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A pediatric occupational therapist is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing occupational therapy services to children. Occupational therapy focuses on helping individuals develop or regain the skills needed for daily activities, also known as occupations. For children, these occupations include activities such as self-care, play, school tasks, and social interactions.

The primary goal of a pediatric occupational therapist is to help children develop the necessary skills and abilities to participate in these activities independently and successfully. They work with children of all ages, from infants to adolescents, who may have developmental delays, physical disabilities, sensory processing disorders, or cognitive impairments.

The specific duties of a pediatric occupational therapist may include:

1. Evaluation and assessment: They assess a child's skills and abilities in various areas, such as fine motor skills, sensory processing, visual perception, self-care, and cognitive skills. This evaluation helps identify any areas of difficulty or areas that need improvement.

2. Treatment planning: Based on the evaluation, they develop individualized treatment plans to address the specific needs of each child. These plans may include therapeutic activities, exercises, adaptations, and strategies to improve the child's functional abilities.

3. Skill development: Pediatric occupational therapists work on improving a child's fine motor skills, such as handwriting, cutting, buttoning, and tying shoelaces. They also focus on activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing, feeding, grooming, and toileting.

4. Sensory integration: They help children with sensory processing disorders by providing sensory integration therapy. This involves activities that help regulate and organize sensory input, such as touch, movement, and sound, to improve a child's ability to process and respond to sensory information.

5. Environmental adaptations: Pediatric occupational therapists may recommend and provide adaptations to the child's environment, such as modifying the classroom or home environment to support the child's participation in daily activities.

6. Assistive devices and technology: They may recommend and provide assistive devices or adaptive technology, such as specialized utensils, writing aids, or communication devices, to help children with physical or cognitive challenges.

7. Parent and caregiver education: They educate parents and caregivers on strategies and techniques to support their child's development and therapy at home. This may include teaching them how to incorporate therapeutic activities into daily routines.

8. Swallowing and feeding therapy: They assess and treat children with swallowing and feeding difficulties. This may involve developing strategies to improve oral motor skills, addressing sensory aversions, and recommending appropriate food textures and feeding techniques.

9. Collaboration and consultation: Pediatric occupational therapists often work closely with parents, teachers, and other healthcare professionals to ensure a collaborative approach to the child's care. They may provide consultation and guidance on strategies to support the child's participation in school and other environments.

Overall, pediatric occupational therapists play a vital role in helping children develop the skills and abilities they need to participate in daily activities, achieve independence, and enhance their overall quality of life.

A pediatric physical therapist is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing physical therapy services to children. They are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of conditions that affect a child's physical development and movement abilities.

Pediatric physical therapists work with children of all ages, from infants to adolescents, who may have developmental delays, congenital disabilities, injuries, or neurological conditions. They aim to improve a child's mobility, strength, balance, coordination, and overall physical function.

The specific duties of a pediatric physical therapist may include:

1. Evaluation and assessment: They assess a child's physical abilities, range of motion, strength, and coordination to identify any impairments or limitations.

2. Treatment planning: Based on the evaluation, they develop individualized treatment plans to address the specific needs of each child. These plans may include exercises, therapeutic activities, and assistive devices.

3. Therapeutic interventions: Pediatric physical therapists use various techniques and interventions to help children improve their physical abilities. These may include therapeutic exercises, stretching, balance training, coordination activities, and functional training.

4. Motor skill development: They work on improving a child's gross motor skills, such as crawling, walking, running, jumping, and throwing. They may also focus on fine motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination and dexterity.

5. Adaptation and equipment: Pediatric physical therapists may recommend and provide assistive devices or adaptive equipment, such as braces, splints, or wheelchairs, to help children with mobility and independence.

6. Parent and caregiver education: They educate parents and caregivers on exercises, activities, and strategies to promote their child's physical development and support their therapy at home.

7. Collaborative approach: Pediatric physical therapists often work closely with other healthcare professionals, such as occupational therapists, speech therapists, and doctors, to provide comprehensive care for children.

Overall, pediatric physical therapists play a crucial role in helping children overcome physical challenges, improve their quality of life, and reach their full potential in terms of physical development and function.

The specific duties of a pediatric speech therapist may include:

1. Evaluation and assessment: They assess a child's speech and language skills to identify any areas of difficulty or delay. This may involve conducting standardized tests, observing the child's communication abilities, and gathering information from parents, teachers, and other healthcare professionals.

2. Diagnosis and treatment planning: Based on the evaluation, they diagnose communication disorders and develop individualized treatment plans. These plans may include specific goals and objectives to address the child's speech, language, or swallowing needs.

3. Speech therapy: Pediatric speech therapists provide therapy to help children improve their speech production. This may involve working on articulation (pronunciation of sounds), fluency (smoothness of speech), voice quality, and overall speech intelligibility.

4. Language therapy: They work on improving a child's language skills, including vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, comprehension, and expressive language abilities. This may involve activities such as storytelling, conversation practice, and language games.

5. Communication devices and alternative communication methods: Pediatric speech therapists may recommend and provide communication devices or alternative communication methods for children who have severe communication impairments. These devices can help children communicate effectively, even if they are unable to speak.

6. Swallowing and feeding therapy: They assess and treat children with swallowing and feeding difficulties. This may involve developing strategies to improve oral motor skills, addressing sensory aversions, and recommending appropriate food textures and feeding techniques.

7. Parent and caregiver education: They educate parents and caregivers on strategies and techniques to support their child's communication development and therapy at home. This may include providing guidance on how to incorporate speech and language activities into daily routines.

8. Collaboration and consultation: Pediatric speech therapists often work closely with parents, teachers, and other healthcare professionals to ensure a collaborative approach to the child's care. They may provide consultation and guidance on strategies to support the child's communication skills in various settings, such as school or social interactions.

Overall, pediatric speech therapists play a crucial role in helping children overcome communication challenges, improve their ability to express themselves and understand others, and enhance their overall quality of life.

Special Instructors provide services in the homes of Missouri First Steps families to support enhancing the child’s development, provides consultation with others, conducts individualized assessments, writes reports, and attends IFSP meetings.