Occupational Therapy

What is Occupational Therapy?

In its simplest terms, occupational therapy providers help people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. Occupational therapy services typically include:

an individualized evaluation, during which the client/family and occupational therapist determine the person’s goals,
customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach the goals, and
an outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met and/or make changes to the intervention plan.

Occupational therapy services may include comprehensive evaluations of the client’s home and other environments (e.g., workplace, school), recommendations for adaptive equipment and training in its use, and guidance and education for family members and caregivers. Occupational therapy practitioners have a holistic perspective, in which the focus is on adapting the environment to fit the person, and the person is an integral part of the therapy team. Read More...

Does my child need OT?

Easily Distracted
Poor Attention Span
Overly Sensitive to Touch, Movement, Sounds or Sights
Difficulty Accepting Change
Doesn't Skip, Jump, or Hop on One Foot
Activity Level Usually High or Low
Low Muscle Tone
Limited Play Skills
Walks on Toes
Picky Eater

Complete Developmental Checklist

Walks into People or Objects Frequently
Inability to "Unwind" or "Self-Regulate"
Excessive Drooling
Doesn't Chew Food Before Swallowing
Clumsy / Uncoordinated
Doesn't Feed Self
Constantly Touches People or Object
Poor Social Interaction
Difficulty Holding a Pencil or Handwriting (3+)

Milestone Met!

Weylin met a HUGE milestone and received his first haircut! This is absolutely amazing!! Before starting therapy, Weylin had a tough time tolerating when others touched, washed, or brushed his hair. Because of his sensitivities, Weylin's mom had expressed concern to his therapists about taking him for his first hair cut. Since then, Weylin has currently been improving his sensory processing and self-regulation skills to reduce some of his sensitivities. Even though he still isn't a fan of washing his hair, Weylin was able tolerate his first hair cut without any negative aversions. We are so proud of you Weylin!

Who benefits from Occupational Therapy:

Diagnosis

Attention Deficit Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Anesthesia of Skin

Anxiety

Amuputation

Arthogryposis Multiple Congenita

Ataxia

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Brachial Plexus Disorder

Burns

Cancer

Cerebral Palsy

Club Foot

Concussion

Congenital Heart Disease

Cystic Fibrosis

Developmental Delay

Developmental Coordination Disorder

Developmental Disorder of Motor Function

Developmental Disorder of Scholastic Skills

Diabetes

Down Syndrome

Dyslexia

Edema

Edwards’ Syndrome

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome

Feeding Difficulties

Flail Joint

Fragile X Syndrome

Gastroschesis

GERD/GER

Hemiplegia (right or lefts side)

Hemophilia

Hyposthesia of Skin

Instability of Joints

Intellectual Disabilities

Joint Derangements

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Lack of Coordination

Lack of Expected Normal Physiological Development

Malrotation

Mitochondrial Disease

Muscle Weakness (generalized)

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Osteogensis Imperfecta

Paraplegia

Parasthesia of Skin

Patau’s Syndrome

Phenylketonurina

Pompe Disease

Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prematurity

Scoliosis

Seizure Disorder

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy

Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Short Gut Syndrome

Sickle Cell Disease

Spina Bifida

Spinal Cord Truma

Stiffness of Joints

Taylor Sachs Disease

Torticollis

Traumatic Brain Injury

Turner’s Syndrome

Williams Syndrome

Difficulty

Aligning Body

Applying Deodorant

Applying/Removing Cosmetics

Attention

Bathing / Showering

Bed Mobility

Bending

Brushing / Flossing Teeth

Caring for Skin, Ears, Eyes, and Nose

Carrying Objects

Cleaning Mouth

Clothing Management

Collecting Needed Materials

Contact Lens Management

Cutting with Scissors

Dressing

Empathizes with Peers and Adults

Endurance

Eye Contact

Fasteners on Clothes

Fatigue

Finger / Toe Nail Care

Following Directions (preferred or non-preferred)

