Hunter's Moon Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I've been considering becoming an Occupational Therapist for awhile. I was set on it in 10th grade and half of 11th, but then worried my reserved personality would get in the way. I plan to shadow a Pediatric OT in the next few weeks, and will also be going to the career center at my school (community college) for a career test and advising. I would appreciate if you could describe what the OT does with your child. Does your child enjoy OT or are they usually resistant? How do they work with YOU on a regular basis to help your child at home? Obviously, you don't have to get personal, just some basic info would be appreciated :001_smile: I have a reserved personality, and take things personally. I'm working on taking things less personally, because especially when working with special needs kiddos, they don't always have a filter. I really think I would enjoy OT, if not for the taking things personally part of my personality. Thanks for any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 My youngest had private OT therapy when she was younger (age 4 to 5). During OT sessions, they would do various things to help her with her sensory issues. They would swing her on a swing, or she would put her hands into a tub of rice where they'd hidden little toys and alphabet letters, etc. They would have her roll around on a large rubber ball. They would have her sit on a scooter and push herself around on the floor. Things like that. I imagine that kids with different sensory issues would do different things. They would also work on her pencil grip by having her complete basic handwriting pages and coloring pages. My daughter REALLY enjoyed it and it helped her tremendously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyinMD Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 My 4 yo with ASD goes to OT once a week. He loves it. He's a big sensory seeker and gets to do things at OT like use crash mats and go on many different kinds of swings. The OT also tries to get him to play games. One of the things she is doing now is trying to get him to cross his midline more. Yesterday she had ds put ping pong balls in a tube kept moving the tube around on him. He also usually plays in the sensory box which is full of things like rice, macaroni noodles, pennies, and other things of various textures. The OT we use is in practice for herself and honestly it looks like an exhausting job. It is extremely hard to take days off because she loses income. Also most of her business is after school hours which I think is difficult because she has kids. She doesn't take insurance and says she'd never be able to stay afloat if she accepted the lower discounted rate the insurance companies would pay. She is absolutely wonderful and is always giving us ideas to work with ds at home. I'm not sure if we'd get this level of service at an in network clinic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Ours is in a private practice that is not a large group. I like it because they get to know each kid individually unlike the large groups/clinics around here. DS's OT has him do all kinds of things. They work on hand writing in a small room just for handwriting. Then the next room has crash pads, swings, rock climbing walls, spin boards. That room is for muscles. They also have a sensory room with water tables, sand tables, rice, paint, etc. In the muscle room- she has him roll on a ball on his tummy while she holds his feet. As his head gets closer to the floor, she reminds him to put his hands out to " catch" himself as he has primitive reflexes still. He climbs the walls for core muscles and hand muscles. Riding a bike or pogo like stick for balance. So much more than I can ever write here. Ours has helped us so much more than anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 These links might help for more background info: http://www.spdfoundation.net/, especially http://www.spdfoundation.net/subtypes.html http://www.starcenter.us/ Also, you might read The Out of Sync Child and Miller's Sensational Kids. Not all OTs are equally knowledgable about SPD, but I see it as the basis for OT generally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssavings Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 We've used two different OTs thus far, and both have been wonderful. Our first OT was for tactile sensory defensiveness (secondary to naso-gastric intubation). She worked on both his oral motor strength and his oral sensory awareness. She used various techniques, like rubbing various textured toothbrushes around his mouth/face, to get desensitize him to various textures. Our current OT is for SPD, and has worked with us on brushing, joint compression, etc. She got him his weighted blanket, and has been a source of materials and clothing for sensory sensitive children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 (edited) Our OT has helped with handwriting (HWT, slanted boards, pencil grips, scissor skills etc), sensory issues (various exercises on a square platform swing and a bolster swing and hand bar swing) Lots of motor planning and tone exercises---skipping, stairs, pedaling,bouncing, catching, balancing, etc. Tactile work---various games and toys that help practice and evaluate ---too many to list really. The book The Out Of Sync Child Has Fun is great and if it's in there my ds probably has done it in OT or at home. She also has provided equipment and training for us to do Wilbarger Brushing, joint compressions and utensil grips, and pencil grips. Weighted vests, weighted gloves, stretchy body latex, etc are some of the things she's used. Exercises on an exercise ball. Exercises with a Wii. I will say that the quality of an OT therapy will depend on resources and budget. Our OT is at a hospital rehab center and the space and budget allotted to pediatrics is not very stellar. Out OT does the very best she can. I also know that she tailors each therapy session to that