SYLVANA SPINA Occupational Therapist

Sylvana has over 24 years experience working in paediatrics with children and their families and schools. Having worked in community health, schools, education departments in Queensland and the USA as well as private practice and disability services, Sylvana has a multi-disciplinary team approach when working to support children and families achieving their life goals. Sylvana's service, Abilities Therapy, aims to support families, schools and other professionals in developing a child or adolescent's functional life skills using fun and targeted activities and therapies. This may include anything from handwriting to social skills to sensory processing needs (such as the Alert or Engine program) to organisational skills, and anything in between! Sylvana is passionate about helping individuals enhance their performance and achieve life occupations and roles. For kids, this is play, self-care, school-work, learning, leisure and social skills. Sylvana works collaboratively on goals to target skill and role development whilst supporting the child’s learning and sensory needs. Abilities therapy can assist kids understand how to maintain an optimum alert state in the best learning environment for them to attend, learn, participate and complete life activities at home, school and in the community. Sylvana works with all children that may present with developmental delay, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sensory processing difficulties/needs, sensory-emotional regulation needs, attention deficits or difficulties, learning disabilities such as in writing and reading, visual processing difficulties, handwriting support, executive functioning and organisation deficits, motor planning and coordination needs, anxiety or any child needing support with life skills. Abilities Therapy works with all families, regardless of their child’s learning level or diagnosis. Therapy or support may take the form of individual or group sessions as well as consultation with school, centre or at home, depending on the specific needs of your child. Sylvana is NDIS, FaHCSIA (Helping Children with Autism Package) and Better Start approved.