PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
For this week's open blog post, I will continue to explore the specializations inside the field of occupational therapy. Last week I researched geriatric occupational therapy, and this week I will explore pediatric occupational therapy. Pediatric occupational therapists work with young kids who have problems in movement, coordination, and cognitive functions. These kids could have muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic injuries, and a variety of many other problems. Pediatric occupational therapists work in many settings such as hospitals, schools and educational facilities, and healthcare facilities. Since their patients are young kids and infants, pediatric occupational therapists often turn their therapy into a type of game since the kids are too young to understand otherwise. Playing games also helps the children stay interested in their therapy. Just like in geriatric occupational therapy, it is important the the child's family is involved in helping them and is dedicated to making a change in the child's life. To become a pediatric occupational therapist, you must have at least a master's degree in occupational therapy, and most programs require three or more years working experience. Also, you must attain a license from National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) before you can become a pediatric occupational therapist.
Today I learned that a specialization in occupational therapy takes a unique set of skills that have to be polished through years of work. But, all those years of work will pay off in the end. A child has his/her whole life ahead of them and shouldn't be slowed down by a defect or disability. I think this field of work is a very special job.
WORKS CITED
"Pediatric Occupational Therapist." Pediatric Occupational Therapist. N.p, 2009-20013. Web. 2 February 2013.
I can personally relate to the educational aspect of your career, provided that I am trying to go into particle physics. Nowadays, it naturally seems like if you want to make a difference in the lives of people, then you have to go through rigorous training. It would seem like the world would welcome people like you by streamlining their training. Is it possible to get your license early through the use of some sort of a national test?
ReplyDeleteIf not, at the least, you could try a CLEP test. They are cheap, and they can allow you to move past some of the classes that could be holding you from accomplishing your dream.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think it's really cool that they try to make physical therapy fun for kids. I bet playing games also helps how the child views his/her disability. You could find a study comparing kids who played games as their therapy and kids who didn't play games and see how each kid felt about his disability and his therapy. What happens when the child gets older? Is there a transition from playing games to more serious therapy?
ReplyDelete