SPD a condition that falls under Autism Spectrum Disorder
Occupational therapy careers are essential in treating patients with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)—a condition diagnosed at an early age in patients experiencing difficulties in using their senses, from cognitive disabilities, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, cochlear implants or—for the majority of adolescents with SPD—autism.
Are you an Occupational Therapist with the key?
Occupational therapy is key in unlocking how the senses work and how autistic children process information using the 5 senses. In OT jobs, you can take your occupational therapist career in many different directions; if your goal is to work with adolescent patients with SPD, be prepared to do the following during therapy sessions:
- Administer standardized tests
- Conduct clinical observations and interviews
- Promote all aspects of body awareness
- Initiate ideas that put patients in action
- Help patients anticipate, as well as execute unfamiliar motor actions.
Sobering Autism Statistics Mean Occupational Therapists are in High Demand
With new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that an average of 1 in 110 children have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it’s clear that therapists trained to help patients with ASD are in high demand.
If your clinical expertise shines brightest in helping young patients become more independent in dressing, feeding themselves, staying safe in the community, enjoying social interactions—basically learning to thrive in the everyday—than taking on cases of Sensory Processing Disorder is ideal. The video provided here, features a snapshot of a day-in-the-life of a successful occupational therapist, addressing the needs of very young patients, with conditions classified as ASD.
Studies on Sensory Processing Disorder Grab Attention from Occupational Therapists
Newborns have different tolerances for sensory stimulation; studies show that preemies are often hypersensitive enough to sight, sound or touch, that over stimulation creates changes in vital signs. As children grow, differences in their sensory experiences can affect their behavior and learning—ample opportunity for an occupational therapist to step in and correct deficits and abnormalities in learning skills. Therapists working with SPD patients may work in three different subtypes of the disorder:
- Sensory modulation disorder
- Sensory discrimination disorder
- Sensory-based motor disorder
What do these different categories have in common? They all involve some kind of disruption in learning. Occupational therapy is the key to grounding the patient, by helping him understand his body's location in space; and to better function in and understand the world around us all. While occupational therapists help patients avoid problematic situations, it is also their job to open doors patients may previously have viewed as being closed.
As a travel therapist you have the opportunity to make your mark in award winning hospitals from coast to coast. Call a American Traveler Allied recruiter at 1-800-617-0608 or apply online today. Nationwide Occupational Therapy jobs are waiting to be filled by OTs just like you!
Occupational Therapy Resources:
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) provides a wealth of data concerning emerging healthcare trends in treating autism spectrum disorders, which include a large number of SPD cases. Occupational Therapists are encouraged to bookmark the AOTA site if they’re looking for news, conference sessions, articles, books, research, or other autism resources.
Footnote: The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation offers information for parents of children in occupational therapy to treat this condition and others associated with ASD.
