1st Week of OT Services: Quick Intervention Ideas

This past week was our first week providing OT services to children within the district.  The school year is officially up and running!

I have already been able to observe so many great therapeutic intervention ideas and wanted to share a few of them quickly.

• Switch Up Letters For Tic Tac Toe: When working with a child on letter formation, the letters of focus (in this case P, B, and R) were used to play tic-tac-toe instead of using traditional "X"s and "O"s.  By using this approach, the child was able to practice these letters while having fun and engaging in a little friendly competition.  I thought this was a great idea!  

• DIY Weighted Stuffed Animals: I learned that it is less expensive to create your own weighted stuffed animal by purchasing aquarium rocks and filling a Build-A-Bear animal with them.  What a great and creative way to build a weighted, yet cuddly friend for children who seek that extra proprioceptive input! 

Introduction

Hello! The time has finally come! As part of an Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program, my classmates and I recently began the last component of our 3.5 year coursework, which is our professional rotation.  This rotation is 16 weeks long and I have chosen to focus on pediatric occupational therapy (OT) practice. Throughout my rotation, I will be spending some time in a school district where I will have the opportunity to work with children of all grade levels, ranging from pre-K to highschool.  I will also be completing a Handwriting Without Tears certification during which I will learn how to teach handwriting using developmentally appropriate sequences and techniques. I plan to learn basic sign language through private tutoring sessions and I will be completing an online course through Brain Highways which focuses on brain development screenings.  The goal of this blog is to share all of the tips, tricks, and resources I gather along the way.  :-)

Quick description of OT: 
Occupational therapists help individuals to achieve the tasks that they need and want to do.  OTs help people to more independently and successfully engage in the activities that occupy their time--whether that be preparing a meal, getting dressed, going fishing, bathing, sewing, or gardening.  A child's occupations may include playing with peers or attending school.  When working with children, OTs help to facilitate learning and independence by making therapy fun and motivational.  I am eager to provide more specific examples of pediatric OT over the next several months! 

A little about me:
It is hard to believe that I will be graduating in December.  I never thought that I would find myself living so far from home, but you know what they say....We plan and God laughs.  I remember beginning this journey and feeling overwhelmed by the length and rigor of this program.  Being so close to the finish line, I can certainly say that God knew what he was doing.  In the last three years, I have learned so much about myself by jumping out of my comfort zone.  I have been educated by some of the most amazingly passionate and knowledgeable professors to whom I will forever be grateful.  I have made many life long friends.  My Omaha gal pals and I have helped each other through this journey and I am a better person because of them....and I certainly couldn't have made it to this point without the love and support of all of my loved ones back home.  I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to pursue a higher education and to be entering a profession that allows me to use my creativity and tendency to analyze everything in an effort to help others. I love occupational therapy and am excited about beginning my career in a field that I am so passionate about!

I hope that you enjoy hearing about the last chapter of my OT student journey.  Until next time...