Behavioral challenges significantly impact learning and occupational performance in school. Preventing and responding to behavioral problems is an important part of the school occupational therapists’ scope of practice. School occupational therapy practitioners can collaborate with school staff to increase the effectiveness of trauma-informed restraint and seclusion reduction efforts. This involves a 3-tiered approach including environmental […]

  Mindfulness (breathing, movement, self-touch activities) and sensory  strategies (suspended swinging, massage, interoceptive awareness specific light touch, sensory modulation, sensory discrimination, as well as mechanical pressure touch through brushing, therapy ball rolling, or the Steam Roller Deluxe) can be extremely helpful interventions for youth with Post-Traumatic Stress, Autism Spectrum and developmental disorders. FAB Strategies lists

Sensory modulation is the most behaviorally problematic area of sensory processing for youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sensory modulation involves the graded adaptive regulation of sensations. Sensory modulation disorder includes at least one significant difference in sensory: over-responsivity/hyper, under-responsivity/hypo, seeking, or avoiding. Sensory modulation disorders occur significantly more frequently in children and adolescents with Autism

Occupational, speech/language, physical and mental health therapists play important complementary roles in intervention for youth with early severe PTSD “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” and complex behavioral challenges. This is especially true for those with pediatric PTSD and Autism Spectrum and other developmental disorders. Joint treatment by pediatric rehabilitation and mental health therapists can address the interrelated

This blogpost begins with the chart below and explains a simple Sequential Intervention Strategy for youth with complex behavioral challenges. The strategy is simple to explain to teachers and therapists but must be initially individualized for each youth. The strategy begins by first addressing sensory modulation challenges for helping achieve a calm alert state. This

New research supports the efficacy of combining mindful breathing, body awareness, and a calm alert state as components of intervention to help youth with complex behavioral challenges. Teachers as well as Occupational, Speech/language, Physical and mental health therapists can benefit from transdisciplinary strategies integrating mindful breathing, interoceptive awareness, and sensory modulation interventions to help youth

For children with complex PTSD and behavioral challenges we individually determine sensory coping strategies such as pulling to linear propel themselves in a suspended cuddle swing for self-calming when they are experiences triggers so they do not self-injure and learn to modulate their arousal levels and increase body awareness through traction at the wrists by

John Pagano, Ph.D., OTR/L Overview Description Participation in consistent restraint and seclusion reduction efforts is an important component of the practice of school occupational therapy practitioners. Consistent efforts to reduce restraint and seclusion are important at the school, classroom, small group and individual intervention level. Restraint reduction is a priority for schools, demonstrates the unique

Another two interns graduated at the end of last week. Again I am amazed by the continued enthusiasm and heart of the new occupational therapists. They often made me think of the quote by past AOTA President Ginny Stoffel “Occupational therapy practitioners ask, ‘what matters to you’ not, ‘what’s the matter with you?’ ”.  Juliana

The FAB Arousal Level strategy helps children and teens with complex behavior challenges become aware of their arousal. Using traffic lights and smells youth are gradually guided towards an awareness of their current arousal level. While I like both the Zones of Regulation and Alert Program I find severely disabled youth can be confused by