Suzie – A case study When we saw Suzie earlier, she was explaining all of the activities that she finds difficult. Suzie was referred to an Occupational Therapist who conducted a Movement ABC for Suzie and found that she had strong symptoms of dyspraxia, which led to her formal diagnosis. After assessing the activities that Suzie struggles with, and discussing these with Suzie and her mum, the Occupational Therapist came up with a treatment plan and goals for Suzie to help her with her activities. Suzie’s main areas of difficulty were: • • • •
Handwriting Buttons Laces Motor planning (hopscotch)
During therapy sessions, Suzie would do various activities, such as playing with theraputty, handwriting activities like tracing patterns and dot to dots as well as learning her letter formations. Suzie was also asked to pick up pegs, and move them around her hand to help make her hands stronger. These activities would help her handwriting, which she reported she found difficult to do neatly at school. They would also help her do laces and buttons, which she practised in each session. To improve her coordination and motor-planning, Suzie would do shoulder and core exercises, as well as physical activities to help her stability and strengthen her muscles to improve her gross motor skills. Suzie also did these activities between therapy sessions with her teaching assistant and mum, this helped her keep practicing her activities to improve her skills even more.
At the end of the treatment block, Suzie had a review with her Occupational Therapist, where they talked about the goals they set, and whether they were met. Because Suzie had worked so hard in her therapy sessions, and continued her activities throughout the week, her skills had massively improved. Even though not all her skills were perfect, Suzie and her Occupational Therapist agreed to discharge her so she could carry on practicing at home. 10
