APRIL IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MONTH!
Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.
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.
- An outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met and/or make changes to the intervention plan.
Occupational therapists serve infants, children and adults with a range of abilities and diagnoses such as:
- Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit
- Hyperactivity Disorder
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Brachial Plexus Injury
- Cerebral Palsy
- Concussion and other traumatic brain injuries
- Down Syndrome
- Hand and wrist injuries
- Organizational or sensory movement disorders
- Sensory Processing Disorders
- Torticollis
WHAT TYPES OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ARE THERE?
Occupational therapists can address a number of different needs. Specialized treatments include:
- Manual Therapy
- Neurodevelopmental Treatment
- Post-Concussion Management
- Self-care/Daily Living Skill Acquisition
- Sensory Integration Therapy
- Social Skill Development
- Therapeutic Exercise
- Vestibular Treatment
- Visual Motor Rehabilitation
- Work Related Injuries and Evaluations
- and many others…