What Is Occupational Therapy?

Fields Of Use

Occupational therapy is used at all stages of life and across a wide range of medical specialties. Occupational therapists can choose to become certified in fields such as gerontology, pediatrics, mental health, physical rehabilitation, and driving and community mobility. Therapists who specialize in gerontology help patients recovering from strokes, and they also assist those who have recently had a hip replacement. Pediatric occupational therapists help children with autism in learning functional skills, and they assist kids with crawling, walking, and feeding. Specializations are also available in care for those with low vision and in environmental modification. Professionals who work in environmental modification provide recommendations on furniture placement, adaptive devices, and assistive technology that make the patient's home environment safer and more accessible. Those who specialize in caring for patients with low vision help enhance the patient's vision with optical devices and technology. Some occupational therapists may also choose to work in the school system; these therapists assist patients who are eligible for special education services in learning the skills they need to function in the school environment and in making modifications where necessary.

Read about occupational therapy's connection to other therapies next.

Connection To Other Therapies

The work occupational therapists do has a very strong connection to other therapies. For example, occupational therapists who specialize in gerontology often work closely with the patient's medical doctors, physical therapists, and speech therapists to coordinate optimal care. They can help the patient move safely and practice appropriate exercises given by the physical therapist. For patients with feeding difficulties, they will also work in conjunction with the patient's speech therapist to formulate a list of foods that are safe for the patient to eat and in methods that can improve the patient's ability to feed themselves. Occupational therapists who work with mental health patients and individuals with learning disabilities may speak to the patient's behavioral health team about the most appropriate modifications for the patient and the skills that need to be reinforced during occupational therapy sessions.

Get familiar with some potential fallbacks of occupational therapy next.