What is Occupational Therapy?
What is OT anyway?
Occupational therapy is a holistic, evidence-based practice rooted in science, in which individuals are guided to improve physical or mental processes in order to better complete a task, or in which the task is modified to meet the physical and mental abilities of the individual. Occupational therapy can help individuals across a lifespan to perform and participate in the activities they want and need to do (occupations) through therapeutic use of those activities. Within the profession of occupational therapy, an occupation is defined as a meaningful activity. This means the activity fulfills a purpose that is essential to who the person is as an individual, within their roles and routines. These activities can fall into categories of self care, work, and play/leisure.
Who receives OT?
Occupational therapy can help individuals at any age. Pediatric OT's work with children as early as in neonatal care. OT's work with children, adults, and older adults after illness and injury in a rehabilitation capacity in hospitals, rehabs, in the home, or in outpatient settings. OT's can work with individuals with mental illness to participate in adaptive routines and develop behaviors and skills needed to live life to its fullest. OT's can also work within communities to educate on prevention of mental and physical illness.
What does OT look like in schools?
In the public school setting, occupational therapy's role is to work with teachers and students, in the least restrictive environment possible, to help the students best access the curriculum. Typical issues addressed by occupational therapists in schools include fine motor weakness, which can effect pencil and scissor skills; visual motor integration weaknesses, which can effect the ability to correctly copy, organize, and interpret writing and math problems; motor planning and coordination weaknesses, which can effect writing, project completion, and participation in group activities; sensory processing, which can effect tolerance for various sensory experiences throughout the day as well as accurate interpretation of various sensations and modulation of force of movement; and lastly executive functioning skills, such as planning, organization, initiation, attention, and sequencing.
