Whose therapy is it anyway?

'His stick men have no neck.'

This was one of the clues, apparently, that my 5-year-old wasn't advancing in school readiness as he should be.

Even to the most doting mother, my son's badly organised pictures and his adamant refusal to do jigsaw puzzles were noticeably unusual.

While the others in his preschool class were filling their pages with happy families with smiles and fingers, his were missing such details. And they had no neck.

We joined the parade to the door of the local occupational therapist, and soon he was deeply in love with her. They played games, did bunny hops, crossed the line and swung from ropes, while I sat happily in the waiting room with a book.

Both of us were sad when the time came to bid her goodbye as he had acquired all the necessary skills like cutting and drawing necks.

It's always unexpected to hear your child needs therapy of some sort or may have a developmental issue or disability. Here are some stories to make you feel more clued up:

Five clues your kid may need OT
Rage against the dimming of the light
Does your child have ADHD?
The ABCs of dyslexia

We've also got a couple of really useful experts in this field: Dr Melodie de Jager, who specialises in development, and Paula Barnard-Ashton, an expert in paediatric OT.

Have a therapy story to share? Mail us now!