Support for neurodivergent kids

You might notice your child...

With or without diagnosis. Every child is different

Bump into things, trips or falls more than other kids

Is always on the move, spinning or crashing

Avoids swings and the playground, or gets car sick

Finds ball skills, riding a bike or handwriting hard

Is overwhelmed by noise, light or busy places

Has big feelings and finds it hard to settle

Struggles to sit still or keep focus

Tires quickly, walks on their toes or seems floppy

who we see

Every kind of neurodivergent kid

Many kids fit more than one of these. That's normal, an it's exactly why we look at the whole picture.

Autism

Support for movement, balance, sensory responses and regulation, on your child's terms.

ADHD

Movement-based work for attention, coordination and settling the body.

Coordination difficulties

Clumsy, can't ride a bike yet, handwriting a struggle? Including developmental coordination disorder (DCD), sometimes called dyspraxia.

Sensory processing difficulties

Seeks out movement, or avoids noise, touch or busy places. No diagnosis needed.

Hypermobility

Bendy, clumsy and always tired? Flexible joints can make body awareness and stamina harder work.

Developmental delay

Late to sit, crawl or walk, including children with Down syndrome or cerebral palsy.

Toe walking

A common worry, and one we assess and support.

Not sure?

You don't need a label. Start with an assessment and we'll work it out together.

Why movement and the senses matter

Balance and body awareness are the foundations of so much.

Your child's balance system, vision and body awareness sit underneath coordination, attention, regulation and learning. Research shows differences in movement, balance and sensory processing are common in autistic kids and kids with ADHD, and they're often missed.

We measure these systems, along with how your child thinks and reacts while moving, then build play-based programs grounded in current research. The aim is more comfort, confidence and independence in the things that matter to your family.

What the research tells us

The evidence

Coordination difficulties (DCD) affect about 1 in 20 school-aged children, and they're often not recognised.

Motor and balance differences are common in autistic kids and kids with ADHD. More than half of children with ADHD have motor difficulties.

Being over- or under-responsive to sensory input is part of autism, and sensory differences are common in ADHD. "Sensory processing disorder" isn't a formal diagnosis, but sensory differences are real and common.

Joint hypermobility is more common in neurodivergent people, and is linked with poorer body awareness and fatigue.

International guidelines support activity-based, physiotherapy-led motor programs for coordination difficulties and for children with cerebral palsy.

Physical activity can support attention and executive function in children with ADHD.

Movement and sensory differences don't stop in childhood. They continue into adult life.

What we see in our clinic

Our practice

Our Ikigai Shift Assessments often show recurring patterns in how neurodivergent kids use their balance, vision and body awareness, especially when they have to think and move at the same time.

We target the specific sensory-motor systems those patterns point to, rather than handing out a general program.

We re-measure regularly, so progress is tracked, not assumed.

We share what we find with your child's wider team, so it adds to the bigger picture.

Every Ikigai Shift Screen and Assessment is recorded the same way, building a growing, de-identified picture of the patterns we see, so our programs keep improving.

Clinicians and educators: full references are in our evidence summary, available below.

Autism and ADHD aren't things to cure. Our approach builds on published research and is refined by what we see in practice, to support how your child's body, senses and brain work together, so everyday life feels a little easier.

Neurodiversity Affirming

We're not here to change who your child is.

We're here to help them feel more comfortable, capable and confident in their body, their way.

Strengths first

We build on what your child loves and does well.

At their pace

Child-led, with choices, breaks and no pressure.

Predictable and sensory-friendly

Same room, same clinician, and a clear plan for each session. [Visual schedules: confirm]

Your family's goals

Riding a bike, joining in at sport, getting through the school day: you tell us what matters.

How we assess

It looks like play. It gives us real data.

An age-appropriate version of the Ikigai Shift Assessment. [Name for the kids' assessment: confirm]

Balance & inner ear

How your child's vestibular system handles movement and spinning.

Vision & eye movements

Tracking, focusing and using the eyes with movement.

Body awareness & coordination

Motor skills, strength and knowing where the body is.

Thinking while moving

Attention, reaction time and decision-making during movement games.

Sensory responses

What your child seeks out, what they avoid, and what helps them settle.

How we help

Programs kids actually want to come back to

Sensory & vestibular play

Balance, spinning and movement games, graded to what your child's system can handle.

Brain & body games

Interactive light and target games (SMARTfit, Reaxing) that build attention, reaction and coordination together.

Motor skills & strength

Ball skills, jumping, riding and everyday skills, with our physios and exercise physiologists.

Regulation strategies

Movement and sensory tools your child can use to settle at home and school.

Home & school programs

Simple activities for families, and ideas teachers can use in class.

Re-measured as they grow

Regular check-ins so you can see progress, and reports for your NDIS plan.

Teens & Adults

Diagnosed as a teen or an adult?

Neurodivergence doesn't stop at 18, and many people only get a diagnosis later in life. The same sensory, balance and regulation work can help you feel more at home in your body, whether that's managing overwhelm, sleep, focus or finding exercise that actually suits you.

Book an Ikigai Shift Assessment

Common questions

Does my child need a diagnosis?

No. Many families come to us because they've noticed something feels different, before any formal evaluation. If your child is younger than 9, the NDIS early childhood approach may be able to help, and children younger than 6 with developmental delay don't need a diagnosis to get early support. Our assessment gives you useful information with or without a label.

What ages do you see?

We see children aged [X] to [X]. Programs are matched to your child's developmental stage, not just their age: what works for a 4-year-old looks very different from what works for a 12-year-old. Not sure if we're the right fit? Give us a call and we'll be honest with you.

What does a first session look like?

Mostly, it looks like play. We start with you: what you've noticed at home and school, what your child loves, and what you'd most like to change. Then we move through balance, coordination, reaction games and sensory tasks, using standardised measures so we have a baseline to track progress. We talk you through what we found before you leave.

Can I stay in the room?

Yes, and for most children we encourage it. You know your child better than anyone, and seeing the session makes it easier to carry strategies into everyday life. Some older kids like a bit more independence. We'll talk it through with you first and follow your child's lead.

Will you talk to my child's OT or school?

Yes, with your consent. We can share goals and progress with your child's occupational therapist, speech pathologist, psychologist, paediatrician and school, and provide reports for NDIS plan reassessments. You decide who we contact and what we share.

Helping kids feel at home in their bodies.