Blog Posts

Break From The Break Camp

Break From The Break Camp March 2020

When: Dates TBD – during the week of march break

Where: Creative Therapy Health Services at 136 Moore Ave. South, Waterloo ON

Cost: $90 for a full day or $45 a half day

Registration and Questions: You can pre-register online for this event, email info@creativeot.com or call 519-974-5026 to get your questions answered about whether this program is suitable for your child.

What Is It?:

Creative therapy offers a”break from the break camp”.  It is designed in a similar fashion to our PD day camps and allows parents and children a fun break!  We will have an exciting theme such as “traveling the world” or “exploring science”.  This day will provide  fun and safe experiences designed and led by an Occupational Therapist. Children work on a variety of fine and gross motor skills while developing appropriate social skills. A high ratio of counselors to participants ensures that your child receives the attention necessary to ensure they have a fantastic experience.

More details about each of the camps will be posted as the date approaches. For information about all our camps and classes please have a look at our camps and classes schedule page.

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Pediatric Anxiety & Occupational Therapy

Can Occupational Therapy Help With Anxiety?

Occupational Therapy can help children and parents identify the triggers of anxiety and then develop solutions or coping strategies.

What Are The Symptoms of Anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal human response to various situations and we all experience it to varying degrees. Anxiety actually has a beneficial value in small doses when it causes you to pause and assess a situation before proceeding, like taking a moment to identify the best path down a ski hill or exercising caution before crossing a road. When the anxiety triggers become more extreme they no longer serve value but become debilitating. High levels of anxiety can make it difficult for a child to participate everyday activities including school, play and friendships.

How can Occupational Therapy help?

OT can help children improve skills that may be at the root of causing anxiety. For example, if a child is having difficulty with printing skills to the point where they are falling well behind their peers they may feel considerable anxiety due to the perceived stigma of not being able to keep up. An OT can determine why printing is difficult for the child (pencil grip, visual-perceptual, working memory etc.), develop strategies for improving hand writing and then indirectly address the anxiety issues.

Similarly visual-perceptual issues may be affecting a child’s ability to participate in simple playground games of catch or soccer (perhaps to the ridicule of their peers). This may lead to a child’s anxiety around participating in any Phys. Ed., recess or lunch time activities. An OT can help improve visual-perceptual skills and/or develop strategies to help the child better manage these issues.

Sensory Processing Issues can be at the root of the problem that then manifests itself as anxiety. Extreme sensitivity to noise and visual stimulation may result in an anxiety response whenever the child is presented with the prospect of being in a situation with those triggers, like school assemblies, birthday parties, recess etc. An OT is able to assess for Sensory Processing issues, determine where the problem lies and then develop a toolkit of strategies that can be implemented at home, school and the community. In some cases, ongoing OT treatment is recommended.

Coping Strategies

An OT will work with the child and parents to find a number of effective calming tools that can be put into practice when anxiety feelings manifest themselves:
• Physical activities
• Breathing techniques
• Relaxation exercises designed for children
• Sensory motor processing
• Rhythm Moving Technique (RMT)
Next Steps
• Call, email or talk to an OT to discuss your situation further and determine whether OT can help
• Schedule an initial assessment to get a thorough understanding of the situation, develop a treatment plan with a set of goals and objectives
• Treatment may consist of additional sessions with an OT or an OT Assistant and follow up activities at home or school

Please contact us find out if we can help.

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Sensory Processing Disorder

Sensory Processing Disorder

What is it?

Sensory Processing refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. A Sensory Processing Disorder means that the sensory signals don’t get organized into appropriate responses.

What Are The Symptoms?

Like many disorders, the symptoms fall onto a spectrum. Concerns are usually raised when the symptoms begin to interfere with a child’s learning, enjoyment of activities, interaction with family and peers. Some of the typical symptoms that may be observed with Sensory Processing Disorder include:
• Fidgeting, unable to sit still
• Wears only soft clothing, socks & clothing tags are often an issue
• Picky eater, very sensitive to tastes and textures of foods
• Chews on clothing or other inappropriate items
• Sensitive to noise and visual stimuli – becomes overwhelmed in school assemblies, malls, birthday parties…

How can Occupational Therapy help?

• An OT can help identify where the breakdown occurs in the sensory processing system.
• Based on that understanding, the OT works with the child to help improve his/her awareness of what they are feeling and why
• The OT then develops a toolkit of strategies for both the child and caregivers to use under a variety of circumstances (some examples include heavy work activities, active sitting cushions, opportunities for sensory breaks etc.)
• In some situations, ongoing OT treatment is recommended. These treatment sessions are geared to help children to learn to re-organize the sensory processing system. This is done by providing children with organized sensory input in a fun and creative environment at Creative Therapy Health Services
Next Steps
• Call, email or talk to an OT to discuss your situation further and determine whether OT can help
• Schedule an initial assessment to get a thorough understanding of the situation, develop a treatment plan with a set of goals and objectives
• Treatment may consist of additional sessions with an OT or an OT Assistant and follow up activities at home or school

Please contact us find out if we can help.

By | | Articles, Services |

A Day With Dinosaurs PD Day Camp

A Day With The Dinosaurs Camp – A Break From The Break

When: January 29, 2016

Where: Creative Therapy Health Services at 136 Moore Ave. South, Waterloo ON

Cost: $90 for the full day or $45 for a half day

Registration and Questions: You can pre-register online for this event or email info@creativeot.com or call 519-974-5026 to  get your questions answered about whether this program is suitable for your child.

