Occupational therapy has been practiced since the early 1900s. Since then, it has been assisting people of all ages in living better lives. Occupational therapists help people who have physical or cognitive disabilities.
Occupational therapists assess individuals, groups, and communities, as a whole to attain optimal health conditions through participating in everyday occupations. In addition, This includes our jobs, what we do to create the lives we want, and how we engage with our society and culture. It also means helping people overcome challenges in school, at the workplace, in some sports, or even something as simple as doing your daily chores.
Occupational therapy can be beneficial for those suffering from:
- ADHD
- Arthritis
- Chronic discomfort
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Injury to the spinal cord
- Brain damage
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Cerebral palsy
- Problems with mental health and behavior
- Replacement of a joint
- Cancer
- Inadequate balance
- Visual impairment
- Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and so on.
However, an occupational therapist does not treat all kinds of physical problems. Many people seek the services of occupational therapists for hand pain or injury. However, some hand injuries and pain require the services of an Hand Doctor in Dallas rather than an occupational therapist. The treatment approach of a wrist specialist differs greatly from that of an occupational therapist. A wrist specialist is a physician who specializes in muscle movement, bones, and arm and joint problems.
They can effectively treat severe pain or perform surgery. They do not recommend any physical movements or exercises for treatment but prescribe medications. The goal of occupational therapy is to make daily activities easier. It is beneficial to both children and adults in several ways.
Occupational Therapy for Kids
- Occupational therapy can benefit a lot of children. This type of therapy is not just for children with learning disorders. However, if your child is falling behind in any development area, they will benefit extremely from customized occupational therapy.
- Occupational therapy is not seen as work by children. Rather, they regard occupational therapy as a game to be played. They can have fun while learning new skills. The more games they play, the more of those skills they will master, and the faster they will progress. Occupational therapy covers a full range of skills and allows children to catch up with, and in many cases, move ahead of, their peers.
- Children with physical or mental disabilities may require additional educational support. As a result, Occupational therapists can help children who are having difficulty learning in school. Children who work with occupational therapists will learn in ways tailored to their specific needs.
- An occupational therapist may address a variety of goals for children and adolescents. As a result, few examples are:
- Facilitating handwriting development in school children by providing intervention to develop fine motor and writing readiness skills.
- Individualized treatment for sensory processing disorders.
- A child with a generalized anxiety disorder is taught coping skills.
- Consultation with teachers, counselors, social workers, parents/caregivers, or anyone who works with children about modifications, accommodations, and supports in sensory processing, motor planning, visual processing, sequencing, transitions between schools, and so on.
- Instructing caregivers on mealtime intervention for autistic children who have feeding difficulties.
Occupational Therapy for Adults
- The prevalence of falls among elderly patients is well known to occupational therapists. One in four Americans aged 65 and above die from accidental falling every year. As a result, therapists teach their patients several fall prevention techniques. They also teach them balancing and muscle-building exercises to keep their bodies strong and alert for many years.
- If your elderly parent has dementia, an occupational therapist will assess their areas of strength and weakness and then develop a care plan that focuses on maintaining the vital areas while strengthening the weak.
- Many older adults live in homes that are not suitable for them. Stairs, slippery floors, bathtubs, and showers can all be dangerous to the elderly. In addition, An occupational therapist will examine the layout of your parents’ home and make suggestions for changes. These changes will make your parents’ home safer and encourage independent living.
- Occupational therapists work with individuals with visual impairments. An occupational therapist may recommend color-coded labels or magnification tools to promote better visibility in a person’s home or office. Although the therapist cannot restore perfect vision, they can assist a person in living a happier, less stressful life despite their vision challenges.
Takeaways
Hopefully, you now understand occupational therapy and the wonderful things that occupational therapists do to help people live happier, healthier, and more independent lives. Therefore, In contrast to traditional healthcare models, occupational therapists treat the whole person, not just the signs or symptoms of their condition.
North Texas Hand Center provides effective occupational therapy in Dallas, TX. We help people with injury, pain, tumor, arthritis, joint replacement, and many other health conditions to recover soon.
Top doctors, kind and cooperative staff, and experienced wrists specialists in Dallas, Texas. We ensure to provide effective treatment. You can get our appointment here.