Currently in the United States, 20% of children ages 6 years or younger live in poverty. Poor children have fewer opportunities than their peers to resources that are important for child development. At the same time, the prevalence of developmental disabilities has increased to 1 in every 6 children. Early identification of developmental delays is critical, and more than half of all American parents do not know the warning signs. Occupational therapy professionals in early intervention and preschool practice can provide the necessary services to support children's health in early childhood. This Practice Guideline explains the occupational therapy process for young children--and their families, caregivers, and teachers--which includes evaluation, intervention, and outcomes planning to enhance a child's occupational performance, adaptation, health and wellness, community participation, role competence, and self-advocacy. Topics include social-emotional development; feeding, eating, and swallowing; cognitive and motor development; service delivery; autism; obesity, cerebral palsy; and parent training. This work can help occupational therapy practitioners, as well as those who manage, reimburse, or set policy regarding occupational therapy services, understand the contribution of occupational therapy in evaluating and serving young children. This guideline can also serve as a resource for parents, school administrators, educators, and other early childhood staff.

Occupational therapy is steeped in the sciences that provide knowledge and understanding of human development and function and the variables that influence these aspects of human life. The registration, processing, and integration of sensory information can both support and inhibit the ability for children and adolescents to function in their environment. Up to 15% of school-age children are believed to have sensory challenges, and at least 40% of individuals with developmental disabilities and 80% of those with autism are affected. Using an evidence-based perspective and key concepts from the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process, this new AOTA Practice Guideline provides an overview and insight into occupational therapy evaluation and intervention for youth that experience sensory information difficulties. Designed primarily for clinical practitioners, this important practice guideline from AOTA Press is a vital reference for occupational therapy students and educators and provides a clear definition on the role of occupational therapy services for policymakers and other health care professionals who work with children and adolescents that face these challenges.

Practice guidelines have been widely developed in response to the health care reform movement. They can be a useful tool for improving the quality of health care, enhancing consumer satisfaction, promoting appropriate use of services, and reducing costs. Using an evidence-based perspective and key concepts from the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, this guideline provides an overview of the occupational therapy process for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the prevalence of which is increasing rapidly in the United States. It defines the occupational therapy domain, process, and interventions--including sensory integration and sensory-based interventions, relationship-based interventions, school-based programs, social skills interventions, and comprehensive behavioral interventions--that occur within the boundaries of acceptable practice.

This book draws on contemporary occupational therapy theory andresearch to provide occupational therapy students and clinicianswith a practical resource on implementing occupation centredpractice with children. Each chapter has specific objectives and uses case studies todemonstrate the clinical realities and applications of each of thetopics addressed. Best practice guidelines are provided along witha summary of recommendations drawn from the relevant theories,occupational therapy philosophy and existing research. The bookaims specifically to be practice based.

As occupational therapy celebrates its centennial in 2017, attention returns to the profession's founding belief in the value of therapeutic occupations as a way to remediate illness and maintain health. The founders emphasized the importance of establishing a therapeutic relationship with each client and designing an intervention plan based on the knowledge about a client's context and environment, values, goals, and needs. Using today's lexicon, the profession's founders proposed a vision for the profession that was occupation based, client centered, and evidence based--the vision articulated in the third edition of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process. The Framework is a must-have official document from the American Occupational Therapy Association. Intended for occupational therapy practitioners and students, other health care professionals, educators, researchers, payers, and consumers, the Framework summarizes the interrelated constructs that describe occupational therapy practice. In addition to the creation of a new preface to set the tone for the work, this new edition includes the following highlights: a redefinition of the overarching statement describing occupational therapy's domain; a new definition of clients that includes persons, groups, and populations; further delineation of the profession's relationship to organizations; inclusion of activity demands as part of the process; and even more up-to-date analysis and guidance for today's occupational therapy practitioners. Achieving health, well-being, and participation in life through engagement in occupation is the overarching statement that describes the domain and process of occupational therapy in the fullest sense. The Framework can provide the structure and guidance that practitioners can use to meet this important goal.

"In pediatrics, occupational therapy practitioners are concerned most with positively impacting the extent to children and their families are able to successfully and meaningfully go about their daily lives, whether it be playing, learning, working, caring for oneself or others, or socializing. Clinical decisions made throughout the evaluation process ultimately shape what and how occupational therapy practitioners deliver interventions, perhaps making the evaluation process the most important and interesting part of the service delivery process. It is the context where we first come know and appreciate our clients, their specific situations, and discover what it is that we, as occupational therapy practitioners can do to be of most help"--Provided by publisher.

Of the estimated 70 million children in the United States, 6 million to 9 million have a serious emotional disturbance. However, only 1 in 5 of these children receives any professional help. Over the years, the view of children's mental health services has changed. This new thinking has altered how occupational therapy services are perceived and implemented. In addition to providing services to children diagnosed with a mental illness, occupational therapy professionals can help children develop and maintain mental health in school, community, and mental health settings. Using an evidence-based perspective and public health model, this Practice Guideline provides an overview of the occupational therapy process for mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention for children ages 3 to 21 years. It defines the occupational therapy domain, process, and interventions that occur within the boundaries of acceptable practice with this underserved population. Interventions include those for promotion, prevention, and intensive individualized care on topics such as social skills, health promotion, play/recreation/leisure, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.