OT Brochure

Occupational Therapists (OTs)

havespecialisedskillsinassessingandtreatingsensoryprocessing,neuromuscular functioning, motor skill development, visual perception, and functional life skills. They are vital members of our multidisciplinary team who work in close collaborationwithlearningsupportandclassroomteachers.TheroleofanOTisto use meaningful activities in an engaging way to help children and young adults improve physical, sensory, cognitive and psychosocial health and wellbeing, ultimatelyincreasingindependence,self-confidenceandautonomy.

Balanced Model of Support

Decide if you will file for reimbursement from your private health insurance. If so,youMUSTgetpre-approvalfromyourinsurancecompany.Assistancewith approval and a proforma invoice can be obtained through Aude Raynal (raynala@isbbe) Please be aware that OT intervention at ISB falls outside the BelgianMutuellesystemsoINAMIreferencesarenotavailable.Ifrequested,OT can provide references to UK/Belgian governing bodies for health insurance purposes. For many health insurance policies, a medical referral to OT is often required. Please check your own health insurance policy requirements in advance.

If you would like OT services to be included on your tuition bill, please contact AudeRaynal.

If finances are an obstacle to receiving services, please contact Tanya DuVall (arlert@isb.be).

OccupationalTherapyassistsstudentswith:

SensoryProcessingDifficulties

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses (touch, movement, body awareness, internal body awareness, taste, smell, sight and hearing). Forexample,achildwithSPDmayfindithard to engage in conversation or play, have trouble focusing in class, be a picky eater, be over-sensitive to touch, have frequent emotional or behavioural outbursts, or constantlybe“onthemove”.

NeuromuscularFunctioning

Including primitive reflex integration, muscle tone, postural strength, co-contraction, and eye-musclecontrol.

FineMotorDifficulties

Movements of the hands including handwriting and cutting, shoelaces, dressing, manipulating objects, and using both hands atthesametime.

GrossMotorDifficulties

Whole body movements including difficulty balancing, climbing, jumping, skipping, hoppingorrunning.Childrenwithgrossmotor and coordination difficulties may fall frequently, bump into things or have poor posture

VisualPerceptionSkills

The brain’s ability to make sense of what the eye’s see. A child with visual perception difficulties may find tasks such as reading, writing, completing puzzles, cutting, drawing, dressingandcopyingfromtheboarddifficult

OralMotorDifficulties

Weakness in the muscles used for talking, eating and drinking, drooling, and chewing/controllingfoodinthemouth

FunctionalLifeSkills

Skills a person needs in order to live as independently as possible For example personal hygiene, dressing, eating, basic first aid, crossing the road and doing chores. This can vary from putting on shoes to making a meal. An OT’s role is to work specifically on thesensory,motorand/orphysicaldifficulties thatmayinhibitsomeofthesetasks

Itiscommonforachildtoexperiencemore thanoneoftheabovechallenges

BalancedModelofSupport

Collaborationbetweenthetherapist,parentsandteachersisessentialforproviding thebestsupporttostudentswithdisordersinsensory,motorand/orfunctionallife skills.

Inordertobestserveourstudents,werequireafullevaluationatthestartoftherapy toidentifyareasofstrengths&needs,frequency&durationofservicesalongwiththe deliverymodel(individualorsmallgroups,in-classorpull-outsessions).Basedon thestudent’stherapeuticneeds,wesetgoalsandcontinuouslymonitorprogress.A formalOTre-evaluationisdoneevery2-3years.

Our Team

LOUISE FRANKLIN

BSc(Hons) Occupational Therapy, PGCert Sensory Integration, PGCert Professional Development in OT, Qualified Yoga Teacher

Lead Occupational Therapist at ISB

Louisehasworkedinarangeofinternationalschools,socialcareand specialistmedicalsettings Louiseworkswithchildrenandadolescents with an extensive range of sensory processing, physical, learning disabilities,developmentaldelays,trauma,mentalhealthandbehavioural difficulties. Louise has worked within multidisciplinary teams and with childrenwithAutismSpectrumDisorders.Herotherspecialisttrainingin Reflex Integration, Feeding Therapy, Safe and Sound Protocol, Trauma Release,andCrisisPreventionprovideaholisticapproachtoherwork

LouiseisaBritishnationalwhojoinedISBin2013.Sheleadsateamof2 assistantstoensurequalityOTservicestoourstudents

Occupational Therapy Assistants at ISB

Gerdahasexperienceinearlychildhoodandelementaryschoolsettings Sheworkedasaleadnurseryteacherandasa1:1teachingassistantfor childrenwithbothASDandlearningdisabilitiesinlocalandinternational schools.

Gerda is an Estonian national who joined ISB in 2022. She works as an assistant to Louise Franklin, ensuring that all of our OT students receive qualitytherapy

BA in Social Sciences, Cert Support person for Autistic children - coping w aggressive behavior

Kim has experience working with various learning needs including learning disabilities, behavioural disorders, and developmental delays both in intensive learningand1:1.HavingspecializedinAutismSpectrumDisorder(ASD)andDown Syndrome and is also trained in the fields of simple language use, and special educationalneeds.

Kim is a German national who joined ISB in 2023.She works as an assistant to LouiseFranklin,ensuringthatallofourOTstudentsreceivequalitytherapy.

GERDA KOIDUMÄE

KIM LECHLER

Fee Structure

OT services, including assessments and evaluations, are invoiced to parents at the end ofeachmonth.Therapyisinvoicedin15-minuteincrements(units)at€22/unit.Students are given a comprehensive assessment to ascertain the number of units/week and the recommended scope of therapy. Indirect OT services including teacher liaison, classroom observation, parent meeting and monitoring progress which are included in ourfees.

Please inform us if your child will be absent for an OT session Where possible, we will attempt to reschedule missed sessions however, cancellations with less than 24 hrs noticewillbecharged.