The Significance of Occupational Therapy for Young Children: Birth to 5 Years

1. Occupational Therapy for Young ChildrenBirth Through 5 Years of AgeMazyadAlotaibi

2. Significance of occupational therapy for children: • promote the development and engagement of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and their families or other caregivers, in everyday routines. These routines include play, rest and sleep, activities of daily living, education, and social participation. • Occupational therapy practitioners, as part of the multidisciplinary team, provide services to young children and their families in a variety of settings, including hospitals, early intervention programs, private clinics, child care, preschool and pre-kindergarten programs, and at home.

3. Occupational therapy concerns with children : • a child’s ability to participate in daily life activities or “occupations.” • Occupational therapists use their unique expertise to help children with and without social–emotional, physical, cognitive, communication, and adaptive behavior challenges prepare for and perform important learning and developmental activities. • occupational therapists design interventions that promote healthy development, establish needed skills, and modify environments to prevent further disability, all in support of participation in daily activities. • Occupational therapy practitioners also play a key role in educating parents, caregivers, and program staff about disability and the development of children with diverse health and learning needs.

5. provide strategies to facilitate full participation of all children in daily routines; • assess children’s developmental and learning needs; • plan and implement relevant intervention strategies and developmentally appropriate activities; • reduce environmental barriers that limit a child’s participation in family, learning, and community-based activities; • identify needed assistive technology devices and supports. • prepare children and their families for transition to preschool, school, and other community-based programs.

6. Indication of occupational therapy for children premature birth, low-birth weight, congenital anomalies, neurological disorders, sensory processing difficulties, challenging behavior, neuromuscular disease, prenatal drug exposure, and autism. N.B Services address feeding skills, sensory integration, motor development, environmental exploration, play skills, adaptive behavior.

7. N.BOccupational therapists work with other members of the team, including physicians,nurses, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, physical therapists, teachers, and parents in order to • to identify the needs of infants and toddlers and their families. • target desired outcomes • and determine the services, supports, and modifications or accommodations needed to achieve those outcomes.

8. The Role of Occupational Therapy With Children and Youth

9. Occupational therapy practitioners work with children, youth, and their families to promote active participation in activities or occupations that are meaningful to them. • For children and youth, occupations are activities that enable them to learn and develop life skills (e.g., school activities), be creative and/or derive enjoyment (e.g., play), and thrive (e.g., self-care and care for others). • Recommended interventions are based on a thorough understanding of typical development and the impact of disability, illness, and impairment on the individual child’s development, play, learning, and overall occupational performance.

10. Developmental Needs Occupational therapists evaluate children’s development and provide intervention to improve skills and/or modify environments and child’s functional performance. Some examples are: • facilitating movement to help a child sit independently or crawl; • helping a child learn to follow 2- or 3-step instructions; • helping a child develop the ability to dress independently; • helping a child learn to cope with disappointment or failure; • reducing extraneous environmental noise for a child who is easily distracted; • building skills for sharing, taking turns, and playing with peers; and • helping a child develop the ability to use toys and materials in both traditional and creative manners.

11. Educational Needs • Occupational therapy practitioners work with students in preschool, and elementary, middle, and high school to support successful learning, appropriate behavior, and participation in daily school routines and activities. • Practitioners also collaborate with teachers, parents, and education personnel on ways to support student learning throughout the school environment.

12. Injury-Related Needs • When a child experiences a serious illness or injury, medically based or rehabilitative occupational therapy services may be provided. • These services are developmentally appropriate and may emphasize physical skills,adaptive skills, cognitive abilities, Sensorimotor skills, visual motor and perceptual skills, and social and interpersonal skills to improve the child’s functional abilities and independence.

14. School based OT • Through collaboration, team-based, individualized goals are established to: • promote school success • reach outcomes. • Outcomes are related to: • Classroom skills • Playground and sports participation • Self-help skills • Social participation • Mobility • Social-emotional learning • Assistive technology needs • Sensory regulation • Prevocational and transition needs • In school-based practice, occupational therapy practitioners support children to fulfill their roles as students.

15. In school-based practice, occupational therapy practitioners support children to fulfill their roles as students Through… • Early Intervening Services: Provided when occupational therapy practitioners support students in general education before they are referred to special education • Response to Intervention • Positive Behavior Supports.

16. Occupational Therapy in Action Examples of service or support that a school–based occupational therapist might offer include: • Evaluate the student’s strengths and abilities through observations, and other formal and informal methods.

17. Identify services and modifications necessary for the child to actively participate Promote independence & function

18. In the classroom • Seating/positioning modifications • Classroom management • Handwriting

19. On the playground • Social participation skills • Motor skills for engagement in activities • Self-advocacy skills

20. In the lunchroom • Promoting independence in self-feeding • Developing peer relationships • Organizing self and materials

21. On the school bus • Safety • Seating needs • Evacuation procedures

22. Through the hallways • Geographical orientation • Locker management • Self-care in bathroom

23. Occupational therapy practitioners support all children’s ability to succeed throughout their daily routines in school through the following strategy. • Addressing sensory needs • Self-regulation • Tolerating sensory input • Alerting/attending

24. Addressing social-emotional needs • Managing and expressing emotions • Turn-taking skills

25. Providing supports through assistive technology

26. Providing adaptations or modifications necessary for participation