resume. | occupational therapy.  

occupational therapy.

"So...what is occupational therapy?"  I get that question a lot and as I was taught in OT school that I will continue to get that question asked to me for a while.  No, I don't help people find jobs and I don't work only with people with just work injuries.  That is why I felt it was necessary to build this page.  Hopefully, it will clear some stuff up and give anyone a better understanding of what I do.

Occupational Therapy is a health and rehabilitation profession designed to help people regain and build skills that are important for health, well-being, security, and happiness. 

Occupational Therapists help individuals achieve independence in their lives despite disabilities.  Some examples include the following: addressing activities of daily living (ADL) such as getting dressed, brushing teeth, cooking, shopping; making suggestions for home modifications; assessing a person's level of functioning and safety in the community; teaching skills needed to go back to prior job or leisure activity; addressing psychosocial issues; and orthopedic and functional treatment of hand injuries. 

Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who, because of physical, developmental, social, or emotional deficits, need specialized assistance in learning skills to enable them to lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives. (Adapted from North Coast.)

Pediatric occupational therapy is a specialized area of practice. Peds OTs work with children with congenital disorders, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and/or psychosocial issues.  

There are a variety of settings in which children receive OT services: 1) acute hospital, 2) acute rehab facility, 3) school systems, 4) outpatient clinic, 5) sensory integration clinic, and 6) at home. Some pediatric OTs also work in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) while others may be hand therapists. 

Ways that OTs help children include: providing opportunities for play, addressing feeding issues, giving them needed sensory input, teaching developmental and fine motor skills, fabricating hand splints, assessing a child's developmental level, and consulting with other heath providers. 

Where I went to Occupational Therapy School:
Samuel Merritt College - in Oakland, CA.
For photos of my experience at Samuel Merritt, go to: ot school.

I am a member of:
Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC).
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
For photos from the 2001 AOTA conference in Philadelphia, go to: aota conference.

Where I did my internships:
Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (RLANRC).
For photos of my summer at Rancho, go to: rancho.
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).
For photos from my fall semester at CHLA, go to: CHLA.

My first real job:
Pediatric Therapy Network (PTN).
To see where I work, go to: PTN.

work. | play. | live. | love. ninachiem.