Occupational Therapy

What is Occupational therapy?

Jewel Autism Centre’s occupational therapy program is one of the world’s best occupational program with timely updations and therapy materials under the sensory integration therapy approaches. Our Occupational therapy program focuses on evaluation and training of gross motor skills, fine motor skills, cognitive-perceptual skills, pre-writing skills, activities of daily living, social skills, play skills, and sensory integrative dysfunction.

According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, Occupational therapy is “skilled treatment that helps individuals to achieve independence in all facets of their lives. Occupational therapy assists people in developing the ‘skills for the job of living’ necessary for independent and satisfying lives.”

Mild Autism

A person on the lower end of the autism disorder spectrum (ASD) may have significant developmental and sensory challenges that are severe enough to get in the way of normal activities and relationships but on their spectrum scale, the symptoms may be relatively mild or the number of symptoms may be less. Though there is no such official ‘diagnosis’, such a person is said to have mild or very mild autism. It is difficult to spot mild autism in toddlers / children under the age of 3 and it often goes unnoticed. Signs of mild autism in adults are much more prominent. Earlier it was considered that even mild autism symptoms cannot be ‘reversed’ and that it was a lifelong condition. Research in the past several years has shown that children can outgrow a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. While the child may still need support, mild autism can be treated to help the individual to lead a better life. A good therapist and the right interventions will be able to help the child live comfortably as part of the mainstream.

 

Why Would a Child With Autism Need to See an Occupational Therapist?

In the case of autism, Occupational Therapists (OT’s) have vastly expanded the usual breadth of their job. In the past, for example, an occupational therapist might have worked with an autistic person to develop skills for handwriting, shirt buttoning, shoe tying, and so forth. But today’s occupational therapists specializing in autism may also be experts in sensory integration (difficulty with processing information through the senses) or may work with their clients on play skills, social skills and more.

What Does an Occupational Therapist Do for Kids with Autism?

Since kids with autism often lack some of the basic social and personal skills which are required for independent living, Occupational Therapists have developed techniques for working on these needs. For example:

 

  • Provide interventions to help a child appropriately respond to information coming through the senses. Intervention may include swinging, brushing, playing in a ball pit and a whole gamut of other activities aimed at helping a child to manage his body in space.

 

  • Facilitate play activities that instruct as well as aid a child in interacting and communicating with others. For a specialized Occupational Therapist, this can be specifically structured into play therapy; such as Floor time, which is developed to build intellectual and emotional skills as well as physical skills.

 

  • Devise strategies to help the individual transition from one setting to another, from one person to another, and from one life phase to another. For a child with autism, this may involve soothing strategies for managing transition from home to school; for adults with autism it may involve vocational skills, cooking skills and more.

             Occupational therapy is a skilled treatment practice that helps individuals of all ages to participate in activities of daily life to their full potential. It enables them to lead satisfying lives within the scope of their capabilities.

    OT Practice in Pediatric Rehabilitation:

    Children having cognitive & socio-emotional difficulties like Autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorders(SPD), Learning Disabilities, Intellectual issues and physical disabilities like Developmental delays, Downs syndrome, Spina bifida, Cerebral palsy, Seizure disorders, Congenital & chromosomal anomalies are a vast array of conditions that receive Occupational Therapy at Jewel Centre.

    Therapy services are rendered by a team of highly qualified & experienced professionals with specialist expertise in Sensory Integration, Neuro developmental therapies, Feeding interventions, Handwriting intervention techniques, Behavior modification approaches, Life skills training, School readiness programs, Group & Play therapy practices.

    Benefits of OT – A Jewel perspective:

    The uniqueness of Occupational therapy at JEWEL lies in fact that it can be tailored to promote the well-being and functional independence of individuals from varying ages, backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities.

    Persons with special needs – those affected by sensory, physical, cognitive & emotional-social dysfunctions often struggle with simple daily life activities. The often neglected tasks of brushing, bathing, dressing up, eating, using the toilet, playing, working, going to school, praying, sleeping, enjoying family time /get togethers, going on picnics/ vacations, enjoying leisure activities,  doing shopping, visiting restaurants or the movies can be a nightmare for such individuals.

    We the OT team at Jewel delves into the intricacies of day to day life to create a program that caters to a child’s unique needs so that they can go about doing the things that they love with ease & confidence thereby making their lives fulfilling & meaningful.

    Best Practices in OT:

    The OT program at Jewel Centre provides

    -state-of-the-art treatment facility that promotes sensory integration therapeutic interventions

    -customised standardised evaluations

    -individualised treatment plans based on the the latest evidence based practice & client-centered approach

    -encouraging family involvement into therapy sessions

    -periodic updating of progress notes & reassessments

    -case discussions that are aimed at discussing improvements, concerns & goals through a collaborative team approach that involves psychologists, speech therapist, special educators & physiotherapists

    -home programs that are aimed at training caregivers & facilitating kids to participate actively in household chores and community integration to maintain a balanced work-play-sleep cycle

    -devise strategies to help individuals transition from one setting to another, from one person to another, and from one life phase to another. For a child with autism, this may involve soothing strategies for managing transition from home to school; for adults with autism it may involve vocational skills, cooking skills and more.

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