteem and sense of accomplishment. difficulty with fine motor skills such as drawing, cutting, and/or writing. poor eye-hand co ordination such as catching and throwing balls. slowness to complete written tasks with reversals of letters and numbers. Shona has been working in Private Practice for more than twenty years. She is a mother of two children with a menagerie of cats and dogs. Shona has lived in the UK, Cape Town and in McGregor, a small Boland town. Now she and her husband have settled near the coast of Muizenberg and its mountains. Shona enjoys her work as an Occupational Therapist and is passionate about helping people reach their full potential in their lives, be this a child or an adult requiring cognitive rehabilitation, acquiring functional independence, enjoyment in life and what matters to that particular individual. Shona is solutions-based in approach and is always happy to refer on to the appropriate health care provider and work within the multi- disciplinary team of the community. Scholastic tasks include: Handwriting issues, Copying from the chalk board, Task completion, Sensory Issues, Disorganised work space, Issues with planning and executing work and/or movement, Concentration and focus issues, B ehaviour issues and Anxiety. Autonomy, sense of achievement, job satisfaction, motivation, sense of self-worth and confidence are some of the areas that make up our sense of harmony. Emotional harmony of the child within the family and school environment is vitally important with how the child experiences themselves in the world. Strengthening the physical body so that there is good co ordination and motor control, and less fidgeting and more ability to focus are important too. Gross and fine motor co ordination improve, including writing speed and fluency. Occupational Therapists use games, physical movement, toys, swings, large balls, trampolines and large pieces of equipment to achieve their aims in the treatment programme of your child. The treatment programme is created generally after a full comprehensive standardised assessment from which it can be discerned what your child's strengths and weaknesses are. Sometimes Occupational Therapists work with Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Counsellors, Remedial Teachers, School Teachers and obviously parents to work with all the needs of the child.