kids particular needs. That goes without saying, but each kid needs more or less of what she offers. And she also does regular testing and evaluations to continue to monitor progress and tailor therapy to the kids. Edited January 28, 2012 by Walking-Iris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 D's does table work for about 15 minutes. They do mazes, handwriting, etc. the ot holds his arm to force some wrist work during table time. After table work he does gross motor play, direction following, etc. Once he is done with all work he gets free time. He either gets rolled in the big barrel or uses a swing. I know you said you have to work on it but I would be very careful if you take things personal. My son insults his ot weekly. She ignores it and he apologizes after the activity that frustrated him. One of her goals with him is to help him learn to communicate when frustrated, so she has to frustrate him a little more each week. Some weeks he does great, and other weeks he is absolutely terrible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 (edited) --- Edited February 3, 2012 by prairiewindmomma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganS Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 My 3 yo has OT twice a week for an hour and has been going for about 5 months now. We love our OT. My daughter has a lot of sensory issues and anxiety mixed in, so most of what they do is work through those. My daughter plays in the bean pit for a little while, then they do what we call "brush and pushes" which is her sensory brushing diet thing. Then they usually move to an exercise ball or balance board and do some "games" there. Afterwards they may swing or go on the stairs and slide (working on different goals all the while). DD loves going to therapy, but she does get worked up sometimes because her OT pushes her, which is good. They also work on things like drawing circles or cutting with scissors or getting herself dressed or undressed. I observe her OT sessions once a week because that's the only time I don't have other dd with me. Our OT has given me lots of things and ideas of things to do with DD at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchel210 Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I had similar experiences with our first OT for my son years back. My DD OT was very different. She would bring her into the front of the office and have her speak to the ladies and ask for things...walk into different rooms on her own and get items. Answer questions for other people...She would change my DD routines and teach her how to deal with the changes in routines! Move the furniture in our house and have her change her regular seats...Her OT therapist was amazing! I am spoiled now and cant find anyone like her. She stopped working due to illness and I am trying to get her back now...but I want to have her do some OT to get my DD over the clothing issues and help her get into clothes with buttons or tighter bands and such. It is very hard to find OT like this...at least Im having a hard time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 My daughter plays in the bean pit for a little while, then they do what we call "brush and pushes" which is her sensory. Wilbarger (sp?) brushing protocol. I did this with ds when he was around 2. It helped him a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Wilbarger (sp?) brushing protocol. I did this with ds when he was around 2. It helped him a lot! We also do Willbarger brushing and joint compressions. I did them pretty regularly when my ds was little. My son liked them, but I never did see what the result of it was supposed to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LenasMommy07 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 My daughter has been getting OT since she was 10 months old for a variety of developmental delays. She is now 5 years old. She absolutely loves OT! It really is the highlight of her week. Generally, they do active games that work on gross motor and sensory input. They also do a lot of fine motor activities. To me, the job seems like a ton of fun. I wish I had studied it.. It is always a lot of fun and the OT's always seem to love their job. Hope that helps! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LenasMommy07 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 We also use Willbarger brushing and joint compressions.. It helps my daughter a lot! Another great tool is weighted lap pads and blankets.. We wouldn't make it through the day without those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I think being an OT must be a very rewarding occupation. Most of the therapy my son received was through play. The therapist really made everything fun and interesting, except for handwriting. Nothing could make my son like that!:D All of his therapists were very outgoing, and able to draw him out of his shell. At the same time, they were very calm and reassuring. Negative behavior would not phase them at all. I can also take things very personally, but there is a big difference between having an adult say something rude or insensitive to me and having a child do the same, especially if that child has special needs. I would say that confidence would be a big plus in this occupation. I’ve seen ds’s therapist walk up to a child in full melt-down mode, with an embarrassed mother ready to run out of the building, and bring that kid down from her melt-down and into the therapy room with a smile on her face. The mother didn’t think she could do it, but she did. I wouldn’t have known what to do! It’s one thing when it’s my child in that mode, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable dealing with another child like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Thanks for all the great replies, everyone! I will be shadowing a Ped. OT on Wednesday. I'll be seeing two sessions. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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