WHAT I DO -
As an Occupational Therapist ( O.T.) I am involved in promoting skill development and independence in all daily activities. The word "occupation" refers to anything that you do during the day that has meaning or purpose. For an adult, "occupations" include self-care, homemaking, leisure and work. The "occupations" of childhood may include playing in the park, licking a popsicle, washing hands, going to the bathroom, cutting with scissors, printing at school, running, jumping, riding a bike or sitting at circle time.
Occupational Therapy helps children develop the ability to do things with their hands (fine motor skills), to do things with their bodies (gross motor), to play with toys, to play with others and to do things for themselves (like toileting, brushing teeth, dressing). As an O.T., I may work with you and your child at home, in a daycare or school, or at a clinic in the hospital.
SOME TERMS I USE -
Although I use many terms these are some that you will hear often:
Sensory Integration: This refers to how our brain organizes and interprets information from our senses. Usually we think of having 5 senses: taste, smell, sight, hearing and touch. Actually there are more. We also have a sense that give us information about movement and gravity (vestibular sense) and a sense that tells us about our body parts and body position (proprioception). For most children, sensory integration develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities.
Motor Planning: This refers to the ability of the brain to conceive, organize and carry out a sequence of unfamiliar actions. It involves having an idea of what to do, planning an action and executing the action. Sensory integration is what makes Motor Planning possible. When our brain has difficulty organizing the senses, there are problems with sensory integration. As a result, performing everyday tasks can be difficult.
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WHAT I NEED FROM YOU -
- Information: You know your child best so I am going to need you to think about how your child responds in different situations. For example: "Is your child overly sensitive or reactive to touch, movement, sights or sounds?" "Easily distracted?" "Unable to handle social/emotional situations?" "Active or Inactive?" "Too quick to change activities or unable to change from one situation to another?" "Clumsy?" "Unable to calm him/herself?" "Poor at playing games, holding a pencil, putting on socks?"
- Participation: Therapy is a joint effort between parent, child, therapist and team members. We are all key pieces in the puzzle; if one piece is missing, it won't be complete. If you are having difficulty participating (for whatever reason) it is important for you to tell me so we can make adjustments.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME -
As your child's Occupational Therapist (O.T.) I will complete an assessment. This assessment will help me to identify what is interfering with your child's ability to engage in the "occupations" of childhood.
During the assessment I will ask you questions about your child's typical day and how he or she reacts to different situations. I may observe your child at home, at daycare or in school. Part of the assessment will include playing with your child. I may also complete some standardized assessments. From the assessment I will begin to understand your child's strengths and needs and will be able to suggest some potential areas of focus.
Your family's goals and the intervention plan to achieve these goals will be identified and documented in your child's Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). To achieve your goals, I will work closely with you to teach you how to engage your child in his or her daily activities. Strategies may include, designing a daily routine, changing or modifying things around your house to increase or decrease sensory experiences and showing you how to use movement activities to help your child feel calm and organized.
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