Children's Occupational Therapy

Please contact the NEC Student Representative Lisa Logan - Logy.bogy@btinternet.com for further advice or for idea's of what you would like to see in future on the student pages

Top Ten Student Tips

  1. Re-read your lecture notes on children's services before starting placement; this will give you more confidence and help you 'hit the ground running' - so to speak.

  2. Familiarise yourself with the typical development of children.
    Texts such as;
    - Sheridan MD (1997) From Birth to Five Years. Children's Development Progress. Routledge: Cornall. Or,
    - Bee H (2000) The Developing Child, Ninth edition. Allyn & Bacon: Boston    . are useful resources.
    This will help you understand the typical developmental of a child and enable you to determine when a child is deviating from typical development and in turn plan age and developmental appropriate intervention.

  3. Find out what the nature of the children you will see on the placement will be. For example. Pre-school, school-aged children, children with intellectual disabilities, behavioural and emotional difficulties, acute physical or community (which often includes assessment and provision of equipment and housing adaptations).

  4. Remind yourself of the main OT treatment approaches used with children and young people.
    - Neuro-developmental (which includes bobath and sensory integration);
    - Behavioural (which includes cognitive behavioural and applied behavioural analysis; family therapy and play therapy to name a few).
    This will help you to select appropriate assessment and interventions often.

  5. Allow yourself to play with the children and young people! Remember for the younger children therapy should be fun.

  6. Look at a toy catalogue or visit a toy shop to get ideas of what play different age-groups of children are playing with at the moment. This helps you to relate with and converse about something they are familiar with.

  7. Be aware that Children and Young People Services cover a very broad range of areas and this placement may introduce you to a number of them, or may focus on one particular area in more depth.

  8. What standardised assessments are available for use with children and young people?

  9. Write to your practice placement educator to ask if they have any reading they would suggest relevant to their client groups. Remember to check out the worldwide web for charities and organisations relevant to different children’s disorders and diagnosis.

  10. Make yourself familiar with government agendas or policies such as the National Service Framework for Children.