Occupational therapist Aliya Drakes: See children first, not their disability
Sunday 2 May 2021
Aliya Drakes training and experience as an occupational therapist taught her how to structure her life in such a way that she doesn’t get overwhelmed, as frequently happens with people with autism. - PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB
As an occupational therapist (OT) Aliya Drakes encounters children with different personalities daily. And although they are mainly special-needs children, the philosophy of Opal Kids, the therapy practice she started in 2011, is to “see the child first” and not their disability.
“The way occupational therapy works is that we don’t need to have a diagnosis. We look at whatever the child is dealing with, how it’s affecting their day-to-day life. Everything that you do on a daily basis is your occupation. It could simply be trouble paying attention in school, or that their handwriting is bad, they have problems dressing or managing sensory things.