Happy Occupational Therapy Month!

April is Occupational Therapy month and Theradigm wishes to celebrate the profession by advocating for it! Occupational Therapy is an exciting career path that blends art and science with compassion. Simply defined, occupational therapists work with people across the lifespan to be able to do the things they need and want to do, which may include basic activities of daily living skills (dressing, eating, toileting, grooming, hygiene), instrumental activities of daily living skills, (meal preparation, home care, driving), vocational skills, play and leisure. Facilitating personally meaningful “occupations”, or the things that you do, is a philosophical pillar of Occupational Therapy. Occupational therapists can work in a variety of settings and with all populations from newborns to the elderly. An OT’s scope of practice however, may change depending on both factors.

In school-based occupational therapy, an OT’s role is to help a student access the school environment and curriculum to promote success and participation. A school-based OT may work with children from ages 3 - 21 and address a wide array of skills (school-readiness skills, fine/visual-motor skills , self-help skills and adaptive behavior, sensory and self-regulation, life skills, pre-vocational) in addition to providing classroom accommodations, modifications, and assistive technology. A student’s needs for services are identified through the evaluation team process to determine eligibility for special education services and to develop an individualized education plan. In the school setting, OT is considered a related service and OT’s work collaboratively with parents, students, and multiple school disciplines to support student success in the classroom and throughout the school environment.

No matter the setting or population, Occupational Therapy is always rewarding, meaningful, impactful, and loads of fun!