The Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Team - The Occupational Therapist

sizcache = "0" sizset = "42">

is an important member of the treatment of brain injury teams are likely to be an occupational therapist. Occupational therapists help patients improve their ability to perform tasks in living and working environments. This type of therapy focuses on enabling individuals who suffer from mental, physical, developmental, or emotionally disabling conditions to make, and the management, activities of daily living [ADL]. ADL may include, for example only, using a computer, dressing, cooking, eating, bathing, as well as job-related tasks.

occupational therapists are highly obrazovani.Magisterij or more of the occupational therapy is the minimum requirement for entry into the field. Coursework in occupational therapy programs include physical, biological and behavioral sciences, as well as the application of occupational therapy theory and skills. The programs also require completion of six months under the supervision of the field.

occupational therapy work with individuals regardless of their age. In addition to traditional medical settings, occupational therapists can see people recovering from brain injury in the birth to three early intervention programs in public school settings, such as a job coach, and as part of the mental health community.

occupational therapist is a health professional. According to the Ohio State University web site, "Occupational therapy is a healthcare profession that uses" occupation, "or purposeful activity, to people with physical, developmental, or emotional disabilities lead independent, productive, and satisfying life." The occupational therapist assesses self-care, work and leisure skills of a person and plans and implements social and interpersonal activities to develop, restore and / or maintain a person's ability to achieve ADL.Terapeut helping to improve basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to benefit permanent loss of function. The ultimate goal is to return a person independent, productive and satisfying life.

occupational therapists treatments range from physical to mental. Physical exercise can be used to increase strength and dexterity, while other activities may be chosen to improve visual acuity or the ability to distinguish between forms. For example, people with short term memory loss might be encouraged to think of the list for help, while people with coordination problems might be assigned exercises to improve hand-eye coordination. Occupational therapists also use computer programs that will improve decision making, abstract, reasoning, problem solving, and perceptual skills, as well as memory, sequencing and coordination, all of which are important for independent living.

Other treatments may include the use of adaptive equipment including wheelchairs, eating aids, dressing aids, design and build special equipment needed at home or at work, including computer-adaptive equipment. Classes can be used to use the equipment to improve communication and control various situations in their environment

occupational therapy is used in the treatment of traumatic brain injury [TBI] during many stages of recovery and rehabilitation. Such therapy May be involved in providing sensory, motor and positioning supports during periods of coma. As the patient improves and returns to skills, occupational therapy facilitates the process and re-teach skills from basic self-care, to complex cognitive skills such as memory and problem solving.

What should I look for in an occupational therapist?

The following is by no means meant to be an exhaustive list of questions or concerns you should have when choosing an occupational therapist, or the next target disqualify any occupational therapist you are considering, these are meant to enable to start a conversation with an occupational therapist.

1 Look for licensing as, typically, such therapists must be licensed, requiring a degree in occupational therapy, six months supervised fieldwork, and passing scores on national and state exams.

2 Working full time in their profession? More than a quarter of occupational therapists work part time.

3 How often will the therapist assess and record your activities? Progress is an important part of the occupational therapist jobs. Accurate records are essential for the assessment of clients, billing, and reporting for physicians and other health services.

4 Does the therapist specialize. Some occupational therapists may work exclusively with people in a particular age group or with certain disabilities. In the school setting, the therapist can work with children individually. Some therapists provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers who have or are at risk of, developmental delays. Some occupational therapists work only with older patients.

5 Will the therapist to do home visits? It is important, once you begin to re-establish their independence, to take into account the role TBI will play in dealing with their everyday životom.Radni therapist can make recommendations for adaptive equipment, training, extended driving independence, assess homes for hazards and identify environmental factors that could contribute to further injury and injury prevention.

6 Will the therapist visit, and assess, your work environment?

* American Occupational Therapy Association, 4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. Internet:

Copyright (c) 2008 David Bressman