What happens in an OT intervention session?
Attending OT sessions help children learn about themselves, how to grow, how to flourish and how to become the best version of themselves.
Every child is different. Every child has different sets of skills and every child that comes to an OT has a different set of difficulties. Some difficulties that are important to the child might not necessarily be as important for the parents and visa versa, so it is vital to get a sense of the parents, teachers and child's ideas and incorporate them into manageable goals.
Below are a few examples of different age groups and different difficulties. These are made up stories but touch on topics that we regularly see being referred to OT. These are snippets of therapy and do not cover all aspects of a child.
Every child is different. Every child has different sets of skills and every child that comes to an OT has a different set of difficulties. Some difficulties that are important to the child might not necessarily be as important for the parents and visa versa, so it is vital to get a sense of the parents, teachers and child's ideas and incorporate them into manageable goals.
Below are a few examples of different age groups and different difficulties. These are made up stories but touch on topics that we regularly see being referred to OT. These are snippets of therapy and do not cover all aspects of a child.
Example 1:
8year old girl with poor coordination, losing interest in sport, regular emotional outbursts and refusing to do schoolwork.
An Occupational Therapy assessment was completed, the OT spoke to the teacher over the phone and the OT met with the parents for a clinical interview. A diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) was given inline with the DSM-5 criteria.
Intervention
- Began with a block of 8 sessions, every second week
- Start every session with a catch up with the parent on how things have been over the last 2 weeks, has OT homework been completed, how did she get on with it, how is school etc
- Parent present every session so they know what the plan for the session is and how to replicate session into ever day life.
- Continue to work on building a safe space for the child and discussing events that happened since last meeting the child.
- Make a plan for the session on a blackboard, switching every second activity between OT and the childs choice.
- Working with the child in the 1:1 environment on identified goals and using equipment which provides the child with increased opportunity to improve on motor skills.
- Work on emotional regulation and teaching the child skills to overcome her emotions. The child is assisted in identifying, developing and using a problem solving approach.
- A compensatory approach may be suggested and to learn to overcome and cope with difficulties e.g. using a laptop and learning to type
- Have fun, play and be creative.
Example 2:
16 year old boy, refusing to go to school, on the verge of being expelled. On the waiting list for an appointment for Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
An Occupational Therapy screening was completed, no coordination or handwriting difficulties. The OT met his mother for a parent only session. Discussed high anxiety levels, no confidence, very little coping skills, fight or flight response in school
and getting into bad friend groups.
Intervention
16 year old boy, refusing to go to school, on the verge of being expelled. On the waiting list for an appointment for Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
An Occupational Therapy screening was completed, no coordination or handwriting difficulties. The OT met his mother for a parent only session. Discussed high anxiety levels, no confidence, very little coping skills, fight or flight response in school
and getting into bad friend groups.
Intervention
- The teenagers mother was not present during sessions. The OT kept communication through email/ phone with his mother which the teenager was aware of.
- First number of sessions were spent completely doing what the teenager wanted to do; soccer, basketball, exercise etc
- Very little talking about topic but constantly building up trust, observing coping mechanisms, how he thought, how he viewed the world, family life etc.
- The more he became comfortable, the more he began to speak about difficulties.
- Became more open about how therapy sessions were going with his mother.
- Mother and teenager became more open to contacting the school.
- School visit organised and met with principal, SET teacher, counselor and class teacher.
- Discussed a phased approach back to school, regular check ins every week with a trusted adult in school, discussed constant encouragement of the teenager, agreed the use of the school gym each day would motivate him to return to school, attending selected classes only.
- Monthly OT check in's with the teenager
Example 3:
4 old boy with Autism, who only uses limited words and mainly enjoys playing on his own. He was having more regular meltdowns and had multiple sensory difficulties. The little boy had also began working closely with a Speech and Language Therapist.
Occupational Therapy screening was completed where the OT used a play based session to observe and interact with the little boy. The joint goal was to improve communication and to work on sensory regulation.
Intervention
4 old boy with Autism, who only uses limited words and mainly enjoys playing on his own. He was having more regular meltdowns and had multiple sensory difficulties. The little boy had also began working closely with a Speech and Language Therapist.
Occupational Therapy screening was completed where the OT used a play based session to observe and interact with the little boy. The joint goal was to improve communication and to work on sensory regulation.
Intervention
- One parent present in the room during sessions and this alternated between mum and dad each week.
- Constantly building trust, routine and relationships
- Therapists and parents engage the child through the activities which the child enjoys. We enter the child's games and follow the child's lead throughout the sessions
- The OT helps explain how to direct the children into increasingly complex interactions and how to open the circles of communication by prompting the child to need and request things, either by pointing, making eye contact, hand over hand or gesturing for something.
- During sessions parents can ask questions, observe and get involved in therapy and this helps them have the confidence to replicate the scenarios at home
- The OT emphasises back-and-forth play interactions. This establishes the foundation for shared attention, engagement and problem solving. Parents and therapists help the child maintain focus to sharpen interactions and abstract, logical thinking.
- As rhe child matures, OT's and parents tailor the strategies to match a child’s developing interests and higher levels of interaction. For example, instead of lining up teddies, the OT and parents can engage with teddy bear picnics and other special interest to their child.
