Yooralla’s ‘On the Move’ program impresses at International conference
Therapists from Yooralla recently presented on the ‘On the Move’ program, at the International Society on Early Intervention Conference in Sydney.
Occupational Therapist Nicole Henderson and Speech Pathologist Jo Shugg presented on the topic ‘Early Powered Mobility and the Influence on Social, Cognitive and Daily Living Skills in Children under 5 Years with Mobility Limitations’.
They discussed the importance of early powered mobility on development, current research in the area and the outcomes of Yooralla’s ‘On the Move’ program.
According to Nicole and Jo, the evidence and our experience shows that having access to early powered mobility has been proven to help promote cognitive, social and emotional development in young children, and improve cooperation, interaction with family, and participation with their peers in everyday activities. Early powered mobility can enhance children’s receptive communication and self-care skills.
Yooralla’s On the Move program aims to encourage independent mobility for young children with disability and support access to early powered mobility devices, such as the Wizzybug. The Wizzybug is a fun, innovative motorised wheelchair specially designed to empower young children, and support them to keep up with other children of the same age.
“The presentation sparked a lot of interest and discussions regarding this area and opportunities for further research,” said Nicole Henderson, Yooralla Occupational Therapist.
This was the first time the International Society on Early Intervention Conference has been held in the Southern Hemisphere, bringing together researchers and practitioners in Early Childhood Intervention and related fields.
Yooralla provides specialist therapies and interventions for children with developmental delay or disability, recognising the importance of early intervention in building a child’s functional capacity.
Find out more about Yooralla’s Specialist Children’s Supports, and you can find information on the NDIS for children in Yooralla’s free guide to the NDIS for your child.