What is Occupational and Physical Therapy in the Schools?

Occupational and Physical therapy are allied health professions where individuals are trained in pediatric medical conditions (orthopedic, neurological and developmental disorders), normal and abnormal motor development, equipment design and fabrication, and sensory motor integration.

Our focus is to empower the students with the ability to engage and profit from their educational program. We assist them in overcoming the physical or neurological impairment through remediation exercises or techniques as well as adaptation to maximize participation in the classroom.

We work directly with the students but also share strategies and techniques with the educational staff that they can utilize throughout the week to maximize the student's participation throughout the day. Computer technology, assistive devices, and adaptations can play a big role in realizing student potential. Problem areas may be writing, keyboard access, self-help skills and functional mobility.

Disabilities served are Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Muscular Dystrophy and developmental delay.

The child's continued development as well as "therapy" is realized in the frequent enactment of that activity in a carefully chosen setup that minimizes the dysfunction and allows practice to improved physical performance.

"It is of low benefit to give me something. It is of high benefit to enable me to do something for myself." Ralph Waldo Emerson