Introduction In school occupational therapy, the delivery of services can be approached through two primary models: push-in and pull-out services. These models provide different ways of supporting students in achieving their therapy goals within the school environment. By understanding the characteristics and benefits of each model, occupational therapists can tailor their interventions to meet the … Read more
What is skilled occupational therapy? Introduction to Skilled Therapy Occupational therapy is a highly skilled profession and skilled therapy is important for occupational therapy practitioners (occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants) to understand as it affects how they choose the therapy they deliver, provide interventions, and even more importantly document and bill for them. First, … Read more
One helpful resource for occupational therapy practitioners, both occupational therapists and occupational therapy practitioners is using evidence-informed research for practice. However, OTPs often don’t have the time, knowledge, or energy to research approaches for conditions. Furthermore, staying on top best-practices for multiple conditions can be even more time-consuming. One of the benefits of becoming an … Read more
The term evidence-based practice (EBP) is now widely used, taught, and practiced. But should occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) accept EBP as the ‘gold standard’ for how we choose OT interventions? What are the downsides to EBP for a health profession like OT? What can we do instead? What should we use instead? The term evidence-based medicine … Read more
This post will use identify-first language, e.g., Autistic person, as the community overwhelmingly prefers this language, and the capital A is in accordance with APA recommendations. You may or may not have heard of the term ‘stimming’, which is a colloquial term for motor stereotyped behaviors such as finger-flicking, hand flapping, and rocking back and … Read more
This article will use identity-first language based on the community’s preference for such language in accordance with the APA’s recommendations. Introduction Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The other core symptoms of autism include deficits in communication and social interaction. RRBs include stereotyped behaviors such … Read more
Purpose The purpose of this article is to propose a model of practice for occupational therapy based on research that includes the voices of those who are Autistic, including Autistic adults with the lived experience of autism combined along with their neurotypical counterparts, e.g., parents, caregivers, and society. Language Based on a majority of the … Read more
Heavy work interventions in occupational therapy can involve activities that provide deep pressure (proprioceptive) stimulation to the body, which can help to regulate the nervous system and improve overall body awareness and sensory processing. The purpose of heavy work interventions in occupational therapy is to provide sensory input to the body and improve overall body … Read more
Introduction Occupational therapists often recommend weighted blankets for their patients. Research is not definitive about the effectiveness of this modality for certain uses such as sleep. Older research reports improvement in anxiety for 63% of study participants in an exit survey for a 30-pound weighted blanket. 76% reported this modality being more effective than no … Read more
After a stroke, patients may experience decreased awareness of their side, such as the left side of either themself or their environment. One way to increase awareness, which is quite intuitive actually, is to place objects, environment, basically stimuli (this includes sounds, lights, etc.) on the side of their deficit. This is often their left … Read more