WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FOR CHILDREN/ADOLESCENTS?
Oftentimes children are faced with problems in carrying out their daily activities due to injury, some type of illness or disability or some developmental problems. In these instances occupational therapy can help the child carry out their daily activities like:
a. dressing
b. playing
c. interacting with others socially
d. developing skills that will help them in school and later in the workplace.
The OT or occupational therapy is conducted by a qualified OT or occupational therapist. On some occasions, there may be an OTA or occupational therapy assistant who will help in the treatment, but does not initiate the diagnosis or evaluation of the plan for the patient.
WHAT DOES THE OT DO?
One who desires to become an occupational therapist or OT needs to know that there is a lot to do.
1) Receive the proper preliminary education for the field.
2) A knowledge of children and adolescents beyond just age and appearance.
3) Willingness to work hard with the children and adolescens to build self-esteem and confidence while also developing skill in lots of ways: dressing, washing, gripping, jumping, skipping, writing and even manipulating technological equipment.
4) Be patient and also willing to learn more in the field as research emerges on the qualifications of being an occupational therapist or assistant.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OCCUPATIONALTHERAPIST (OT) OR (OTA) OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
If you desire to go into the field you need to decide which field fits your personal goals and needs.
The OT needs a BA and MA to be able to practice in the field
The OTA needs only an AA in the field with the appropriate coursework
Both need to be accredited and certified properly.
The difference in the two categories of OT and OTA involve the treatment and care of the patient. The OT is the only one who can evaluate the patient and then carry out the treatment as well. The OTA can only treat with a plan that is devised by a qualified OT.
There is a National Certification that you must meet to practice either OT or OTA positions.
Workshops, seminars and coursework are something you need to also consider to keep abreast with changes in the treatment of the patients and also in trends that are popular today in the rehabilitative field. Some of these include use of technology media that is used.
WHERE CAN YOU PRACTICE THE FIELD?
There are options for your future employment in the field of occupational therapy for children and adolescents. There is a need for the rehabilitative trade in schools, hospitals, children’s homes or centers, specialized institutes or clinics and even types of centers that will work to rehabilitate the youth. There are also home care opportunities in cases where children or adolescents are unable to go to any of the other above centers or facilities.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO BECOME A QUALIFIED, CERTIFIED OT OR OTA?
1. Be prepared to present all GPA’s from previous studies.
2. Often the OT field is referred to as rehabilitative services or is listed under the medical field departments. One needs to be careful to know the criteria for job consideration in each local jurisdiction (State, County etc.)
3. Courses that can be expected are:
a. Anatomy
b. Physiology
c. Psychology of children and adolescents
d. Studies on diverse disabilities and their connection to therapy
e. Field work in O.T, O.T.A. or rehabilitative medicine and methods.
f. Chemistry/biology/physics
g. Math courses including statistics
WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO MAKE (SALARY)?
There is no set salary for the field, but the range varies in accordance to the job specifications, hours and also the locations. You can expect however, a range from $32,000.00 to $104,000.00. Salaries also may vary according to the qualifications of the applicant. This may have to do with degrees received, coursework completed over the degrees and other criteria. Good luck as you search!
UNIVERSITIES AND SOME SCHOOLS
1. Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri 800 621-7440
2. Idaho State University – 921 S. 8th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho
3. Montgomery College in Silver Spring Maryland – A good one for an AA as this is a college and not a University
4. University of Delaware www.udel.edu/PT
5. University of Maryland (UMB) http://pt.umaryland.edu/
6. Howard University – Washington, DC – www.cpnahs.howard.edu/AHS/pt/introduction.htm
The list above is not an exhaustive one, but has some sample schools that have programs in respect to Occupational therapy for children and adolescents. These schools train in the theories, practice and the latest trends that are existant today.
ONLINE
As you can see the web addresses above will also lead you to programs that are both ones in the traditional classroom mode and the online. Also, online programs have been observed at institutes such as Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and in Maryland the UMBC programs.
YOU MIGHT SEE……..
OT or OTA might also be seen as physical therapy, rehabiliative services, occupational assistance to pediatrics. These are just a few. Look at the terms and then also take into consideration any other titles or acronyms that might lead you to the same coursework but with different names. Be exlorative. Each university has a different way of sharing the courses and the fields.
The field is a very necessary one for the wellness of youth as their physical, mental and also cognitive activities are linked to their ability to function productively in their lives. The members of this profession are ones who contribute with skill and patience to make this happen for so many youth today. If you are seriously interested, look into all the options, take the step and become a member of the team that helps our youth succeed no matter what their obstacles might be.
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