Last & Final

Blogging can be an important source of information for professionals and consumers of OT. Although information from blogs can be less reliable compared to academic sources, they can be nice for a quick reference. Information gained from blogs can be insightful and possibly even more understandable than confusing academic sources. Professionals may use blog posting to gain more insightful and creative ideas to use with their clients. Also, consumers can use blogs to learn about others' experiences with professionals and types of therapies.

Throughout the semester, the blog that I liked best was my very first one on why I got into the field. I will need to reflect on my initial insights when times get tough - through school or even my professional career.

The thing that I like best about blogging is the fact that I have the ability ti write whatever I want and express my own opinion in an open manner. However, I am not a fan of the strict prompts that I had to follow when writing these posts. I initially thought all of my posting would revolve around Down Syndrome, but this was difficult to do while trying to follow the prompts given.

If I continue to blog in the future my posts will likely revolve around my experiences throughout life, specifically in terms of my OT career.

Sensory Integration Therapy for Autistic Children

For the purposes of our Business & Professional Writing class my group and I chose the topic of Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) for children with Autism to focus on. Specifically, we chose to focus on the benefits that SIT could provide for this specific and unique group of individuals.

Initially, I did not know exactly what SIT was or even involved. From our research, I have come to understand that SIT takes into account the way the brain separates sensations and tries to understand how sensations may have an impact on development according to Parham and Mailloux (2001).

It is particularly important for Occupational Therapists to implement SIT when possible to ensure that each individual who can benefit, will. It takes much patience and practice to initiate SIT and other therapists may not have the ability or training to take on such strenuous tasks. Using SIT for as many children as possible could be instrumental in helping children with autism deal with their environment more efficiently.



How to Help Children with Sensory Processing Disorder Using Specialty Toys, Resources, and Equipment. Sensory Fun.  Retrieved from http://sensoryfun.com/how_to_help_children_sensory_processing_disorder.asp

Parham, D., & Mailloux, Z. (2001). Sensory Integration, In J. Case-Smith (Ed.), Occupational therapy for children (pp. 329-381). Philadelphia, PA: Mosby.

It's Not All About Me

This week I took a look about two other blogs from Saint Louis University students interested in the Occupational Therapy field. Here is what I found:

Serena Blank

Serena’s blog title “Blank’s Blog” focuses on the topic of handwriting. Serena’s first post discusses her love of handwriting and her pursuit in becoming and Occupational Therapist. She wishes to be able to incorporate both of her passions in one career. Serena’s second post talks about an article she read discussing Handwriting Without Tears Test gray block paper (HWT).  Serena found this article interesting as it pertained to her passion of handwriting and its importance as well as its simple implementation that can drastically affect a young child’s school experience.

From her postings, I have learned that there are occupational therapists who work specifically on handwriting and that there are simple interventions for what seems like complex abilities.

Blank, S. (2015, October). Blank’s Blog. Retrieved from serenablank.blogspot.com

Emily Spalding

Emily’s blog is titled “OT For Tots” as her main focus throughout her blog is pediatric occupational therapy. In her first post, Emily talks about wanting to go into Pediatric Occupational Therapy when she graduates from college. She also discusses her experiences with volleyball and her wish to, one day, incorporate her experience into the therapy she will practice. In her second post, Emily talks about an article she read involving hearing loss and the co-morbid deficiencies that sometimes accompany such a loss.

After reading Emily’s blog, I was intrigued by the idea of volleyball being used as a therapy and learned on one person who actually uses the therapy to help children improve their balance and endurance. I also learned that Emily is currently taking a sign language class through SLU which I was unaware they even offered.

Spalding, E. (2015, October). OT For Tots. Retrieved from otfortots.blogspot.com