OTAS 202 - Occupational Performance in Pediatric Care

1. Demonstrate understanding of common theories, frames of references, and common models of practice used in OT within a pediatric/adolescent population [B.2.1].   

2. Understand how occupational performance is impacted and influenced by the effects of various pediatric diseases, illnesses, conditions, and impairments [B.2.6]; review and identify developmental milestones and normal/abnormal human development in infants, children, adolescents, young adults (birth-21) [B.1.1]. 

3. Profile (i.e., include definitions, etiologies, incidences, signs and symptoms, prognosis, treatment implications, etc.) common pediatric diseases (including illnesses, conditions, impairments, injuries, etc.) and their effects on occupational performance in pediatric clients [B.2.6]. 

4. Demonstrate understanding of various common pediatric congenital, hereditary, intellectual, developmental/neurodevelopmental, mental/behavioral/psychosocial, neurodivergent/pervasive, environmentally induced, and orthopedic impairments, as well as common injuries, surgeries, and conditions in pediatrics that can necessitate occupational therapy treatment by assistants; demonstrate understanding in the use of common sound assessments utilized [B.2.6; B.3.3].  

4. Articulate and demonstrate understanding regarding the distinct nature of occupation [B.2.4] and OT’s role in health promotion and wellness, as well as disease and illness prevention within a pediatric/adolescent population [B.2.5]. 

5. Identify work settings, practice areas, and workforce trends (new and emerging) in pediatric occupational therapy; and the impact of federal and state regulatory policies on OT practice in this population [B.4.1; B.4.7].  

6. Research, analyze, synthesize, and implement evidence-based research into practice as it relates to occupational therapy screening, assessment, and intervention with pediatric clients [B.5.1; B.5.3].  

7. Demonstrate professional communication methods for the occupational therapy assistant during interactions and supervision with an occupational therapist, as well as with parents, teachers, caregivers and other professionals; be able to articulate OT’s distinct nature and role in healthcare using occupation within a pediatric population [B.3.21; B.2.3; B.2.4].  

8. Demonstrate understanding and awareness regarding the roles of the OT/OTA and the principles of interprofessional and interprofessional team dynamics during treatment, emphasizing responsibilities of the OTA during treatment intervention that will promote wellness and disease prevention, restore, maintain, and/or modify occupational performance [B.2.5; B.3.2; B.3.9; B.3.21; B.3.22; B.4.9]. 

9. Demonstrate understanding of the collaborative process and interprofessional team dynamics and professionalism that will promote a client-centered, holistic approach [B.3.10; B.3.21; B.3.22; B.4.6].   

10. Demonstrate ability to contribute to the evaluation process of a pediatric client’s performance by completing an occupational profile and administering screening and assessment tools based on evidence-based practice research synthesized [B.3.3; B.5.1] and reporting data [B.3.5]. 

11. Demonstrate understanding and competency regarding patient safety of self and others [B.2.8], ethical and professional responsibilities [B.2.10], leadership styles when working with clients that are younger [B.2.11], and therapeutic use of self [B.3.1} during pediatric treatment. 

12. When collaborating with an occupational therapist, demonstrate aspects of professional reasoning to inform occupation-based (or occupation-centered) interventions that consider pediatric client factors, performance patterns, and performance skills and demonstrate understanding and develop interventions that focus on creation, promotion, establishment, restoration, maintenance, modification, and/or prevention [B.3.2].  

13. Demonstrate ability to provide direct interventions to an individual, group, or population aged birth-21, to enhance safety, health and wellness, chronic condition management, and occupational performance [B.3.6]. 

14. Demonstrate ability to select and deliver interventions that are actual occupations or occupation-centered, therapeutic, and/or supportive in nature (may include virtual) [B.3.6] and demonstrate ability to collaborate in the development of intervention plans and strategies that are client-centered, culturally-relevant, and reflective of current evidence-based practice [B.3.5]. 

15. Demonstrate understanding and ability to perform aspects of the OT process, including collaboration with an OT in the development of occupation-based (or occupation-centered) interventions [B.3.5], monitoring, re-assessment, and modifying interventions [B.3.7], and assessing, grading, and possibly modifying the ways in which pediatric clients perform occupations [B.3.8]. 

16. Design and implement occupation-based interventions designed to help pediatric clients establish, restore, and modify performance skills deficits [B.3.9]. 

17. Implement a plan for discharge [B.3.10] with demonstrated understanding of referrals [B.3.17] in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team (IDT) using principles of intra-/interpersonal team dynamics, professionalism and professional reasoning, leadership, advocacy, care coordination, consultation, and effective communication [B.2.11, B.3.2; B.3.21; B.3.22; B.4.2; B.4.6]. 

