Introduction
With an increase in referrals for the services of an occupational therapist, it is necessary for parents to have an understanding of the conditions under which these services would be used as a teacher in special education providing parents with this information will be very helpful in alleviating any fears or misconceptions as to why occupational therapy was recommended.A child may need to be referred for Occupational Therapy if several of the following areas have been checked or if any of the areas below creates a functional delay or problem:
____ has difficulty using 2 hands together or doesn’t use 2 hands together
____ has difficulty with writing, coloring, cutting or pasting
____ has illegible handwriting; tires easily while writing; poor pencil grasp; presses too light or too hard when coloring or writing
____ trouble with spacing, sizing, formation or reversals during handwriting
____ difficulty reading across a line or keeping place while reading or writing
____ difficulty copying from board or books
____ difficulty with dressing &/or fastener management (velcro closures, buckles, snaps, buttons, zippers) or shoe tying
____ trouble with jumping, hopping, standing on one foot, skipping or galloping
____ appears clumsy or uncoordinated
____ poor sitting posture, slumps in chair, seems floppy when moving
____ has trouble making or keeping same aged friends, may prefer to play with adults or younger children
____ trouble with attention or focus; short attention span
____ avoids physical activity; has trouble with or dislikes physical education or sports activities
____ is overly active; has difficulty calming down or slowing down
____ has trouble sleeping, getting to sleep or waking up from sleep; has irregular sleep patterns
____ poor self-esteem; low levels of confidence or motivation; gives up easily
____ has trouble with following multi-step directions to complete a task
____ needs additional instruction or practice to learn new skills as compared to same aged children
____ dislikes bathing or other grooming such as tooth-brushing, brushing hair, trimming nails &/or haircuts
____ dislikes or is fearful of activities involving having feet off ground such as swinging or other playground equipment
____ appears impulsive lacks regard for safety, boundaries or rules; may need additional adult supervision as compared to same aged peers
____ bumps into things; difficulty judging his/her body position in space
____ trouble with unexpected changes in routines, trouble shifting from one activity to the next
____ messy eater; seems to not notice when hands or face are messy
____ overly sensitive to having hands or face messy; does not tolerate being messy
____ overly sensitive to tags or textures in clothing; wears clothing that is inappropriate to season or temperature; insists on wearing only certain clothing repeatedly
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