Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Pediatric occupational therapists are qualified occupational therapists who work with children and infants with problems in cognitive functions, movement and coordination. These young patients could be suffering from a wide range of conditions such as neurological complaints, orthopedic injuries, spinal cord damage, muscular dystrophy or other motor disorders.
The work of a pediatric occupational therapist involves analyzing and treating skeletal, neuromuscular or cognitive restrictions of their young patients. It also includes helping them in developing their interaction and communication skills, refinement of motor skills and educating them in self-care abilities, especially for the older children.
As the Pediatric occupational therapist is dealing with children, patience and persistence are important traits. Most of the patients are too young to understand verbal instructions, so games are often incorporated in the therapy. This will help to engage their interest and cooperation. It is imperative to have the commitment and support of the family as well.
To qualify as a pediatric occupational therapist, the minimum requirement is a Master degree in Occupational Therapy. As pediatric occupational therapy is a specialized field, most programs require the candidate to possess a minimum of 3-5 years of working experience in occupational therapy. Furthermore a licence from the NBCOT (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy) is mandatory before the individual is allowed to work in pediatric occupational therapy.
Pediatric occupational therapist jobs are available in nursing homes, healthcare organizations, hospitals, educational institutions, schools and the government.
A typical pediatric occupational therapist salary ranges from USD 50,000 to USD 70,000. An experienced pediatric occupational therapist can earn as high as USD 75,000 in some areas. Entry level positions earn from USD 25,000 to USD 45,000 depending on the company, location and job responsibilities. Information and knowledge on occupational therapy in the Asian/Pacific Area, through AAPOTA.
What is a pediatric occupational therapist and what do they do? They are occupational therapists - therapists who cure some severe, life-changing conditions by using treatments that allow the patient to do what they want through everyday activities - who work with children. Children are often seen as the future, but many children suffer from disabilities and disorders. These range from spinal injuries to muscular dystrophy.
Pediatric occupational therapists start with an individualized evaluation to determine a client's goals (most likely full rehabilitation), so that they can personalize to the client's needs. This sometimes includes evaluating the child's everyday environment (like workplaces and schools). Next, the child receives intervention from the therapist to help fix the needs. This is through developing their social skills, as well as their motor skills.
For example, one can sometimes see a pediatric occupational therapist at a school with a child; schools are a great example of social establishments, because students and teachers often interact with each other in them. However, the therapist isn't the only person who will help the child back up; pediatric occupational therapists may teach a child's parents or guardians support and education on rehabilitation as well, since the family is one of the most important establishments for a child.
Since they deal with children, pediatric occupational therapists often require a great amount of persistence, patience, and communication skills. Thus, the intervention given by the therapist can include games, which can help achieve the acquisition of their cooperation.
To become a pediatric occupational therapist, one will need to get (in minimum) a master's degree in general occupational therapy. However, if one wishes to, he/she can train for 1-2 years to become a pediatric occupational therapy assistant. Pediatric occupational therapy is a unique skill, so one will need to have at least 3-5 years of experience in general occupational therapy, and then receive a license for occupational therapy. A typical therapist can earn a salary of $50,000-$70,000, and some can earn up to even $75,000.