Occupational Therapy

The goal of occupational therapy (OT) is to help people "Live Life to Its Fullest". At Arkansas Children's, OT uses a holistic approach to assess and treat clients, of all ages, to make them as independent as possible. Through inpatient and outpatient services, OTs work with clients to enhance development, restore function and prevent disability resulting from illness or injury.

Occupational therapists at Arkansas Children's are licensed by the State of Arkansas. All hold either a Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral degree in the practice of occupational therapy. They are trained to offer services in acute care, ICUs, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient services, and in specialty clinics. Occupational therapists evaluate and treat children from premature babies to adults with physical disabilities, developmental delays, oral-motor difficulties, and perceptual-motor problems. The goal of OT is to help each child reach their maximum potential for success with developmentally appropriate movements and skills.

Areas addressed by OT include:

• Progression of developmental skills
• Injuries to hands and arms
• Fine motor, visual perceptual and visual motor skills
• Upper body range of motion limitations
• Upper body coordination and endurance
• Brain injuries and neurological impairments
• Sensory processing disorders
• Activities of daily living, functional and self-care skills and adaptive equipment
• Oral motor skills, feeding, and videofluoroscopic swallow studies
• Cognitive skills
• Burn injuries and scar management
• Splinting and positioning
• Pre-driving assessments
• Serial casting for spasticity management
• Aquatic therapy
• Seating evaluation and pressure mapping

OT practice includes a client-centered evaluation to determine the individual's needs. A treatment plan is made, to help improve the client's ability to perform daily activities and reach their goals. At ACH, occupational therapists work on all inpatient units and in outpatient clinics. OT is a referral based service.