Ready Set Write OT

18/07/2025

09/07/2025

11/06/2025

Fantastic progress by this 7-year-old after only six handwriting sessions; he was explicitly taught how to form each lowercase letter and how to place them correctly on the dotted lines. We used coloured dotted thirds paper, grouped similarly formed letters together (i.e., a, d, g, o, q), and applied spacing strategies.

27/05/2025

Over the past few weeks, I’ve completed several urgent handwriting assessments for Year 12 students—some who had their initial applications for computer use in exams rejected by VCAA, and others who were only recently encouraged by their teachers to apply due to slow or illegible handwriting.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see that, with additional evidence provided—including my assessment reports and statements from teachers about the real impact of handwriting difficulties—VCAA has approved computer use for these students in their final exams. 🙌
If your child struggles with handwriting and it’s affecting their ability to show what they know, computer use can be a reasonable adjustment. Even if an application has been rejected in the past, a strong, well-documented case can make a real difference. With the right support and documentation, it is possible to get the reasonable adjustments they need to succeed.
Please don’t lose hope—support is available, and success is possible.

21/05/2025

ADHD in woman

12/05/2025

29/04/2025

I am a member of 'The OT TrekSTARS' and we are doing this 30km walk to raise money for Beyond Blue and welcome any support via the below link!

I am hiking for mental health with Coastrek Mornington Peninsula 2025 - 30KM and raising funds for Beyond Blue. Please support me and help ensure support is there when needed for those we love and for everyone in Australia.

24/04/2025

Participants are needed for a Deakin Uni research project, where they will be investigating motor development and interventions for children with movement-related challenges such as DCD and/or ADHD.

The project involves a 4-week home-based motor training program designed to support motor development in children aged 7-12yrs.

All participants are reimbursed for their time.

Email: motor-cognition@deakin.edu.au for more info, or click on the link below to complete the online questionnaire.
bit.ly/eeg-motor-trial

17/04/2025

21/02/2025

The COVID pandemic has been blamed for declining school readiness among reception-aged children, but some say the “Covid baby” explanation is starting to feel like an excuse.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jan/30/some-children-starting-school-unable-to-climb-staircase-finds-england-and-wales-teacher-survey?

‘Covid baby’ explanation starting to feel like an excuse, say some teachers, as quarter of children begin reception in nappies

21/02/2025

Interesting article about how more children are starting school without essential skills like sitting up, holding a pencil, and forming relationships, which hinders their ability to thrive in the classroom. Excessive screen time is a key factor, leaving children unprepared, anxious, and misunderstood as disruptive or lacking ability.

As an early years specialist, I’ve seen the drastic impact of screens replacing physical activity and face-to-face interaction, writes early childhood consultant Kathryn Peckham

18/02/2025

Q&A Time

Q. My 3-year-old son is yet to hold his pencil correctly. Should I be concerned?

A. It’s completely normal for young children to hold a pencil in different ways as they develop their fine motor skills. At 3 years old, they’re still learning how to coordinate their fingers, and it’s okay if their grip isn’t ‘perfect’ yet.

If you’re concerned, you can encourage activities that strengthen their hand muscles, like playing with playdough, using tongs to pick up small objects, or drawing with small crayons on a vertical surface like an easel. These help build the strength and coordination needed for a more mature grip later on.

You could buy some Crayon Rocks for him to draw with. Crayon Rocks are perfectly sized to encourage efficient pencil grip.

At this stage, exploring and playing with different grips is part of the learning process!

If he is still using an awkward grip at age 4/5, then it would be worth taking him to an OT for further assessment. I wouldn't leave it too much longer past that, as inefficient pencil grips are hard to charge the older the child gets.