Can anyone tell me what an Occupational Therapist does?

Question

Please? I am thinking of applying for the position at a place that helps children with disabilities.

And, does it require any special licensing? I have a BS in Communications, I hope this will suffice.

I couldn't find much online that explains what the position entails, but then again I may not have been looking in the right place.

Thank you, I really appreciate any information or interview advice (the interview is tomorrow morning!!!)

:)

Answer 1

I work at a school for children with disabilities.

Most of our children get physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT).  PT focuses on large-muscle strength and skill, (gross motor) such as climbing stairs, jumping, running, throwing a ball, etc.  OT focuses on fine-motor strength and skill, such as buttoning clothes, writing, feeding self, opening containers, brushing teeth, etc.  Both OT and PT require specialized degrees.

I am a service coordinator in New York State.  It's a **great** job.  I have a caseload of 25 children with disabilities, and I work with the families to connect them with resources such as future planning, home modifications (like a wheelchair ramp or fence), respite care, specialized programs, and in-home habilitation.  For my job, a degree in a health and human services field or a related field is required.

Answer 2

Occupational Therapy must be done by a licensed professional.  A B.A. in communications would not suffice at all.  I'm a school psych who works with OT's often.  When working with children, they focus on methods of improving sensory integration, as well as improving fine motor skills (hand writing, using utensils, buttoning, zipping, etc.).  They are fairly medical in their training, and have a strong understanding of neurobiology.

Now a service coordinator, depending on the age of the students you are talking about may be a job where you attend lots of evaluation and placement meetings in order to meet the special needs of the child.  I've ran into them working with young children who are entering the public education system.  They help transistion students from one program to the next, and assist parents with any paperwork that needs to be completed.  You would need be or get familiar with the physicians in the area, schools, and agencies for people with disabilities because sometimes, kids have so many different programs they belong to, it's hard to be sure they are getting what they need.  As long as you have a tolerance for paperwork and love doing what's best for kids, you should be ok.  And the B.A. in communications would likely come in handy, because you'll be advocating for your students quite a bit!

Answer 3

occ. therapist are graduate in occ. the. from a recognised univesity after having a course of 3yrs. after 12th pass in science.you can copare your edu. qual. your self

Answer 4

An OT requires a college degree and a specialization in physical sciences. You need credentials like OTR to be certifed , especially in an early intervention program.

A service coordinator, like me, in AZ is responsible for a caseload of children birth to 3 . I set up the therapies, write the service plans, find help for parents, etc. Its a very demanding job. I have a Masters degree in Social work, but usually only a bachelors is required. Some advice:  speech therapists are greatly needed in this state. If you have any interest in this area, hope you go back to school. You also can make a fortune !

Answer 5

An Occupational Therapist help people decide what kind of career they are interested, and how they could achieve working in that field, based on what kind of person they are and there qualifications.

Answer 6

an OT works on developing the small muxcles- (FINE MOTOR skills) fingers, hands visual- hand/eye  coordination, cutting, tracing, pre-writing skills. with children who in some ways are delayed.  mostly children with special needs, or babies born prematurely.  you can work on that by playing with rice, sand, scissors, writing, among many other excercises.

Answer 7

A service coordinator must be experienced in the field of special needs-usually must be a health care/education professional

If you want to work with people with special needs-you will need to start at the bottom-

With a non related degree taht you have you can get a job as a teachers aid or program assistant-

It sounds liek you may be looking into Early Intervention-some agencies will hire paraprofessionals to assist

AN Occupational therapist works on things you occupy yourslef with/need to occupy yourslef in school, work, or play

attending skills

sensory processing skills

fine motor skills

job skills

play skills

Answer 8

Occupational therapy, often abbreviated OT, is the "use of productive or creative activity in the treatment or rehabilitation of physically or emotionally disabled people" (American Heritage Dictionary).[1] A more technical definition is that OT is the use of meaningful occupation to assist people who have difficulty in achieving a healthy and balanced lifestyle and to enable an inclusive society so that all people can participate to their potential in daily occupations of life.[2] Occupational therapists work with a variety of individuals who have difficulty accessing or performing meaningful occupations.

Most commonly, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants work with people with disabilities to enable them to maximize their skills and abilities. Occupational therapy gives people the "skills for the job of living" necessary for "living life to its fullest."[3]

Services typically include:

Customized intervention programs to improve one's ability to perform daily activities.

Comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations.

Performance skills assessments and treatment.

Adaptive equipment recommendations and usage training.

Guidance to family members and caregivers.[3]

Occupational therapy practitioners are skilled professionals whose education includes the study of human growth and development with specific emphasis on the physical, emotional, psychological, sociocultural, cognitive and environmental components of illness and injury.

[edit] Occupational therapy education in the USA

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Most registered occupational therapists (OTR) practicing in the field today possess a Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy. However, by 2007, all OTRs will enter the field with a Masters (M.A., M.S., or MOT) or a professional Doctoral degree (OTD). A certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) generally earns an associate degree.

To become eligible for the national examination for certification, students must complete a minimum of two (three maximum) supervised clinical internships in physical disabilities, pediatrics or mental health. Many college programs encourage students to pursue a third internship in an area of OT of their choosing. Upon successful completion of at least two internships, graduates must pass a national examination (NBCOT or National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy). Most U.S. states also regulate occupational therapy practice (OTs must possess a license within their state).