Glasses Management

Grading Muscle Force

Grasping

Grooming

Hair Management (washing, drying, combing, brushing styling and trimming hair)

Handle and Uses Tools

Identifies Emotion

Identifies Sensations in Body

Initiates and Carries out Conversation

Lifting Arms

Lifting Objects

Loss of Balance

Manipulating Objects

Matches Tone and Voice Level

Meal Preparation

Menstrual and Continence

Navigates Environment

Opening/Closing Doors & Drawers

Organizing Environment

Pacing Through Tasks

Personal Device Care

Personal Hygiene

Play Exploration & Participation

Positioning Body

Pushing/Pulling Objects

Reaching

Removing Body Hair (ex. using razor, tweezers, lotion)

Responding Appropriate to Adult Directives

Responds to Sounds Appropriately

Rest

Safety

Searching for Needed Items

Seeking Needed Verbal or Written Information

Self Feeding

Self Regulation

Sequencing Body Movement

Sequencing Tasks

Sleep Prepartion & Participation

Smooth and Timely Muscle Movements

Social Interaction

Stabilizing

Swallowing / Eating Food or Fluid

Takes Turns

Toileting and Toilet Hygiene

Tolerates Sounds

Tolerates Textures, Touch, Messy Play

Transitions Between Tasks

Transfers

Tying Shoes

Wheel Chair Mobility

⭐️Milestone Moment ⭐️

Nick met a milestone this week! Nick has a goal for shaving his facial hair. First off, he is now able to function his new electric razor. Today he also was able to get all the shaving cream off his face! Proud of you Nick and all your hard work on shaving.

The Role of Occupational Therapy With Children and Youth:

Occupational therapy practitioners work with children,youth, and their families to promote active participationin activities or occupations that are meaningful to them.Occupation refers to activities that may support thehealth, well-being, and development of an individual(AOTA, 2008). For children and youth, occupations are activities that enable them to learn and develop life skills (e.g., school activities), be creative and/or derive enjoyment (e.g., play), and thrive (e.g., self-care and care for others) as both a means and an end. Occupational therapy practitioners work with children of all ages (birth through young adulthood) and abilities. Recommended interventions are based on a thorough understanding of typical development and the impact of disability, illness, and impairment on the individual child’s development, play, learning, and overall occupational performance.Occupational therapy practitioners provide services by collaborating with other professionals to identify and meet needs of children experiencing delays or challenges in development; identifying and modifying or overcoming barriers that interfere with, restrict, or inhibit a child’s functional performance; teaching and modeling skills and strategies to children and their families to extend therapeutic intervention; and adapting activities, materials, and environmental conditions so children can participate under different conditions and in various environments.

Torticollis Treatment

Torticollis treatment falls within the Occupational Therapy Scope of Practice due to the impact Torticollis can have on daily occupations.

Torticollis can lead to developmental delays, which makes early intervention key! Depending on the age of the child at the time of referral will depend on the time frame of services. Treatment could range anywhere from 2 months to 10 months. Surgery may be recommended after 6 to 12 months of conservative treatment.

Occupational Therapy Treatment

Occupational Therapy Providers use a varitey of exercises, stretches, and home education programs to address torticollis and other conditions that may accompany torticollis, such as plagiocephaly.

Neck Passive Range of Motion: Activities as simple as napping on the affected side (supervised), “football” hold, and playing in side lying all address this section of treatment.
Neck and Trunk Active Range of Motion: Supported sitting while looking towards affected side, and prone over a ball for active extension.
Development of Symmetrical Movements: Moving arms and legs in diagonal patterns, grabbing toes, and squatting.
Environmental Adaptations: Placement of books and toys, high chair placement, limiting carrier time, using different positioning devices.
Parent/Caregiver Education: Tummy time for at least 1 hour every day, positioning when feeding, sleeping, and playing, and minimizing time in carriers.