1) EQ: How can an occupational therapist best prepare a 4-8 year old child with special needs to thrive in a social environment?
- Answer 1: OTs can conduct group sessions where the kids can initiate in play.
- Answer 2: OTs can frequently expose the children to reality roles through natural interactions with normally functioning kids and adults.
- Answer 3: The OT can increase the child's self-awarenes through using the Goal Attainment Scaling(GAS) or Video Self-Modeling (VSM).
- Best Answer is Answer 1 because, with play, there is so much that the child can learn with the OTs supervision. It has the ability to somewhat combine the other two answers as well. There could be a play group that is conducted at the park or a playground with low and high functioning kids. The low functioning kids would be able to observe and learn from the high functioning kids as they play together.
2) I came down to my best answer through my interview with the OTs at Casa Colina. They shared with me that group session are the best way to really improve a child's social skills because it is like a hands on learning process for the child.
3) I had a problem with coming up with a second and third answer, mostly the third. To resolve this I went through my research and talked to the OTs at Casa Colina, like Sarah an OTR/L.
4) My main source to help answer my EQ was my mentorship at Casa Colina with Kristin Horn OTR/L during the Kid's Crew classes because through that I was able to observe the children learn different social skills. Another source that was helpful was an OT Practice magazine that another OT at Casa Colina suggested to me. The magazine concentrated on the social improvement of autistic children through taking them out in the community. I was able to figure out my second and third answer through this magazine.
