Your Therapy Source Magazine for Pediatric Therapists April 2016 | Page 12

5 Ways for Pediatric Therapists to Empower
Children, Parents and Teachers
Research in Developmental Disabilities
published research on the experiences
and needs of parents of young children
(aged 2-4 years) with cerebral palsy (CP)
regarding their child’s physical and
occupational therapy process in a
rehabilitation setting. The results indicated
that service providers should continually
adapt their role to parents’ needs of
information, communication and
partnership, and they should support and
facilitate parents in becoming empowered.
Since the ultimate goal of all therapy is
independence which requires carry over of
therapeutic interventions it is essential that
pediatric occupational and physical therapists learn how to empower children, parents and
teachers. Here are 5 suggestions:
1. Explain. Our primary job as therapists should be to explain why you are doing a certain
activity, why you are working on a certain goal or why you need to modify the environment.
If someone knows why they are doing something it certainly makes it easier to remember to
carry out. For some children, it can be very helpful to explain what you are going to do
before you do it.
Check out the What? Why? How? (http://www.yourtherapysource.com/handouts.html) series
for simple handouts to help explain therapeutic activities.
2. Teach. Once you explain why you are doing something, make sure you teach the child,
parent or teacher how to do the same at home or in the classroom. Offer suggestions on
how the same activities can be carried out in different settings ie Therapeutic Activities for
Home and School - http://www.yourtherapysource.com/therexdownload.html
3. Answer questions. Make sure you tell all team members to ask questions if they have
them and that no question is too basic. Everyone learns from each other.
4. Communicate. Keep lines of communication open so that questions can be answered.
Make sure you listen to all team members. They are with the child so many more hours in a
day than us. First and foremost, listen to the child. It can be hard to communicate with all
team members during a busy day. Try School and Home Communication Forms http://www.yourtherapysource.com/commforms.html.
5. Encourage students, parents and teachers to be involved as possible in reaching the
therapy goals. Provide opportunities for children and parents to work together on activities.
Encourage parents and teachers to advocate for younger children. Help older children to
advocate for themselves.
Reference: Kruijsen-Terpstra AJ et al. Parents’ experiences and needs regarding physical
and occupational therapy for their young children with cerebral palsy. Res Dev Disabil. 2016
Mar 10;53-54:314-322. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2016.02.012. [Epub ahead of print]

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