17. Demonstrate understanding of OT’s role in the teaching-learning and health literacy process and design an activity and training [B.3.19] to instruct a pediatric client, a teen client, and a caregiver regarding safety and ways to improve occupational performance and independence during: community mobility [B.3.11]; functional mobility [B.3.12]; using assistive technology and adaptive devices [B.3.15]; and orthoses/prosthetic devices [B.3.16]. Demonstrate principles of instructional design [B.2.12], safety [B.2.8] and professional reasoning [B.3.2] during educational instruction. 

18. Demonstrate activity analysis understanding in areas of occupation, performance skills, performance patterns, context, and client factors [B.2.7]. 

19. Demonstrate understanding regarding treatment interventions that address dysphagia and disorders of feeding and eating, including training and education [B.3.13]. 

20. Demonstrate basic understanding of the safe and effective application of superficial thermal agents, deep thermal agents, electrotherapeutic agents, and mechanical devices as a preparatory measure to improve occupational performance within a pediatric population (must include indications, contraindications, and precautions) [B.3.14]. 

21. Demonstrate knowledge regarding various reimbursement systems, coding and billing procedures of treatment, and documentation basics within various settings treating a pediatric population [B.4.3]. 

22. Demonstrate understanding of contextual factors and policy affecting OT service delivery and funding within the pediatric population [B.4.1]; explain the role of an OT practitioner as an advocate [B.4.2] and research ways to become involved and/or participate in advocacy efforts [B.4.2]. 

23. Apply and analyze the role of sociocultural, socioeconomic, and diversity, equity, and inclusion factors, as well as lifestyles in contemporary society to meet the needs of young persons, groups, and within the pediatric/adolescent population [B.1.2]. 

24. Demonstrate knowledge of the social determinants of health for young persons, groups, and within a pediatric/adolescent population with or at risk for disabilities and chronic health conditions and distinguishes the epidemiological factors that impact the public health and welfare of populations [B.1.3]. 

25. Demonstrate understanding regarding the need for OT services within a community program to support occupational performance for young persons, groups, and/or within a pediatric population; demonstrate ability to participate in an evolving service delivery model [B.4.7]. 

26. Demonstrate knowledge of technology used in pediatric OT practice [B.3.18]. 

 

COURSE CONTENT: Topical areas of study include - ​​​​​​COURSE CONTENT: Topical areas of study include the following: 

• Conditions, impairments, and diseases commonly addressed/treated in OT within a pediatric/adolescent population, including, but not limited to: congenital, hereditary, intellectual, developmental/neurodevelopmental, mental/behavioral/psychosocial, neurodivergent/pervasive, environmentally induced, and orthopedic impairments, as well as common injuries, surgeries, and conditions in pediatrics that can necessitate occupational therapy treatment by assistants.

• Impact to areas due to motor and process skills dysfunction like cognitive-perceptual functioning, sensory processing, and neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. 

• Impact of condition on occupational performance within all areas of occupation. 

• Use of evidence-based assessments and interventions to decrease occupational performance challenges within all areas of occupation impacted in pediatric/adolescent populations.  

• Focus on evidence-based interventions utilized to decrease occupational performance challenges due to disrupted client factors associated with impaired motor and process skills like cognitive-perceptual functioning, sensory processing, and neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction.   

• Students will practice home-based, school-based, outpatient-based, and facility-based interventions used by OTAs including assessment, planning, treatment implementation, and service discontinuation, with a focus on the use of meaningful occupation and client performance contexts and patterns. 

• Occupation-based and occupation-centered interventions are practiced. Will include:  

• Practice, Performance, and Personal Skills required in treatment & delivery of OT services, including intra-/interprofessionalism, collaboration, care and discharge planning, referrals, and establishing client boundaries. 

• Tech/tools used in practice of OT (assessment; treatment) such as communication devices, sensory items, etc. 

• Feeding/dysphagia 

• Adaptation/compensation.  

• Therapeutics used within the treatment & delivery of OT services (i.e., therapeutic use of self, therapeutic activities, therapeutic exercise, manual/therapeutic modalities and agents, therapeutic exercise/stretching). 

• IEP introduced; advocacy skills 

• Advocacy: Students will advocate for OT in a service-learning activity/project; patient/family advocacy; IEP introduced. Current health provision issues/advocacy efforts discussed. 

• Clinical Excellence: skills important in Peds treatment, which settings, which treatment populations; contraindications; scope defined. Students will demo professional reasoning skills; research skills for activities. Documentation, billing/coding, reimbursement skills visited and practiced. 

• Explores patient rights, treatment implications, and relevant research.    

• Discusses and reviews current health care provision issues, including inclusivity, cultural, and social factors and influences.   

• Explores leadership, patient and family advocacy, and health and wellness promotion unique to a pediatric population.   

• Reviews performing within the limitations of the scope of practice, basic principles of authority and responsibility, supervisory processes, collaboration, intra- and interprofessionalism, and technical skill competency.