What is Occupational Therapy

The definition given on occupational therapy by the American Occupational Therapy Association's executive board of 1976 is,

'The therapeutic use of work, self-care, and play activities to increase development and prevent disability. It may include adaptation of task or environment to achieve maximum independence and to enhance the quality of life'.

Occupational therapy is one of the most effective treatments that can provide normal life to individuals who suffer from mental or emotional disorders. The treatment's main aim is to assist people attain freedom in every area of their lives. Many people have a misconception that it is only for adults and elderly people, but it surely plays a crucial role in children's life as well. It includes fun activities for kids, enhances their psychological and physical potentialities, and also increases self-esteem and the sense of achievement. Children don't have occupations, but are in the stage of playing and learning. The therapy comprises assessing children skills in playing activities, and performances in school, and comparing them with factors needed for the necessary development of a child in a particular age group. The treatment may also help children in their school activities, such as improving handwriting, copying from the blackboard, hitting a target accurately, etc.

There are some professionals who are experts in carrying out this treatment, they are known as occupational therapists. Their duty is to assist and enhance patients' capabilities to carry out functions in living and working environment. They work with people who are suffering from mental, physical or emotional problems, and take the help of some effective treatments which support the patients to recover and cope up with daily living problems. Occupational therapy not only helps to enhance the patient's basic capabilities, but also helps to improve permanent loss of potential. This therapy is certainly proven to be effective, and provides people with a way to have independent, enjoyable and productive lives. It brings a patient to such a platform, on which he turns capable to retrieve a function, maintain all levels of functioning, or remove the shortcomings he may experience.

Occupational therapy helps in all areas of life, even in routine work such as improving the physical appearance and dressing, cooking, eating or simply operating a computer. The treatment includes appropriate physical activities to raise a person's level of manual dexterity and strength. Some treatments help the affected person enhance his visual acuity or the capability to distinguish between various patterns. A patient who is suffering from short-term memory loss may be encouraged to prepare lists which would help him recall most of the things he has forgotten. The treatment is also beneficial to patients who have physical coordination problems, as they may be asked to perform activities and exercises which would meliorate the hand-eye coordination. The therapy also consists of the use of computers, which enhances patient's decision-making, logical reasoning, problem-solving, and perceptual skills. It helps the patient sharpen his memory, sequencing skills, and mental and physical coordination, which is crucial for a satisfying normal life.

The treatment may not actually heal the physical diseases, but aids in the curing of many, some of them being brain or 'medulla spinalis' disorders, burns, cancer, induration, cerebral palsy, etc. This therapy is carried out in medical centers, physical rehabilitation centers, prisons, schools, and social services and community areas. People suffering from alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, or complications related to stress are also treated with occupational therapy.

With a rise in the rate of mental and psychological problems in children, teenagers and youngsters, more and more people are opting for occupational therapy, which they are sure will be beneficial to them.