Oasis Hospital offers specialized services for all members of the family as detailed in our Women's, Men's and Children's Health sections. We also provide specialty services seen here.

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a proven method of treatment for patients who experience some difficulty in performing every day activities (their occupation) because of biological or environmental factors. By using a variety of activities and treatments, OT can enable a patient achieve independence in:

• Activities of Daily Living ( e.g. brushing teeth, eating, etc)
• Leisure (e.g. crafts or sports)
• Work or School
• Social Roles (e.g. mother, student, etc)

The OT Department at Oasis Hospital serves children, adolescents, adults and the elderly who face a variety of challenges. Most of our patients tend to be children under the age of ten dealing with developmental delays, sensory processing difficulties, a lack of school preparedness, or difficulties with concentration, reading and writing. OT can be especially beneficial to these young children because it can help them avoid additional, and sometimes more extreme, difficulties experienced later in life. The adolescents and adults that we work with can expect to see improvements in their home lives, at school, or at work as a result of their treatment.

The comprehensive process for OT includes the following steps for all potential OT patients:

• Evaluate patient through standardized or observational testing;
• Work with other professionals and institutions including schools;
• Develop an individual therapy program together with the patient, family, and other people like teachers;
• Provide individual or group therapy using a variety of approaches as needed;
• Teach and train the parents or care givers to help their children;
• Give advice regarding adaptive equipment like wheelchairs or how to change the environment to make it easier for the child to be a part of daily activities;
• Help families to see other professionals or go to other hospitals if they need to.

This process is an effective way to not only diagnose issues, but also to devise effective treatment methods.

A referral from a doctor is not required to see our Occupational Therapist. To schedule an appointment with Maria du Plessis, or to ask questions please call +971 (0) 3 7014 108. The Occupational Therapy Department hours are: Saturday through Wednesday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. (except during Ramadan, which are determined at the time).

For additional information on Occupational Therapy, please visit the following websites:
(each will open in a new window)

Kids Health: http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/occupational_therapy.html#

Sensory Processing Disorder:
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/what-is-occupational-therapy.html

American Occupational Therapy Association:
http://www.aota.org/Consumers/WhatisOT.aspx
http://www.aota.org/Consumers/WhatisOT/39923.aspx