.png)
What is OT?
Occupational Therapy means the therapeutic use of everyday life occupations with persons, group, or populations (clients) to support occupational performance and participation. Occupational Therapy practice includes clinical reasoning and professional judgement to evaluate, analyze, and diagnose occupational challenges (e.g., issues with client factors, performance patterns, and performance skills) and provide occupation-based interventions to address them. (AOTA)
What does this really mean?
It is an interesting name...I will agree. There are many times that we as Occupational Therapists have been asked "Do you help people find jobs?". I will say that there are times that sounds a little more appealing but not our passion.
​
As Occupational Therapists we try to help each of our clients find and participate in their occupations. Every person has occupations that are different and unique to them. So yes, there are the basic occupations of daily living such as grooming, bathing, toileting, and cooking; but then there are the occupations that make all the other things worthwhile. Some of these occupations are running, sewing, scrapbooking, playing games, playing with their kiddos/grandchildren and many other things.
​
The greatest challenge and adventure about being a pediatric occupational therapist is finding each child's "occupation" or what really motivates them. It may seen simple or something that each parent would know, but you would be amazed at how finding a child's passion beyond video games, devices, TV, and/or Legos empowers them for greater things.