Specialising in Paediatric Occupational Therapy Services
Giving your child the skills to Play, Learn, Grow & Thrive
At Thrive Paediatric Occupational Therapy our aim is to provide a service that supports children and their families to grow and develop so that they prosper in their respective environments.
Thrive is located in Shepparton within the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria. Thrive provides a rural service for children and adolescents from birth through to adulthood.
Play
Learn
Grow
Thrive
Annie Seccull
Director and
Occupational Therapist
Annie graduated from the Australian Catholic University with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy. Annie is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and is a current member of Occupational Therapy Australia.
Annie has had extensive experience working as an Occupational Therapist in Melbourne working for both the Department of Education within a Special Development School and a highly reputable paediatric private practice. During this period, Annie has had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of children with complex needs including children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Global Developmental Delay, Intellectual disabilities and social and behavioural difficulties.
Annie has also undertaken professional development in a range of occupational therapy approaches, including specialised training in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding.
Annie has always had a passion for working with children and their families to support and guide them to thrive in their respective environments. Annie is excited to bring her knowledge and expertise in Paediatric Occupational Therapy to the Goulburn Valley.
Occupational therapy aims to help children be independent in their everyday lives and everything that they set out to achieve.
An occupational therapist specialising in paediatrics supports children to develop skills to perform activities that are meaningful to them.
Thrive provides assessment and intervention within our clinic in Shepparton and in the child’s home, kindergarten or school.
Gross motor skills
Gross motor skills involve the larger muscles of the body (e.g. arms and legs) that help us to perform daily tasks (e.g. sitting, standing, walking, running, jumping). Gross motor skills allow children to learn new movements that enable them to participate in physical activities. Children learn how to control the larger muscles of their body before they can control the smaller muscles of the body, thus gross motor skills being the foundations for many aspects of skill development.
Fine motor skills
Fine motor skills involve the use of the hands and fingers. The more complex the movement the more the smaller muscles in the hand have to work together to perform precise movements. Fine motor skills allow children to complete important self-care tasks (e.g. dressing, brushing teeth, using utensils, opening food containers), academic work (e.g. cutting, pasting, drawing, writing) as well as leisure activities (e.g. playing games).
Handwriting
Handwriting is the physical ability to put pencil/ pen to paper to record words. It is a complex integration of many skills, coupled with the thought processing of what to write (content) and how (spelling, grammar). The extent to which a child is able to demonstrate their academic ability is significantly reliant upon their ability to share their thoughts in written communication.
Self care
Self care skills are tasks that we do to get ourselves ready for the day. These include but are not limited to getting dressed, brushing teeth, having a shower/ bath and eating. These activities are typically supported by adults in younger children, however it is expected that children develop independence in these skills as they get older. When children start practicing independence in these skills they begin to gain a sense of accomplishment.
Social skills
Social skills are skills that we use everyday to interact and communicate with others.
Social skills are vital in enabling an individual to have and maintain positive interactions with others. Many of these skills are crucial in making and maintaining friendships.
Play skills
Play is the ability to engage in pretend or imaginary, constructive, playing with others, or playing on your own. Play skills are vitally important in early stages of development as it allows children to learn about the environment, their bodies and their place in the world around them.
Attention and concentration
Attention and concentration is what allows children to focus their thinking on one thing at a time and block out irrelevant stimuli and information. Having good attention allows children to be alert, resist distractions in their environment and engage in a task for long enough to repeatedly practice it.
Sensory processing
Sensory processing is the ability to interpret and use information we receive through our senses to understand who we are, where we are and what is going on around us. When children are efficient in processing sensory information their they are able to produce appropriate responses to the stimuli that their brain receives from the environment around them.
Self-regulation
Self-regulation is the ability to adjust and control energy levels, emotions, behaviours and attention. It helps children to manage events and activities that may occur throughout the day. Children learn to understand what they “need” to manage their reactions to feelings that they may have in relation to things (events/ situations/ people) that happen around them.
