Services
Equipment & Assistive Technology Clinic
The right equipment can change what's possible.
The right equipment can change what's possible.
The right equipment can make an enormous difference to how a child communicates, moves, learns, plays, travels and participates in everyday life.
But finding the right solution involves much more than choosing a product. Equipment prescription requires detailed assessment, clinical reasoning, knowledge of available technology and an understanding of how a child's needs may change over time.
At BOOM, our Equipment Clinic brings together clinicians with advanced skills in paediatric equipment and assistive technology to help children and families explore, trial and implement solutions that genuinely work for them.
AAC and communication technology that helps children express themselves and connect with others. This may include speech-generating devices, communication systems, eye gaze, switches and alternative access methods.
Equipment that helps children get where they want to go, including manual and powered wheelchairs, walkers, gait trainers, adaptive strollers and other mobility solutions.
Practical equipment that makes everyday activities more accessible, from self-care, bathing and toileting through to eating, play, school participation and accessing technology.
Assessment and recommendations for orthoses and specialised footwear to support alignment, stability, movement and function, working collaboratively with orthotists and other professionals where required.
Equipment that supports a child's posture, comfort, function and physical needs throughout the day and night. This can include specialised seating, standing frames, sleep systems and 24-hour positioning solutions.
Assessment and recommendations to support safer and more accessible transport, including specialised car seats, vehicle access, transfer solutions and vehicle modifications.
Advice and equipment recommendations to help families and services create sensory spaces at home or in the community, supporting regulation, exploration and engagement.
These are just some of the areas our Equipment Clinic can support. If you're looking for something specific, talk to our team.
There are thousands of equipment options available, and technology is continually changing.
Knowing what exists is only the beginning.
Our clinicians undertake advanced training in equipment assessment and prescription and continually develop their knowledge of new products, technology and approaches. They consider the child's movement, positioning, communication, access, environments, daily activities and anticipated future needs when determining what may be appropriate.
Our strong relationships with equipment suppliers also allow us to keep up to date with new options and collaborate with people who understand the products in depth.
The goal isn't simply to find equipment that works today. It's to make a well-considered recommendation that supports the child in real life and, where possible, anticipates what they may need next.
Equipment Clinic can complement your child's existing therapy.
Our Equipment Clinic is available to children already receiving therapy at BOOM, but you don't need to be a regular BOOM client to access it.
Your child may already have an OT, Physiotherapist or Speech Pathologist they know well and see regularly. If a particular equipment need falls outside that therapist's scope or experience, they can continue providing your child's usual therapy while BOOM provides the specialised assessment and equipment prescription.
We can collaborate with your child's existing therapist and broader team throughout the process, then hand ongoing therapy back to the people who already know your child.
It's about adding the right expertise when it's needed, not replacing a team that's already working well.
Multidisciplinary equipment assessment when it adds value.
Equipment often crosses traditional discipline boundaries.
A communication device, for example, isn't only about language. A child may also need appropriate seating, upper limb access, switch access, eye gaze or another alternative access method to use it successfully.
A wheelchair isn't only about mobility. Positioning can influence a child's comfort, upper limb function, communication, vision, feeding and ability to participate.
That's where BOOM's multidisciplinary team can make a difference.
Our Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Speech Pathologists can assess together when required, bringing different areas of expertise to the same equipment decision.
Not every child needs multiple clinicians involved. We bring disciplines together when their input will genuinely improve the assessment or outcome.
Step 1
You can refer for a specific equipment need or simply tell us about the problem you're trying to solve. We'll determine which clinician, or combination of clinicians, is best placed to help.
Step 2
We start by understanding the child, not the equipment.
Your therapist will assess relevant areas such as movement, posture, function, communication, access, daily activities and environments, alongside the goals the equipment needs to achieve.
Step 3
Our team considers suitable equipment and technology based on the assessment. This may include equipment available within BOOM as well as options accessed through our supplier network.
Step 4
Where appropriate, equipment is trialled with the child. This may happen at BOOM, with a supplier or within the environment where the equipment will actually be used.
More than one option may need to be trialled before the right solution is identified.
Step 5
Once the most appropriate solution has been identified, your clinician completes the required clinical recommendations and supporting documentation.
Where multiple disciplines are involved, recommendations can be coordinated across the team.
Step 6
Our involvement doesn't necessarily end when the equipment arrives.
Depending on the equipment, our clinicians can assist with fitting, set-up, programming, positioning, training and helping the child, family and other people around them understand how to use it effectively.
Step 7
Children grow. Their abilities change. Their environments change.
Equipment may need adjustment, modification or replacement over time. We can review equipment to ensure it continues to meet the child's needs and identify when it's time to consider what comes next.