Child development is varied
Developmental stages are usually reached alongside chronological age. However, some children experience difficulties with foundation sensory processing and movement / co-ordination development, which means their developmental stages are below their chronological age. This can result in difficulty 'keeping up' with peers or achieving in different areas of their lives. This can include academically, socially, athletically, to what one would expect for their chronological age. This can in turn affect readiness for learning, ability to focus and engage in the learning process, ability to keep up with peers in the play-ground, self-esteem and confidence.
We usually see the affect of the underlying sensory and movement difficulty in the following ways, and these can be indicators of a need to seek support for sensory-motor development. This includes people who experience difficulties with:
- Balance
- Co-ordination & movement - clumsiness
- Visual perceptual skills
- Difficulty with emerging age appropriate movement skills, including use of playground equipment, scissors, pencil skills, knife and fork, riding a bicycle
- Hand-writing and fine motor difficulties
- Listening & remembering instructions
- Sensory processing and integration - tactile / touch, movement, staying still, sensitive to sound & noise, visual distraction
- Learning - attention & organisation
- Social - self-regulation, play & organisation
- Emotional - self-esteem, confidence
- Academic - handwriting, self-organisation, expression of knowledge
- Difficulty learning new sports, swimming
- Easily overwhelmed, over-stimulated, difficulty with age-appropriate self-regulation for learning
- Difficulty with puzzles & engaging in fine motor tasks
- Difficulty with reading, writing
- Difficulty with age-appropriate self-organisation, staying on task, completing tasks
- Focus for engaging in academic learning
- Is bright but behind expected levels for school
- Is verbally able to express themselves, but has difficulty with written work
- Poor focus / behaviour issues
- Having trouble putting ideas on paper
We can help if you know or suspect your child has:
- Developmental dyspraxia / developmental co-ordination disorder
- Dysgraphia
- Sensory processing disorder (SPD) or sensory integration issues
- Autism Spectrum / Aspergers
- ADHD
- Visual processing ie. tracking, visual perception, visual memory
- Learning & behaviour difficulties
