When I was 14 years old I passed a man on the street who had Downs Syndrome, and was momentarily bothered by his physical features. My reaction upset me because I had a sister who had Downs Syndrome who died as an infant from pneumonia. To confront my prejudice I volunteered at a home for children with special needs. I still remember when I first walked in seeing a worker trying to feed an infant with one hand while trying to calm an arching, crying child with the other.
The worker immediately placed the crying infant in my arms. The infant became calm and relaxed into my arms. After that I volunteered most days. When I turned 16 they hired me as a recreation worker and at 18 I went to college to become an occupational therapist. Many therapists discouraged me from going into pediatrics because I am a man OT, but I went into pediatric OT anyways. I enjoy my pediatric occupational therapy job.
I’m in my 40th year as a pediatric OT working with youth who have Autism Spectrum, medical and/or behavioral disorders. I have worked in youth prisons, Head Start, a NICU & PICU, youth rehabilitation and mental health hospitals, leading international teacher and therapist workshops, teaching OT students, and currently as an OT in a special school Autism Spectrum, medically fragile, and behavioral challenged students.
I just finished leading a very enjoyable workshop for pediatric allied health therapists in Great Falls, Montana and took a lot of pictures. The therapists were very kind, smart and dedicated.
My son told me Montana has great hiking so I walked around the MacKenzie River in Great Falls near my hotel. I loved hiking along the river. I got to see a huge train, national guard model plane and walked next to some “mule deer” (which I’ve never seen at home in Connecticut). There was even a Chinese spy balloon but I didn’t see it.
Being an OT is a fun journey, and I’m learning and experiencing a lot by teaching.
