Shannon Rolph, OT Reg. (Ont.)

People experience life to the fullest through the things they enjoy doing everyday – at work, in school, in their homes, or out in their communities. Occupational therapy (OT) is a health profession that helps you or your family member develop the skills needed for day-to-day activities when these abilities are reduced or lost.  Shannon uses evidence-based OT practice to help children and their families address difficulties around sensory integration, picky eating, fine motor/printing skills, self-regulation and activities of daily living (dressing, toileting, play!)

What to expect in treatment

• OT sessions will look different depending on the goals that we are working toward together, but they will always have one thing in common: PLAY!
• Children are built to naturally do their best learning through play, so therapy sessions will always be structured to be fun and engaging by using movement activities, games and engaging stories.
• Sessions are typically 50 minutes long and will generally involve the OT & child interacting throughout.
• Parents are always invited to be part of our time together where they will learn strategies to help their child at home and school.
• As each child is different, sessions can be tailored to be shorter as required.

FAQ:Tell me more about the assessment process 

The initial assessment process consists of 4 parts: 

1. A caregiver interview – this 50-minute virtual session is an essential part of the assessment process where I will take the time to learn more about your child, your family, and why you are seeking OT support. I will guide the session to gather important information on your child’s strengths and challenges. Using this information, I will then be able to select the most appropriate assessment tools and strategies for the next step of our assessment. 
2. Child evaluation – this 50-minute in-person session is a time for me to spend observing and learning about your child. This session will be focused on building comfort and rapport with your child, as well as using a combination of standardized or informal assessments. The specific skills that are assessed will be different for each child, and dependent on your family’s goals for OT. In many cases, an initial OT assessment won’t look like an ‘assessment’ at all, but rather like play. I will strategically choose games and activities that help me to assess specific skills in a way that is fun and engaging for your child 
3. Written report – a brief 30-minute written report of your child’s assessment results will be produced and sent to you prior to our assessment review. This is a helpful document to share with other members of your child’s support team (teachers, physicians, and other healthcare professionals). 
4. Assessment review – this 30-minute virtual session is a chance for us to review the results of your child’s assessment, answer any questions that you have, and discuss treatment recommendations and options to support your child.