Introduction

In an environment where therapy resources are very often limited, therapists need to value the resourcefulness and ingenuity of families in providing their children with opportunities for learning new skills. The role of the therapist is one of a guide on the why and how, with the family implementing strategies for improving social, communication, and perceptual-motor abilities. Having an in-depth knowledge of typical perceptual-motor development and the factors within the child, as well as in the social and physical environment, that influence this development helps the therapist to understand the difficulties experienced by children with delay and to help families to devise a rich environment and specific training tasks to overcome these difficulties.Suggestions for intervention are guided by the latest evidence-based recommendations which emphasise infant initiated and goal-directed actions without the use of hands-on therapist guidance. Another important theme in these courses is making use of available, free or cheap materials for creating rich and supportive environments to encourage participation and play.

Aims

This programme of courses aims to give early intervention therapists an opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills needed to work with infants and their families. It encourages a collaborative approach to identify needs and goals and devise intervention strategies to help families provide their children with many and varied opportunities within their everyday lives for learning new and more complex social, communication and gross and fine perceptual-motor skills.

Outline

This programme will cover the following topics:

1. Family-Centered Intervention and Early Diagnosis
2. Best Practice in Developmental Skills Training in Early Intervention
3. The Newborn Infant - Setting the Scene
4. Perceptual-Motor Abilities of Infants in the 1 to 2 Month Period
5. Hand Function 0-7 Months
6. Hand Function 7 to 24 Months
7. Development of Sitting
8. Assessment and Training of Infant Sitting
9. Learning to Stand - Development and Training
10. More courses will be added

Target audience

This course is aimed at rehabilitation professionals, students and assistants including but not limited to Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Rehabilitation Doctors, Rehabilitation Nurses, Prosthetists, Orthotists, Psychologists, Audiologists, Dietetics, Social Workers. Community Health Workers, Nurses or Medical Doctors interested in this subject are also invited to participate.