What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy is a health profession where trained occupational therapists ("OT's") and occupational therapy assistants ("COTA's") provide specially designed functional activities and therapeutic treatments to help individuals across the lifespan achieve their maximum level of independence and participation in activities that they want and need to do. How Does This Help Children at School? Federal laws mandate occupational therapy in the schools. When children are identified as having difficulty performing activities at a level expected for children their age, the occupational therapist, a member of the educational team, may assess whether there are underlying weaknesses in the child's motor development and ability to process sensory information that are contributing to his or her difficulty. Environmental barriers that might restrict the child's participation and factors in the environment that impact his or her performance are also assessed. After assessments are completed, the educational team, which includes parents, meets to determine whether the child has an educational disability that is impacting his or her performance in school. The occupational therapist may recommend supports including direct therapy in the classroom or as a "pull-out", consultation to parents and teachers, and environmental supports in order to help the child reach his/her highest potential for participation and independence in school. The following links give more information about how occupational therapy helps children at school: http://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Children/ParentsBrochure.pdf http://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/AboutOT/consumers/Youth/Schools/School%20Tips%20for%20Parents.pdf http://www.aota.org/About-Occupational-Therapy/Patients-Clients/ChildrenAndYouth/Play.aspx What Are Signs That a Child Might Need an OT Evaluation? The following list includes behaviors that teachers and parents might notice that could indicate the student is having difficulty with motor development and sensory processing:
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