What Is It?:

This camp is designed to provide a break from winter weather and transport children to pre-historic themed activities! Like the PD Day camps, we provide a fun and safe experience designed and led by an Occupational Therapist.  Children work on a variety of fine and gross motor skills while developing appropriate social skills.

For information about all our upcoming camps please take a look at our 2015/2016 schedule.

By | | Past Events |

Fall Fair PD Day Camp

Fall Fair PD Day CampFallHarvest

When: November 13, 2015

Where: Creative Therapy Health Services at 136 Moore Ave. South, Waterloo ON

Cost: $90 for the full day or $45 for a half day

Registration and Questions: You can pre-register online for this event or email info@creativeot.com or call 519-974-5026 to get your questions answered about whether this program is suitable for your child.

What Is It?:

This camp’s activities are developed around the Fall Fair Theme! We provide a fun and safe experience designed and led by an Occupational Therapist. Children work on a variety of fine and gross motor skills while developing appropriate social skills.

For information about all our upcoming camps please take a look at our 2015/2016 schedule.

 

By | | Past Events |

Camps and Classes 2016/17

Schedule of Events for 2016/17

Creative Therapy will be adding more events as the year unfolds so check back frequently or subscribe to our Twitter or Facebook feeds to receive automatic notifications.

You can pre-register online  for one of these events to hold a spot for your child or call us at 519-954-5026.

Event Date
Food Fighters Saturdays from 10:15 AM to 11:15 AM
Fall Printing Group Tuesdays Starting September 19’th  6 PM-7 PM
Good Vibes Group September 18 to November 13 2017
Soaring Back to School Camp August 28 to September 1 2017

 

By | | Past Events |

St. Patrick’s Day Camp 2016

St. Patrick’s Day Camp – A Break From The Break

When: March 17, 2016

Where: Creative Therapy Health Services at 136 Moore Ave. South, Waterloo ON

Cost: $90 for the full day or $45 for a half day

Registration and Questions: You can pre-register online for this event or email info@creativeot.com or call 519-974-5026 to  get your questions answered about whether this program is suitable for your child.

What Is It?:

This camp is designed to be a break from March Break! Like the PD Day camps, we provide a fun and safe experience designed and led by an Occupational Therapist.  Children work on a variety of fine and gross motor skills while developing appropriate social skills.

For information about all our upcoming camps please take a look at our 2015/2016 schedule.

 

By | | Past Events |

PD Day Camp Schedule 2016-2017

PD Day Camp Schedule 2016-2017

 

When: September 23, November 18, January 27, April 7, June 2

Where: Creative Therapy Health Services at 136 Moore Ave. South, Waterloo ON

Cost: $90 for each full day or $45 for each half day

Registration and Questions: You can pre-register online for this event or email info@creativeot.com or call 519-974-5026 to  get your questions answered about whether this program is suitable for your child.

What Is It?:

Creative therapy offers PD day camps that coincide with the Waterloo Regional District School Board and Waterloo Catholic School Board calendars.  Each of the camps is based on a fun theme, like “Outer Space” or “Going to the Beach”.  These camps provide a fun and safe experience designed and led by an Occupational Therapist.  Children work on a variety of fine and gross motor skills while developing appropriate social skills.  A high ratio of counselors to participants ensures that your child receives the attention necessary to ensure they have a fantastic experience.

More details about each of the camps will be posted as the date approaches.  For information about all our camps and classes please have a look at our camps and classes schedule page.

 

By | | Past Events |

Food Fighters

Food Fighters – For Picky Eaters

When: Saturdays 10:15-11:15 AM September 24th and October 1st, 15th, 22nd and 29th, November 5th

Where: Creative Therapy Health Services at 136 Moore Ave. South, Waterloo ON

Cost: $240 for the full 6 week session

Registration and Questions: You can pre-register online or email info@creativeot.com or call 519-974-5026 to get your questions answered about whether this program is suitable for your child.

What Is It?:

This is an Occupational Therapist  led group designed to help your child combat their picky eating.  This is achieved with  a multi-faceted  approach addressing  oral motor sensitivities, proper oral motor control and anxiety.  Of course at Creative Therapy  we design our groups such that your child will have fun while reaching  their goals by  trying new foods.

 

By | | Past Events |

Print to the Future Class

Print To The Future

When: Every Tuesday from 6 to 7 PM running from April 5 to May 10, 2022.

Where: Creative Therapy Health Services at D-136 Moore Ave. South, Waterloo ON

Cost: $200 for the 6 session package

Registration and Questions:

If you are interested in this program, please speak to your OT at Creative Therapy to see if this program is suitable for your child. You can register online or contact us via e-mail at  info@creativeot.com or call 519-954-5026.

What Is It?:

A session of handwriting and sensory exploration.   This is an Occupational Therapist led  group designed to help improve your child’s printing and gain a better understanding of their sensory processing needs, providing them with tools and coping strategies.  The therapist will work with children in the group on fine motor as well as gross motor and posture issues which all contribute to handwriting improvements.

OT Assessment:

We highly recommend that your child get an Occupational Therapy Assessment in order to maximize the benefits of any therapy or group activities.  An OT assessment will identify the challenges your child is experiencing along with root causes which helps tailor therapy activities for positive impact.  Any questions or concerns about the assessment can be discussed with our staff at Creative Therapy.

By | | Classes, Events, Past Events |