Considerations for OT services
To receive OT as a designated instruction and service, the student must have an educationally disabling condition under IDEA. The following are carefully and routinely considered when determining OT services:
- The prime age for effectiveness of therapy intervention. Therapy is more effective for children from birth to 8 to 10 years.
- Acute Trauma: Therapy may be advisable for older children following an acute trauma which leads to a long term disability.
- Previous Interventions: Alternative programs should be considered for children who have received previous therapy. Therapy interventions are designed for specific results and while they often work for most individuals do not always work for all. If previous intervention has not elicited successful results OT services may no longer be of benefit.
- Priorities: Education is the primary reason of school. Students should have their support services (OT) carefully prioritized for the maximum utilization of time spent in school. This is considered when determining frequency of services as well as direct, versus consult, versus a program to be monitored.
Direct Therapy: Employs specific therapeutic techniques to remediate or prevent problems that are identified through the assessment process, adversely affect educational performance, and are based on program objectives developed by the IEP team. OT personnel have frequent and consistent contact weekly to monthly; are responsible for planning, implementing and revising the OT program; and share responsibility for the IEP with other team members. Students can receive direct therapy individually or in small groups.
Monitoring: Employs collaborative teaming to teach and directly supervise other professionals or paraprofessionals who are involved with the implementation of intervention procedures. The OT completes an evaluation and develops and Intervention program to enhance the achievement of the IEP goals, but teaches someone else in the immediate environment to carry out the procedures with the student. The OT does not supervise all activities of these persons, but provides information and quality control in OT areas of expertise. The OT would continue to have contact on a regular basis, once a month to at least once a grading period, to determine whether adjustments in the intervention program are necessary. Contact may be on site or other means of communication.
Consultation: Is a service in which the OT's expertise is used to help the education system achieve its goals and objectives. Case consultation focuses on the development of the most effective educational environment for the students with special needs. Colleague consultation addresses the needs of other professionals in the education environment system to improve the overall effectiveness of a classroom, school, or the whole system.
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