Why does school OT limit itself to the UE? Why don't they address transfers, mobility, toileting, eating, etc? What does PT do in school systems?
----- Original Message ----- From: Mary Alice Cafiero <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subj: [OTlist] A New One MAC> Mary, MAC> That has been my experience with school system therapy as well. Goals MAC> have to be based on the educational goals for the school year. In MAC> fact, in one district near me, the OT no longer makes separate goals. MAC> Instead they look at the educational goals for the semester or 6 weeks MAC> and sign on to the ones that OT can help with. Sometimes ADLs can be MAC> addressed, but it usually has to be a Life Skills type classroom and MAC> not a mainstream classroom for these goals. Visual perception, eye/ MAC> hand coordination as well as fine motor are often addressed. MAC> Since education is the primary focus, therapy (all three) tends to MAC> take a backseat role to the academic objectives. MAC> It is definitely a different world than medical model. MAC> Does anyone remember the old fable of the blind men being asked to MAC> feel and then describe the elephant they are feeling? Each man is only MAC> given one area of the elephant to feel (i.e. the trunk, ears, tail), MAC> so each has a very different idea of what an elephant is. Seems to me MAC> that OT is similar. Depending on the piece you have been exposed to, MAC> you have a different interpretation of what OT is. None are MAC> necessarily wrong, but none actually get the whole picture either. MAC> How is that for different? Anyone ever compared our profession to an MAC> elephant before? <smile> MAC> Mary Alice MAC> Mary Alice Cafiero, MSOT/L, ATP MAC> [email protected] MAC> 972-757-3733 MAC> Fax 888-708-8683 MAC> This message, including any attachments, may include confidential, MAC> privileged and/or inside information. Any distribution or use of this MAC> communication by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is MAC> strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you are not the recipient MAC> of this message, please notify the sender and permanently delete the MAC> message from your system. MAC> On Aug 23, 2009, at 7:49 PM, Mary Giarratano wrote: >> In a lot of school systems, most of what OTs do is fine motor and >> handwriting. The OT goals have to be educationally based, not >> overlap other services and the parents want their children to have >> legible handwriting. >> >> I'm sure it doesn't fit your definitions but it is the way most >> school systems work when the majority of pts do not have significant >> motor issues. >> >> Mary >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Carson" <[email protected]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 8:39 PM >> Subject: [OTlist] A New One >> >> >>> You know, I like fillin' everyone in when I come >>> across OT >>> definitions/experiences that are off the scale. Well, this >>> Saturday was a >>> new one. >>> >>> I was evaluating a woman whose daughter is a SLP working in school >>> systems. >>> What do you think the SLP told me was her understanding of the role >>> of OT? >>> >>> 1. ADL's >>> >>> 2. Fine Motor >>> >>> 3. Occupation >>> >>> 4. Upper Extremity >>> >>> >>> The answer is #2. In her experience, OT's worked only on fine motor >>> control. >>> PT does gross/large muscle and SLP does cognition. The SLP was >>> actually >>> surprised that I gave her mom a cognitive screen. >>> >>> It just seems that OT is so pigeon-holed into either FMC or UE. >>> Will we ever >>> break these shackles? >>> >>> Ron >>> >>> ~~~ >>> Ron Carson MHS, OT >>> www.OTnow.com >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Options? >>> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com >>> >>> Archive? >>> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] >> >> >> >> -- >> Options? >> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com >> >> Archive? >> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] MAC> -- MAC> Options? MAC> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com MAC> Archive? MAC> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
