Who Needs Occupational Therapy – Answering the Big Question

To understand who needs occupational therapy, we should first learn what exactly occupational therapy is. Occupational Therapy (OT) is a medical speciality that aids people of all ages who struggle with cognitive, physical, or sensory issues. This technique uses common activities or occupations in a therapeutic way to treat physical, mental, developmental, and emotional conditions that affect a patient’s capacity to carry out daily tasks.

Have you ever witnessed your kid struggling with basic tasks that other children are able to perform with ease? Don’t worry if you nodded yes. Your child might benefit from the help of an occupational therapist.

As for the adults or elderly, occupational therapy can help with disabilities like arthritis or Parkinson’s. There are a variety of occupational therapists who focus on providing elderly patients with healthcare or geriatric rehabilitation. They create the best treatment plans to assist you in meeting your emotional, physical, environmental, and psychological needs, irrespective of your age.

How to Know if Your Child Needs Occupational Therapy?

When you first come across the term occupational therapy for kids, you might wonder what is the occupation of children for them to be eligible for OT. Your concern is right. But just like adults spend most of their time working, kids spend it on playing, learning new things, and grasping the vital life skills that will enable them to handle tasks sole handedly.

If a child faces difficulty in performing any of the basic skills such as sensory, gross, or fine motor skills, that’s where the role of an occupational therapist comes in handy. Based on the analysis, a goal is set for the child, and it can only be accomplished through regular intervention sessions. A few of the most common examples where a child might need an occupational therapist are mentioned below.

• Because of sensory issues like touch or sound sensitivity, your kid with a diagnosis of autism can be benefited greatly by occupational therapy.
• Children who are noticed to have a particularly sloppy handwriting can also benefit from occupational therapy.
• Some kids might struggle with fine motor skills which makes it excruciating for them to take control over small objects. In such cases an occupational therapist can help a lot.
• The focus of occupational therapy is on basic independence and bodily functions.
• It can enable special needs kids to participate confidently and independently in social situations.

If you think your child is facing any of the above issues, there are many occupational therapy documentation apps that will help them get back on track. Furthermore, if your child is unable to step out of the house, you can get them a virtual session through occupational therapy management software like SmartPT Online.

How to Know When Adults Need Occupational Therapy?

Adults need occupational if they are facing issues like the ones mentioned below:

1. You will frequently experience pain and discomfort when moving the affected joints if you have arthritis. You can refer to an occupational therapist if you’re diagnosed with arthritis and your unique case is examined by them to determine the type of arthritis you have and implement the necessary interventions.

• Occupational therapists are experts in “range of motion” (ROM) exercises, a popular and effective method. ROM exercises help you move more freely while also easing pain and stiffness.

• You can benefit from occupational therapy if you suffer from vision problems like double vision, lazy eye, vertigo, strabismus, or blurred vision. Your occupational therapist will first determine whether the damage is irreversible or not before determining the best course of treatment for you.

• Numerous conditions, including traumatic injuries, improperly healed wounds, and nerve damage, can result in chronic pain. However, it typically develops as bones and joints get older. It can cause extreme disability and a loss of control over daily activities which can be handled by an occupational therapist.

• OT professionals use a controlled strategy to give people an adaptive way to complete their tasks. There are numerous techniques like:

• Proactive pain control
• Neurological retraining
• Safe body mechanics and ergonomics
• Practice your communication skills
• Pacing exercises

All in all, adults benefit greatly from occupational therapy management software. After just a few sessions, you would notice a significant improvement in your functionality by receiving assistance with pain management and body strengthening.

Note: With occupational therapy management software, patients can attend sessions from the comfort of their homes via occupational therapy management software.

To Sum Up

You can benefit from occupational therapy for practical tasks if you:

• Have a physical disability
• Have learning disabilities, are recovering from an illness or operation, have issues with your mental health.
• If you are aging and developing balance or vision related issues

Occupational therapists work with patients of all ages and can examine every facet of daily life in your home, place of employment, or place of education. They examine your challenging activities to determine if there is another way you can complete them.