What is Occupational Therapy?

 

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a special education related service that assists students in becoming more independent within the school environment.  The “occupation” of students is to attend school and do their work, interact with others and play.  OT primarily focuses on fine motor difficulties, handwriting, self-care, accessibility, work skills and sensory processing.  Occupational Therapy uses functional activities to increase strength and muscle control, fine motor coordination, handwriting skills, sensory modulation/integration and visual-perceptual skills.  

 

 

What do Occupational Therapists do?

 

Occupational therapists bring specific knowledge and expertise to the education team to appropriately address student needs. They are particularly skilled in facilitating access to curricular and extra-curricular activities for all students through supports, design planning, and other methods. Additionally, they play a critical role in training parents, other staff members, and caregivers regarding educating students with diverse learning needs.

 

Occupational therapists know how to:

 

• observe a student engaging in an activity and provide strategies to enable the student's full participation

• reduce barriers that limit student participation

• support student in acquiring new skills

• utilize assistive technology to support student success

• help plan instructional activities or strategies for the classroom

 

 

Who can receive Occupational Therapy through the school system?

 

Any student that receives special education services either through the special education or speech departments is eligible for a referral to Occupational Therapy. Teachers, parents, school psychologists and/or school counselors may refer children for Occupational Therapy. Parental permission is required prior to any testing to qualify for OT services. Students are referred for observation and upon therapist and case conference committee discretion can be referred for evaluation. Students who are not eligible for special education services can be referred for an Occupational Therapy screening and recommendations can be made.

 

Individualized testing is completed to assess fine motor ability and sensory processing. If a child qualifies based on testing, their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is updated to reflect the addition of Occupational Therapy services.

 

 

What is sensory integration?

 

The complex interaction between our brains, our bodies and our environment, and the interpretation of that sensory information, is what is called sensory integration. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a malfunction in the brain’s translation of sensation into meaning and action. People with SPD misinterpret everyday sensory information, such as touch, sound, and movement. They may feel bombarded by information, they may seek out intense sensory experiences, or they may have other symptoms, such as poor motor planning and coordination, emotional outbursts and difficulty interpreting social cues and situations. Connections between the cells of the brain are formed in response to the sights, smells, sounds, tastes and physical sensations that a child experiences. Sensory processing disorder describes a break down in this process – a traffic jam in the brain.

 

 

What programs/activities do we use in OT?

 

Activities experienced in Occupational Therapy may include: crafts, games, worksheets, co-operative groups, manipulating small objects, use of multiple senses and play. Strategies to improve classroom performance are used such as activities that focus on following directions, sequencing and movement. One or more of the following areas may be addressed/utilized:

 

• Fine motor skills - handwriting, pencil grasp, scissor use, manipulating small objects and fasteners

• Visual Motor Skills - scanning, sequencing, visual recall

• Visual Perceptual Skills - letter formations, spacing, directionality and copying skills

• Self Care Skills - feeding, dressing, toileting, organization of self and one's space

• Sensory Processing - posture, balance, touch processing, auditory processing, food aversions, movement of body

 

SPOT group: a combined group with Speech and Occupational Therapists working on language rich  and fine motor focused activities including crafts, cooking, writing projects and games.

 Handwriting Without Tears: a handwriting program that is mulitsensory based and teaches letters in groups of similar strokes, for both printing and cursive. For more information go to: www.hwtears.com

 

The Alert Program (How does your engine run?): a program that teaches students sensory self regulation based on an engine analogy. This program teaches students to be more aware of their level of alertness/arousal and learn whether their "engines" are running "just right" or "too high" or "too low" and what types of activities they can do to get their engines running just right. www.alertprogram.com

 

Brain Gym: a program also called Educational Kinesiology which uses movement in order to ready the brain for learning. www.braingym.com

 

 

There are many other activities that are used in Occupational Therapy. If you have any questions, please call the OT office at 852-1020.