Challenging behaviour
Challenging behaviour is a persistent action that limits a person’s ability to engage in any given activity. Examples of challenging behaviour include withdrawn behaviours (social isolation, anxiety), disruptive behaviours (swearing, refusing to follow instructions), violent and/ or unsafe behaviours (kicking, hitting, biting), inappropriate social behaviours (inappropriate touching).
Occupational therapy aims to help children be independent in their everyday lives and everything that they set out to achieve.
An occupational therapist specialising in paediatrics supports children to develop skills to perform activities that are meaningful to them.
Thrive provides assessment and intervention within our clinic in Shepparton and in the child’s home, kindergarten or school.
Gross motor skills
Gross motor skills involve the larger muscles of the body (e.g. arms and legs) that help us to perform daily tasks (e.g. sitting, standing, walking, running, jumping). Gross motor skills allow children to learn new movements that enable them to participate in physical activities. Children learn how to control the larger muscles of their body before they can control the smaller muscles of the body, thus gross motor skills being the foundations for many aspects of skill development.
Fine motor skills
Fine motor skills involve the use of the hands and fingers. The more complex the movement the more the smaller muscles in the hand have to work together to perform precise movements. Fine motor skills allow children to complete important self-care tasks (e.g. dressing, brushing teeth, using utensils, opening food containers), academic work (e.g. cutting, pasting, drawing, writing) as well as leisure activities (e.g. playing games).
Handwriting
Handwriting is the physical ability to put pencil/ pen to paper to record words. It is a complex integration of many skills, coupled with the thought processing of what to write (content) and how (spelling, grammar). The extent to which a child is able to demonstrate their academic ability is significantly reliant upon their ability to share their thoughts in written communication.
Self-care
Self care skills are tasks that we do to get ourselves ready for the day. These include but are not limited to getting dressed, brushing teeth, having a shower/ bath and eating. These activities are typically supported by adults in younger children, however it is expected that children develop independence in these skills as they get older. When children start practicing independence in these skills they begin to gain a sense of accomplishment.
Social skills
Social skills are skills that we use everyday to interact and communicate with others. Social skills are vital in enabling an individual to have and maintain positive interactions with others. Many of these skills are crucial in making and maintaining friendships.
Play skills
Play is the ability to engage in pretend or imaginary, constructive, playing with others, or playing on your own. Play skills are vitally important in early stages of development as it allows children to learn about the environment, their bodies and their place in the world around them.
Attention and concentration
Attention and concentration is what allows children to focus their thinking on one thing at a time and block out irrelevant stimuli and information. Having good attention allows children to be alert, resist distractions in their environment and engage in a task for long enough to repeatedly practice it.
Sensory processing
Sensory processing is the ability to interpret and use information we receive through our senses to understand who we are, where we are and what is going on around us. When children are efficient in processing sensory information their they are able to produce appropriate responses to the stimuli that their brain receives from the environment around them.
Self-regulation
Self-regulation is the ability to adjust and control energy levels, emotions, behaviours and attention. It helps children to manage events and activities that may occur throughout the day. Children learn to understand what they “need” to manage their reactions to feelings that they may have in relation to things (events/ situations/ people) that happen around them.
Challenging behaviour
Challenging behaviour is a persistent action that limits a person’s ability to engage in any given activity. Examples of challenging behaviour include withdrawn behaviours (social isolation, anxiety), disruptive behaviours (swearing, refusing to follow instructions), violent and/ or unsafe behaviours (kicking, hitting, biting), inappropriate social behaviours (inappropriate touching).
At Thrive we provide services under the NDIS (Self-managed and Plan-managed), FaHCSIA (Better Start Initiative and Helping Children with Autism Initiative), Medicare (Enhanced Primary Care Plan and Mental Health Care Plan) and Private Health.
You may be eligible for financial assistance for Occupational Therapy sessions under one of the schemes listed above. Further information can be provided on request.
Please provide your details and a short description of
the goals you hope to achieve with us.
