Just telling folks is not enough!!

Just telling folks is not enough!!

I just renewed my national registration and the certificate arrived in an envelope with a huge “37” on the outside. Yes, that’s right, I have been an occupational therapist for more than 37 years!

It’s difficult to separate me from occupational therapy. I have developed a keen sense of observation, and I continually design programs (mostly in my mind) for most people I meet. Another behavior I have noticed about having been an occupational therapist for so long, is that I assume others think the way I do. Most do not!

So, recently, in a class, I was once again explaining to an aide the importance of crossing the midline (no the child is not ambidextrous), I realized that just telling folks and showing them one time is not enough!

The importance of direct occupational therapy intervention, by a skilled OT who is constantly observing and assessing and changing the intervention cues to facilitate the highest level of functional skill cannot be replaced or done by others without the education of an occupational therapist.

What I have come to think of as “common knowledge” is NOT.

In my previous blog, I wrote about giving the recommendation of providing a stick of lip balm as a sensory replacement for the child using mucus around her mouth as a calming technique. When I asked the guardian, if the suggestion worked, she said no…. the child simply rubbed the lip balm on toys.

Obviously, I did not explain the need to consistently show the child the correct use of the lip balm or setting of criteria to effect change in the behavior.

So…, even after 37 years I still have a lot to learn about how I provide recommendations. I cannot assume that everyone knows what I mean, and I need to provide step by step instructions-as I did in my first book.

EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES TO HELP YOUR YOUNG CHILD WITH AUTISM LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL.

I welcome your comments.