Rabeya Ferdous Occupational Therapist National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital(NINS), Dhaka Email: [email protected],

Occupational therapy in pediatrics

occupational therapy

Pediatrics is a medical specialty that manages medical conditions affecting babies, children and young people. It helps to integrate children with differently able into family and community life. To achieve this, children participate in physical and psychological therapy and carers/mothers are educated how to care for the child and made aware of disability issues and rights.
Occupational therapists (OTs) help people of all ages to improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily living and working environments. They work with individuals who have conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally, socially or emotionally disabling. They also help them to develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills. Occupational therapists help clients not only to improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for permanent loss of function.
Occupational Therapy has a great role in pediatrics. Common Conditions that are treated by Pediatric Occupational Therapist:
Cerebral Palsy
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Down Syndrome
Erb’s Palsy
Hydrocephalus
Microcephalus
Learning Disability
Intellectual Disability
Flat Feet
Rickets
Others Conditions include:
Facial palsy
Talipes equino Varus
Neuropathy
Muscular Dystrophy
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
Myopathy
Spinal Deformities
Arthrogryposis multiplexa Congenita (AMC)
Curve feet etc
JRA
GBS
Fracture
Head injury
Spina Bifida
Role of occupational therapist
At first qualified occupational therapist assess the Childs condition. During assessment occupational therapist check following area:
Referring Diagnosis, Birth History, Developmental Milestone, Muscle tone, Range of Motion, Transitional Movement, Functional Gross Motor Skills, Hand Function, Reactions, Cognitive skills, Sensory skills, Feeding Skills, Communication skills etc. At this same time Occupational Therapist also makes a plan about device selection like: Hand splint, AFO, KFO, special setting, Standing Frame etc. but it’s depends on patient’s condition.
After assessment Occupational Therapist makes a treatment plan according to parent’s conception. Then therapist implements the treatment plan. At last evaluate the treatment and if any change necessary then therapist change the treatment technique according to patient’s condition.
In pediatric settings occupational therapist provide following treatment:
- Evaluation of development skills and how these relate to home, school and play.
- Purposeful activities aimed at improving muscle strength, motor planning and coordination, sensory awareness and participation in daily activities.
- Sensory integration programme                            
-Play therapy, communication, social skills,
cognitive and perceptual-motor skills training
-Home programmes, Parent's education and
support
-Equipment and adaptive aids prescription                                       
-Feeding skills training
Special needs school: Occupational Therapist also have important role in special needs school. At special schools, therapists evaluate children's abilities, recommend and provide therapy, modify classroom equipment, and help children participate as fully as possible in school programmes and activities. Occupational therapists focus on children with disabilities, who attend inclusive schools, and provide individual (e.g. hand therapy) and group-based therapy (e.g. social skills, ADL training, handwriting classes) for increasing their classroom performance .

 

Rabeya Ferdous Occupational Therapist National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital(NINS), Dhaka Email: [email protected],

Occupational therapy in pediatrics

occupational therapy

Pediatrics is a medical specialty that manages medical conditions affecting babies, children and young people. It helps to integrate children with differently able into family and community life. To achieve this, children participate in physical and psychological therapy and carers/mothers are educated how to care for the child and made aware of disability issues and rights. Occupational therapists (OTs) help people of all ages to improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily living and working environments. They work with individuals who have conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally, socially or emotionally disabling. They also help them to develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills. Occupational therapists help clients not only to improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for permanent loss of function. Occupational Therapy has a great role in pediatrics. Common Conditions that are treated by Pediatric Occupational Therapist: Cerebral Palsy Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Down Syndrome Erbs Palsy Hydrocephalus Microcephalus Learning Disability Intellectual Disability Flat Feet Rickets Others Conditions include: Facial palsy Talipes equino Varus Neuropathy Muscular Dystrophy Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Myopathy Spinal Deformities Arthrogryposis multiplexa Congenita (AMC) Curve feet etc JRA GBS Fracture Head injury Spina Bifida Role of occupational therapist At first qualified occupational therapist assess the Childs condition. During assessment occupational therapist check following area: Referring Diagnosis, Birth History, Developmental Milestone, Muscle tone, Range of Motion, Transitional Movement, Functional Gross Motor Skills, Hand Function, Reactions, Cognitive skills, Sensory skills, Feeding Skills, Communication skills etc. At this same time Occupational Therapist also makes a plan about device selection like: Hand splint, AFO, KFO, special setting, Standing Frame etc. but its depends on patients condition. After assessment Occupational Therapist makes a treatment plan according to parents conception. Then therapist implements the treatment plan. At last evaluate the treatment and if any change necessary then therapist change the treatment technique according to patients condition. In pediatric settings occupational therapist provide following treatment: - Evaluation of development skills and how these relate to home, school and play. - Purposeful activities aimed at improving muscle strength, motor planning and coordination, sensory awareness and participation in daily activities. - Sensory integration programme -Play therapy, communication, social skills, cognitive and perceptual-motor skills training -Home programmes, Parents education and support -Equipment and adaptive aids prescription -Feeding skills training Special needs school: Occupational Therapist also have important role in special needs school. At special schools, therapists evaluate childrens abilities, recommend and provide therapy, modify classroom equipment, and help children participate as fully as possible in school programmes and activities. Occupational therapists focus on children with disabilities, who attend inclusive schools, and provide individual (e.g. hand therapy) and group-based therapy (e.g. social skills, ADL training, handwriting classes) for increasing their classroom performance .