DISTANCE CONSULTATION
We know you are busy, so we offer a Distance Consultation package for those who wish to access our services without the need for a formal face to face assessment.
You or your child may already have undergone testing and have a diagnosis. We can use this information to develop a personalised programme to help with sensory development.
You can send any information you have available about developmental, sensory and learning and then we will organise a zoom or phone consultation where we can discuss and build an individual programme as appropriate.
This initial consultation is £75 and will take around an hour. You can then decide if you wish to go ahead with the programme.
Our programmes can also help to reduce stress and anxiety by calming and balancing the nervous system as well as anyone looking to improve timing and motor function for improved sports skills.
The sensory aspects of a range of learning challenges are well understood, so if you wish to understand more about what may be happening for you or your child, just take a look below.
We also offer a full sensory assessment or an auditory processing assessment:
FULL SENSORY ASSESSMENT
This includes a comprehensive report detailing all the results and recommendations. Cost is £355. This assessment combines the following:
Hearing ability
It is important to discount hearing problems as this will of course affect listening abilities.
A screening of hearing ability using normal audiometric procedures is undertaken.
Auditory processing
Once hearing is known to be at normal levels we can then assess the ability to listen.
This includes many areas such as listening in background noise, memory, perceiving pitch,
rhythm and patterns in sound as well as being able to assess the location of a sound signal.
It is important that we are able to process sound effectively in order to concentrate, focus
and maintain attention. We use a number of assessment techniques that will be fully
explained during the individual assessment.
Visual processing
A screening of visual skills such as tracking, vergence and eye dominance will highlight any challenges that can affect reading, sequencing and other visual perception skills. We also assess visual motor skills as well as important areas of visual memory.
Vestibular function - Balance and coordination
The vestibular system is contained within the inner ear. It is vital for organising many functions such as balance, muscle tone, visual skills and others. We assess how well this ‘hidden’ sense is functioning and how static and dynamic balance as well as coordination may be impacting upon learning and development.
Proprioception - Body awareness
Proprioception is essentially the internal awareness of where all the different parts of our body are located and how to move appropriately in relation to objects in the world around us. It is closely linked with vestibular function. If we have poor proprioception this can affect such things as walking downstairs fluently, lead to clumsiness in movement and affect our awareness of personal body space.
Primitive reflexes
We are all born with a number of reflexes that help our development and survival early in life. As we move through the normal developmental stages these reflexes ideally become inhibited. Sometimes these reflexes remain active and can impact upon our daily life and the development of everyday skills. We also assess for any retained primitive reflexes that can be having a negative impact upon development and daily life.
The FULL assessment process
An initial assessment usually takes between 1½ and 2½ hours dependent upon age and ability level. It is essential that at least one parent or guardian attend the assessment and you may ask any questions you have at any time. Much of the assessment is fun and takes place in an informal atmosphere. You will find that by being there you can learn more about what you or your child is experiencing every day. The different parts of the assessment will be discussed and explained. This helps to give you a powerful insight as well as understanding how you can help your child to find things easier day to day.
A full report will be written explaining the findings of the assessment and any recommendations. You can then decide if you wish to go ahead with any programmes.
AUDITORY PROCESSING ASSESSMENT
This assessment includes a written report of results and recommendations. Time approx 1 hr. Cost is £195.
Many children and adults with underpinning auditory processing issues have challenges in the following areas:
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Needing to have directions or information repeated
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Poor auditory sequential memory
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Misunderstanding spoken information, directions or questions
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Challenges listening in background noise
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Trouble with auditory discrimination skills
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Limited speech and reading abilities compared to their peers
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Poor concentration and attention skills
The Auditory Processing assessment includes:
Hearing ability
It is important to discount hearing problems as this will of course affect listening abilities. A screening of hearing ability using normal audiometric procedures is undertaken.
Auditory processing
Once hearing is known to be at normal levels we can then assess the ability to listen. This includes many areas such as: -
Auditory Figure-Ground – the ability to listen in background noise
Binaural hearing – how well both ears can take in and integrate information
Beat competency and rhythm ability – keeping to a beat
Auditory closure – being able to listen in a poor listening environment
Auditory temporal processing – how well the brain can detect gaps in sound
Pitch discrimination – the ability to hear lower and higher pitch sounds
All the areas of the auditory processing assessment are known to underpin the development of literacy, phonological awareness, reading, attention, listening and memory abilities.