One question we are often asked is what occupational therapy intervention actually looks like. While we offer a wide variety of options (from weekly, biweekly, to monthly appointments), we believe that we are one of the few practices to promote a consultative model.
The idea of a consultative model takes into account who a child spends the majority of their time with. For many families and schools, budget will not allow therapy to occur frequently enough to maximize its effectiveness. To work on pencil grasp in a school aged child, for example, an optimal level of intervention could be as much as three times per week. The consultative model balances this idea with realism by providing information and skills to teachers, parents and educational assistants. This idea allows the people who spend the most time with a child to be active participants in their therapy and development. It also empowers those surrounding a child, which we believe can improve interactions and promote a positive environment.
So what does a consultative model look like, exactly? That depends on the situation. In a school setting, for example, an occupational therapist may work with select children at a rate of 1-3 times per month. At Mpower, we recommend that a teacher or educational assistant attend these sessions. During a session, our occupational therapists will engage in an activity with the child and explain to the child and supporting adults what the activity is intended to work on. In this way, the goal is to empower the child to take some responsibility for the treatment and provide a concrete way in which the adults surrounding them can better support them.
Consultation for a family may look slightly different. Typically, it will involve a structured interview with parents and/or teachers and an assessment of the child. At Mpower, we make use of standardized assessments, clinical observation and intentional play activities during assessment. Following this, we may provide a report for a child’s medical or school file. This report will include specific recommendations which can be implemented by parents and/or teachers. The level of OT involvement varies from here - some parents prefer to have monthly meetings to discuss how recommendations are going and allow for monitoring of the child’s progress, while others prefer to have hands-on intervention on a biweekly or weekly basis.
In any of the above situations, the idea behind our consultative model is what Mpower believes in above all else: empowerment!
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