Please discuss how you incorporate occupation-based interventions in this setting.
I am in a school-based pediatric setting. Many of the occupations we work on include: attention to task in class, handwriting mechanics, classroom organization, visual tracking for reading, and others. We also implement Social Sensory groups and OT/Speech groups in school to encourage pro-social behaviors. By being in a group, through natural means, encourages children to take turns, wait to speak, and greet/interact with others. In Social Sensory group, we use a cognitive behavioral approach to self-regulation.
Describe two issues that limit your ability to use occupation-based interventions and discuss strategies that could be used to minimize these barriers.
Time is always a limiting factor in the ability to use occupation-based interventions. Our schedule is jam-packed and we only have half-hour sessions. Roughly 5-10 minutes of that time is spent just in transitioning from classroom to OT and back. It's difficult to regain attention and structure needed to complete occupation-based interventions in such a short time. My supervisor and I are working on using visual schedules with children who have a hard time transitioning to class and back because of behaviors. Sometimes, it's easier for kids to get their work done if they know what's expected of them when they get in. Another limiting factor in using occupation-based interventions is the environment we are in. Because the therapy room has tons of fun toys, swings, trampolines, and other things, children rarely want to do handwriting or fine motor activities. In order to make this easier, sometimes we change the environment altogether, and relocate to the back of the library with minimal distractions.
For the Demographics of Treatment Sessions specify the Percent for each of the following statements:
Considering an eight hour day, what percentage of your interventions would you describe as:
Occupation-based activities i.e., play, shopping, ADL, IADL, work, school activities, etc. (within client’s own context with his or her goals) 70%
Purposeful activities (therapeutic context leading to occupation) 10%
Preparatory methods i.e., sensory, PAMs, splinting, exercise, etc. (preparation for occupation-based activity) 20%
Total (Should equal 100%)