Malcolm Shepherd prefers to run around rather than sit down and concentrate while he is at school.
It has been affecting the six-year-old's ability to learn.
But his mother Kate Shepherd said she noticed a significant change in his behaviour within a few weeks of starting treatment with an occupational therapist.
"The improvement has been insane really," she said.
"His teacher has definitely noticed the improvement on his schoolwork.
"His report this term is the best he's ever had."
Lengthy waitlists
Malcolm might have been one of lucky ones.
His inattention would in most cases be classified as low-needs, making it difficult to get an appointment with a health care professional specialising in injuries and disabilities.
Across Australia, it has been taking six months for the average low-needs patient to be seen, according to the peak body for occupational therapists.
This was due to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) clients and high-complexity cases being prioritised.
Occupational Therapy Australia chief executive Samantha Hunter said most occupational therapy books across the nation were full.
"Many are not even running waiting lists anymore," she said.
"Because once you've got a full book, if you're working with people on the NDIS, often these are ongoing requirements rather than if it might be a developmental delay with young children."
Mrs Hunter said extended waitlists for occupational therapists were even more prominent in regional Australia, where practitioners often travelled to see clients.
"Obviously they can't see as many clients in a day, because of that tyranny of distance," she said.
Different approach
The situation prompted Orange-based occupational therapist Sarah Davis to "flip the system" and put low-needs clients at the top of her list.
"We will have [low-needs] kids that can come in, get seen, meet their goals, and we can discharge them," she said.
"Whereas a lot of the higher-needs children, we might meet their goals but then another goal will be priority.
"We don't necessarily ever discharge them because they have a new need that arises, so we don't get to move that waitlist."
Ms Davis said she would love to see every practice with a different niche area to ensure all clients were catered for.
"In my case, I want to help as many people as possible," she said.
"The children with lower needs require less input and if we are creative about our service delivery models, we can have a large ripple effect."
Factors in shortage
According to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency's Occupational Therapy Board, of the almost 32,500 occupational therapists in Australia, only 550 — or 1.57 per cent, were on permanent contracts.
The vast majority were employed on a casual basis, regardless of whether they worked full or part-time.
Occupational Therapy Australia chief of staff Lea Rawlings said while there was a steady stream of new graduates entering the workforce, a variety of factors contributed to the lack of full-time professionals and subsequent long waitlists.
"Shortages are most pronounced among senior clinicians who provide supervision and support to earlier career occupational therapists and also provide more complex client services," Ms Rawlings said.
"Ninety per cent of registered OTs identify as female and may take time off from work for caregiving reasons, leading to career breaks, or working part-time, which affects caseload."
Positive outcomes
Malcolm wasn't the only one to benefit from the policy shift the Ms Davis's practice.
Darcy and Otis Duncan both struggled with handwriting after their formative years were spent in COVID lockdowns.
"It was just by chance that I saw a handwriting clinic and took a chance and enrolled our boys," their mother Jacqui Duncan said.
While the handwriting clinic at the occupational therapist only lasted a few days, Mrs Duncan said the confidence it gave her children was unmatched.
"My hands were hurting, and it helped me not hurt much … it was a lot easier to do more writing," Darcy said.
Ms Davis said it was another example of the benefits of early treatment.
"Now they don't need any further therapy," she said.
"Otherwise they would have ended up potentially needing extensive therapy down the track.
"I just think it's just a successful outcome."
Source: ABC