“I know speech therapy is about language and communication, and physical therapy is about injury and recovery. So what is occupational therapy?”
People often confuse occupational therapy and physical therapy. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are three related types of rehabilitation therapy that work together to treat people as a whole. All three professions have different focuses, but there are some areas of overlap. For people with physical, cognitive, developmental disabilities, a combination of the three therapy works together to help restore function in their daily life.
Who are Occupational therapists?
Occupational therapy aims to improve quality of life. Occupational therapists (OTs) help people from any age to be functional and independent physically and mentally in their daily life. An OT can work in many different settings including but not limited to: clinical practice, hospital, skilled nursing facilities, school, and research.
OT and Pediatrics
In the pediatric population, my goal as an Occupational Therapist is to help with development and support kids with developmental delays in order to be successful at home and in school.
Part of the development
Personal hygiene/self care
A person’s ability to take care of themselves
Dressing, brushing teeth, using the bathroom
Motor skills
Gross motor (involving large muscles ex: arms and legs) and fine motor (involving smaller muscles ex: fingers) skills
Includes coordination, balance, movement, manipulation, dexterity
Gross motor skills: jumping, running, sports
Fine motor skills: handwriting, scissor use, utensil use
Sensory skills
Use of 8 senses (vision, hearing, smell, touch, mouth, balance, body awareness, visceral sensation)
Sensory processing
Sensitivity to loud noise, light, certain textures, etc.
Cognitive and attention skills
May be typical for ASD, ADHD
Executive functioning (ex: organization, attention, following directions)
Emotional regulation
Ability to identify and regulate emotions
Types of things that OT can treat:
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