School Based Therapy

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School Based Therapy
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School Based Therapy

• School based therapy is provided to give children
  with disabilities and delays improved access to
  education and to help each child reach their
  educational potential.

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CARE for Children provides School Based Physical
Therapy and Occupational Therapy for every school
district in McKean County.
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School Based Therapy

• School-based therapy services are not curative or
  rehabilitative in nature. They are not intended
  to maximize function but to support the student
  so he can access his education.

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School Based Therapy

• The role of the Physical Therapist (PT) and the
  Occupational Therapist (OT) is to integrate
  therapeutic strategies and interventions that
  coordinate with the students curriculum, rather
  than providing related services as a special
  subject during the school day. Therapy services
  provide support and adaptations to allow function
  in the school.

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Physical Therapists focus on Gross Motor Skills
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What are Gross Motor Skills?

• Gross Motor Skills are large movements of the
  body, which relate to mobility
• and active play.

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Activities that promote the development of gross
motor skills

• Playground equipment
• Endurance activities
• Swimming
• Ball Toss
• Kick Ball
• Jump Rope, Skipping, galloping, hopping
• Playing outside

• Imitating animals
• Wheelbarrow walking
• Simon Says
• Log Rolling
• Riding bicycles
• General exercises
• Walking a line, curb, railroad ties

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What is the role of the Physical Therapist in
providing evaluation and treatment in the school
setting?
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Physical Therapy

• The Physical Therapist addresses motor function
  that prevents a child from accessing his/her
  education or achieving a goal that has been set
  by the school team.

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Physical Therapy

• Special consideration is given to mobility skills
  that affect the childs ability to move within or
  be evacuated from the school building.

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Physical Therapy

• Balance and posture are addressed as they relate
  to the childs need to interact with teachers,
  peers and educational materials (e.g. sitting at
  a desk, standing in a line).

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Physical Therapy

• PTs help with adaptive equipment (e.g.
  wheelchairs, standers, walkers) that the child
  may need to complete everyday tasks.

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Physical Therapy

• PTs assist with adapting activities. For
  example, they may assist in gym class with a
  child who uses a wheelchair.

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Why are Gross Motor Skills important for students?

• Gross Motor skills and mastery of the large
  muscle groups provide the foundation for
  movement, coordination and balance.
• Safety, in the classroom, on the playground, and
  in the gym.
• Gross Motor Skills build the foundation for fine
  motor skills If a child has difficulty sitting
  in a chair, writing and coloring will be more of
  a challenge.

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Occupational Therapy

• Occupational Therapy focuses on the development
  of a childs fine motor skills.

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What are Fine Motor Skills?
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Fine Motor Skills

• Fine motor skills are the manner in which we use
  our fingers, hands and arms. They include
  reaching, grasping, manipulating objects and
  using different tools like crayons and scissors.

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Why are Fine Motor Skills Important?

• Fine Motor Skills enable people to do many things
  in daily life

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Activities that require fine motor skills

• Zipping and Buttoning
• Picking a flower
• Writing a note
• Cutting with scissors
• Turing pages of a book
• Communicating with sign language

• Brushing Teeth
• Opening a door
• Shaking someones hands
• Using an elevator
• Operation of a remote control

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What is the role of the Occupational Therapist in
providing evaluation and treatment in the school
setting?
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Occupational Therapy

• The OT assists the student in areas of self help,
  fine motor and written communication skills
  needed to participate in school activities.

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Occupational Therapy

• The OT may adapt, design and fabricate equipment
  so the student can better function while at
  school, whether in the classroom, lunchroom, or
  restroom.

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Collaboration between Educators, Therapists, and
Families

• For the student that experiences challenges in
  school because of a disability, delay, or injury
  it is essential for everyone to work together and
  follow through in the classroom, during the
  therapy session, and at home to meet the childs
  educational goals.

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School Based Therapy

• Depending on individual needs, a student may only
  require services for a specific duration. As the
  students ability to participate in the school
  environment improves and challenges are overcome,
  the team will determine if service should be less
  frequent, consultative or discontinued.

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Pediatric Therapy Services

• School Based Physical Therapy and Occupational
  Therapy are two of the core services
• CARE for Children provides in our efforts to
  improve the lives of children of all abilities.