Raquel Marques ot

15/07/2022

20/05/2021

Are you in search of an Occupational Therapist to bring your dream play room or nursery to life? 🌈

10/02/2021

29/10/2020

Thank you for trusting me with your little one 🤗❤️🌈

06/10/2020

Came across this post from and had to share!

Many kiddies find it difficult to adapt to the different sensory components found in fruit and vegetables. Many children tend stick to eating the same things every time (typically crunchy foods like potato crisps or bland typical foods like yoghurt)

This is because their is no ‘unexpected’ tastes or textures that might surprise them.

Another benefit that the child receives from eating crunchy food is from the great amount proprioceptive input they receive from biting into the foods. This is calming and allows them to regulate themselves.

Is your child a ‘picky eater’? Why not try slowly introducing different foods into their diet slowly? A great way would be to introduce the tastes first maybe try grating in some fruits into their yoghurt or trying different cheeses (hard and soft) onto a cracker.

Remember to allow your child to play with their foods. Allowing them to feel the textures on their hands first prepares them to experience the texture in their mouths 🌈 It also allows them to bring the foods to their mouths and tongues in their own time and free will

Love
Raquel 🌈

20/09/2020

Occupational therapists are an essential part of the rehabilitation team. We aim to improve the everyday lives and abilities of our patients.

We focus on what functioning is important to the client and use adaptive and therapeutic means to allow the patient to regain function and ability to perform these skills or use adaptive/compensatory methods to allow them to perform the skills despite their disability. For example how to dress one handed for a long term stroke patient who cannot regain full function 🖐

Love
Raquel 🌈

18/09/2020

Did you know that there is a branch of OT that focuses on psychiatry and mental health? 🧠💭

Within this field OTs support and treat patients with mood disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders and anxiety disorders.

We typically treat both individually and run weekly groups to help 🌈

We help our patients to manage their daily lives and control their disorders.

Art therapy and mindfulness are two key components to a DBT approach to treating mental disorders.

When I worked at Tambo Memorial Hospital I developed an art therapy and mindfulness program which is still being used today 🎨

5 minutes of mindfulness a day can help us to recollect and reassess our thoughts and anxieties which helps us to feel calmer and more aware of ourselves 😊

I could go on forever about psychiatric OT - I love it 🌈 but for now here is everything in a 🥜

Would you like to know more about art therapy? 🎨

Love
Raquel 🌈

17/09/2020

The beauty of splinting 🖐 and a throwback to my days working in the hospital

A before and after with the correct splint 🖐

On left: flexed wrist with severely increased tone
On right: wrist extension with hand in a more functional position

Did you know that children with cerebral palsy can have increased tone which places their wrist in flexion and their hand in a tight grasp? If the hand stays in this position for long periods of time they are at risk of developing a contracture. With a splint we are able to place their wrist in extension and elongate all the ligaments, tendons and muscles 🖐 This allows for a more functional grasp and also breaks that flexor pattern that they are constantly in

Love
Raquel 🌈

17/09/2020

Did you know OTs are able to treat hand injuries/impairments in both adults and kiddies? 🖐

We are skilled in making both thermoplastic splints (as seen in photo) as well as soft splints made from neoprene 🖐 The best part is that our splints are made to the specific dimensions of the client so not only do they fit well but they also keep the joints in the correct position

This means that we learn how to sew as part of our undergraduate degree 🧵

Have you ever had/heard of someone who has gotten a splint made by an OT?

Love
Raquel 🌈

16/09/2020

It’s officially Occupational Therapy Week in South Africa! 🌈 What does this mean?

Well it is a week dedicated in highlighting OTs and the work that we do!

I have decided that each day I will share a fact about Occupational Therapy so that you can learn a bit more about the amazing profession 🌈

Also be on the look out for a giveaway post 🤫

Love
Raquel 🌈

14/09/2020

Hand washing 🧼 💦

Love how beautifully my cousin has learnt how to wash her hands from school!

Love
Raquel 🌈