Caitlin Johnson Occupational Therapy

05/09/2025

SASIC 4 ✔️ What a journey it has been to reach this point… a significant milestone in my professional career. 🥹 I feel so proud to be part of such a meaningful and impactful profession💛. Ending the week feeling grateful, (a little exhausted🤭), and incredibly inspired.🫶🌟🌈🤸‍♀️

23/04/2025

Strong cores help little ones explore their world with confidence! 💪👣🤸‍♂️ Good postural control builds the foundation for movement and development🌟🐥 - let’s have a look at why it matters…

04/04/2025

Traditional seating doesn’t work for every child!🧘‍♀️ From floor cushions, to lap trays, to therapy balls, to wobble stools.. alternative seating options encourage active sitting and can improve posture, focus, and engagement in class.

Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a huge advocate for MOVEMENT in children!🤸‍♂️🤸🏽‍♂️ For some children, traditional seating can feel restrictive and uncomfortable, making it harder to focus and fully engage in class. By incorporating flexible seating, children can access sensory input and movement throughout the day, which helps them stay regulated and focused, and supports more efficient learning.💡

Let’s work towards creating dynamic, inclusive classroom environments, where children are not confined, but empowered to learn and grow in ways that works best for them! 🌱🧸

For more information or support with implementing flexible seating in your classroom, or if you are looking for individualised support for your child, feel free to contact us.📞 We are here to help create a learning environment that works for every child!🪴🌟

13/02/2025

Early support can make a big difference! If you are concerned about any of these signs, consider consulting an OT… we are here to help your child build essential skills to grow, learn and thrive in their little lives!💚🌟🤸‍♂️🧩🪴🐥

Paediatric Occupational Therapist

04/02/2025

Say goodbye to the stress of running around!🏃‍♀️‍➡️💨🚙

We now offer occupational therapy sessions in the comfort of your OWN HOME🏡🌿… Ideal for busy families!

Available in select areas in Cape Town southern suburbs.

🌱Get in touch to find out more and check availability in your area.

🌈🤩🤸‍♂️🧩✂️💛🖍️🥎

03/02/2025

THE PROPRIOCEPTIVE SYSTEM🏋️‍♂️💪🧗‍♀️

Proprioception helps us to move… 🤸‍♂️

💫This system provides information about the position and movement of body parts, allowing the brain to understand where the body is in space, how to move and how much strength our muscles need to use in different activities.

💫Understanding where the body is in space helps us to make movements without needing to look. For example, when we walk 🚶‍♂️, we don’t need to look at our feet to know where they are. When we get dressed👕, we don’t need to look in the mirror. When opening a door🚪, proprioception allows us to know how far to lift up our arm and how much force is needed to pull down the handle and to open the door.

💫How can you help support the development of your child’s proprioceptive system?
- Facilitate engagement in activities that involve climbing, jumping, pushing, pulling, hanging (jungle gym equipment is great for providing proprioceptive input!)
- Wheelbarrow walks and animal walks 🐰🦀🐻
- Pushing a heavy box along the floor, carrying books 📚, wall push ups, tug-of-war
- Tight hugs! 🤗
- Create obstacle courses that encourage different positions and movements (climbing under, over, jumping, hopping, balancing, walking on tiptoes etc)

🌟GOOD TO KNOW🌟: Proprioceptive input has a regulating effect on the sensory systems and can help calm a distractible or over-alert child!🧘‍♀️

20/09/2024

SASIC 3 ✔️ What a week!😮‍💨
Feeling exhausted, but also SO grateful and privileged to be on this journey.🙏💫🤸‍♂️

20/09/2024

We are excited to welcome you to the last baby massage course for this year!👶🐣 For mamas and your little babes (ages 6 weeks to pre-crawling).

The course runs over 5 weeks (one class per week), where you will learn exactly how to massage your little one’s different body parts - a beautiful way of bonding and communicating.💛

💫Relief from colic and gas, cramping or constipation💫Improved sleep
💫Stimulation and development of all body systems
… these are just a few of the MANY benefits of baby massage.

⭐️Book now to secure your spot - spaces are limited!

08/08/2024

THE VISUAL SENSE 👀👀👀

The visual system allows us to make sense of our world through SIGHT.🫣🤩

💫Visual input from the environment is received through visual receptors in our eyes; these receptors are stimulated by light, colour and movement.☀️🌈🪁

💫Vision is closely integrated with all of the other senses and is an important system for children to learn, develop and grow. Children who struggle to accurately process visual input may experience difficulty in successfully engaging in their environments.

💫How can you help promote the development of a healthy visual system in your child?
- Your child will most likely develop a strong visual system in their day-to-day environments, simply through participating in play activities that allow for visual exploration.🤩
- Some fun activity ideas include: “I spy”, colouring in/ painting, puzzles, dot-to-dot, mazes, word searches, hide and seek, ball games and scavenger hunts. 🎨🧩🎾🤹‍♂️

31/07/2024

THE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM💨🤸‍♂️

This system relates to MOVEMENT and is located within the inner ear👂

🔅It provides important information regarding where the body is in space and how fast or slow the body is moving.🤸🏽‍♀️⛹️

🔅The vestibular system plays a crucial role in the development of balance, coordination and rhythm, postural control and postural security, muscle tone, eye movements and overall alertness.

🔅How can you help support the development of your child’s vestibular system?
- Facilitate engagement in a variety of movement activities that allow the head to move in different ways (such as jumping, climbing, rolling, swinging, running, riding a bike, dancing and hanging upside down)🤸🏻‍♀️🚴‍♂️🛝🏃‍♂️

KEEP IN MIND…👇👇👇
- Slow rhythmical movements are more calming and soothing🧘‍♀️
- Fast movements with changes in direction are more activating and alerting🕺

19/07/2024

Bring your babs and join us for a beautiful bonding experience✨ We are excited to share our next course dates with you💛🐣

🌻 Venue: Thula Baby Clinic, Cape Town
🌻 Dates: see picture - a reminder that the course consists one session per week for 5 consecutive weeks
🌻 Ages: 4 weeks to 9 months old (pre-crawling)

Contact me for further information and to secure your spot!

*spaces are limited👣

11/07/2024

THE TACTILE SYSTEM 👐🙌🫶

The largest sensory system and the first to develop in utero - our sense of touch.🖐️

💚The tactile system helps us understand touch sensations from the world around us and helps us to feel secure in exploring our environment.🌱

💚The tactile system plays a crucial role in supporting the development of other important skills such as motor planning, body awareness, visual perception, academic learning, social interactions and emotional development.🐥

💚How can you help support the development of your child’s tactile system?
-Let them get messy! 🖌️🎨🧑‍🍳💦 Engage in messy play using different mediums such as paint, water, slime, rice, shaving cream, sand , stones, play dough, cookie dough during baking etc.
-Use play activities to explore with a large variety of textures and sensations (through toys and books).👐