An occupational therapist ( OT ) is trained in the practice of occupational therapy.

The role of an occupational therapist is to work with a client to help them achieve a fulfilled and satisfied state in life through the use of " purposeful activity or interventions designed to achieve functional outcomes which promote health, prevent injury or disability and which develop, improve, sustain or restore the highest possible level of independence.

It can be seen that occupational performance, the roles it creates for a client, and the areas it can encompass are so far-reaching that an occupational therapist can work with a wide range of clients of various limitations who are being cared for in an array of settings.

An occupational therapist provides various means to these patients to restore or maintain their deteriorating performance components by using their residual capacities and capabilities to give them a sense of self-importance and a measure of confidence.

Assessing and recording a client ’ s activities and progress is an important part of an occupational therapist ’ s job.

Treatment modalities such as orthosis / splints, soft braces and education are some of the common treatment tool that an occupational therapist will use during treatment.

Hand Therapy is a specialised field of occupational therapy and it requires therapist to be higly skilled and knowledgeable in upper limb anatomy to be able to work in this area.

The occupational therapist typically assesses the child to identify abilities and difficulties, and environmental conditions, such as physical and cultural influences, that affect participation in daily activities.

An occupational therapist helps those having experienced an injury or illness regain or maintain the ability to participate in their everyday activities.

For those with scoliosis, an occupational therapist can provide assistance through assessment, intervention, and ongoing evaluation of the condition, which will help them manage physical symptoms so they can participate in daily activities, such as those in self-care, productivity, and leisure.

Bracing is a common strategy recommended by an occupational therapist, in particular, for individuals engaging in sports and exercise.

To help a person manage heart and lung symptoms, such as shortness of breath or chest pains, an occupational therapist can teach the individual energy conservation techniques.

For example, an occupational therapist can recommend that a swimmer take breaks between laps to conserve energy.

An occupational therapist and the person with scoliosis can explore enjoyable and meaningful participation in the sport / exercise in another capacity, such as coaching or refereeing.

The concept of sensory integration dysfunction as a discrete dysfunction was popularized by Anna Jean Ayres, an occupational therapist.

The occupational therapy process includes an individualized evaluation during which the client / family and occupational therapist determine the individual ’ s goals ; a customized intervention to improve the person ’ s ability to perform daily activities and reach his / her goals ; and an outcomes evaluation to monitor progression towards meeting the client ’ s goals.

In considering occupational performance the therapist must consider the many factors that comprise overall performance.

While the average wages of a permanent occupational therapist in the United States are approximately $ 68, 000 / year, traveling occupational therapists enjoy much higher wages -- approximately $ 113, 600 / year.

McMahon was born in Sydney, Australia, the second of the three children of William " Billy " McMahon, MP and future Australian Prime Minister, and his wife Sonia McMahon ( née Sonia Rachel Hopkins ), a former occupational therapist and fashion icon.

People wishing to overcome an impairment in order to be able to use a computer comfortably and productively may need a " special needs assessment " by an assistive technology consultant ( such as an occupational therapist or clinical scientist ) to help them identify and configure appropriate assertive hardware and software.

Hypomanic episodes do not go to the full extremes of mania ( i. e., do not usually cause severe social or occupational impairment, and are without psychosis ), and this can make bipolar II more difficult to diagnose, since the hypomanic episodes may simply appear as a period of successful high productivity and is reported less frequently than a distressing, crippling depression.

There is a limitation in cytotoxics dissolution in Australia and the United States to 20 dissolutions per pharmacist / nurse, since pharmacists that prepare these drugs or nurses that may prepare or administer them are the two occupational groups with the highest potential exposure to antineoplastic agents.

Dependent on the country under discussion, healthcare professions such as audiology, chiropractic, clinical psychology, dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, homeopath, optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, physical therapy, public health, and veterinary medicine may use the title doctor professionally.

Thus, union density provides a rough picture of union membership only ; it does not account for the circumstance that in some countries, also many persons under education, many unemployed persons, many retired persons and / or many persons who had to leave work due to occupational injuries may also be union members.

Physical therapy, occupational therapy, orthotic intervention ( e. g., ankle-foot orthosis ), speech therapy and orthopedic instruments ( e. g., wheelchairs and standing frames ) may be helpful.

Management of chronic pain, however, is much more difficult and may require the coordinated efforts of a pain management team, which typically includes medical practitioners, clinical psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners .< ref > Thienhaus, O ; Cole, BE ( 2002 ).

Psychotherapy may also be performed by practitioners with a number of different qualifications, including psychiatry, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical or psychiatric social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, rehabilitation counseling, school counseling, play therapy, music therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, dance / movement therapy, occupational therapy, psychiatric nursing, psychoanalysis and those from other psychotherapies.

Bleomycin ( a chemotherapeutic agent ) and possibly taxane chemotherapy may cause scleroderma, and occupational exposure to solvents has been linked with an increased risk of systemic sclerosis.

Some evidence suggests that paranoid schizophrenia may have a better prospect than other types of schizophrenia for independent living and occupational functioning.

In the home environment, occupational therapists may work with the client to assess for hazards and to identify environmental factors that contribute to falls.

Occupational therapists may assess occupational performance before and after intervention, as a measure of effectiveness and reduction in disability.

Treatment may include one or more of the following: physical therapy ; occupational therapy ; speech therapy ; drugs to control seizures, alleviate pain, or relax muscle spasms ( e. g. benzodiazepines, baclofen and intrathecal phenol / baclofen ); hyperbaric oxygen ; the use of Botox to relax contracting muscles ; surgery to correct anatomical abnormalities or release tight muscles ; braces and other orthotic devices ; rolling walkers ; and communication aids such as computers with attached voice synthesizers.

Supportive management is important in optimizing functioning in individuals with fragile X syndrome, and may involve speech therapy, occupational therapy, and individualized educational and behavioral programs.

Management of FXS may include speech therapy, behavioral therapy, sensory integration occupational therapy, special education, or individualised educational plans, and, when necessary, treatment of physical abnormalities.

Protective equipment may be worn for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities.

However, because people with limb apraxia may have trouble directing their motor movements, occupational therapy for stroke or other brain injury can be difficult.

Infant stimulation and physical, occupational, and speech therapy may benefit some patients.

By learning how to decenter, a person can distance themselves from the negative thoughts and feelings that may affect occupational performance in areas such as eating healthily, maintaining social relationships and being productive at work.

As such, clients who have occupational performance issues in productivity, leisure, and self-care may benefit from such therapy.

This may include physical therapists, doctors ( including neurologists and rehabilitation physicians ), orthotists and occupational therapists.

The markers of this rapid change may be technological, economic, occupational, spatial, cultural, or some combination of all of these.

Referrals to music therapy services may be made by other health care professionals such as physicians, psychologists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists.

The smallest differences may have significance to a cultural or occupational group.

Symptoms may cause extreme distress and interfere with a person's occupational and social functioning.