Contents:
- Medical Video: Down Syndrome: Occupational Therapy Demonstration
- What is occupational therapy?
- Who needs occupational therapy?
- 1. Certain medical conditions
- 2. Conditions related to aging
- 3. Recovery related to certain medical conditions
- Where can you do occupational therapy?
Medical Video: Down Syndrome: Occupational Therapy Demonstration
Certain health conditions do make it difficult for patients to carry out daily activities. Starting from simple things like eating and bathing to quite complicated activities such as shopping for monthly needs or work. Fortunately, there is currently occupational therapy aimed at people with special needs to be able to carry out their daily activities more smoothly and independently.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is a special treatment that aims to help people with physical, mental, or cognitive disabilities to be more independent in various aspects of life.
Whether it's for self-care (eating, bathing, and dressing), self-treatment (reading, counting, or socializing), physical exercise (maintaining joint movements, muscle strength, and flexibility), using assistive devices, and other activities.
The main goal of this therapy is to help improve the quality of life of patients. This therapy can be followed by people of all ages, namely children to the elderly.
Who needs occupational therapy?
As explained above, occupational therapy is actually used to help make it easier for someone who has difficulty doing daily tasks. This can happen because of the following things.
1. Certain medical conditions
- Arthritis, which is the condition of inflammation in one or several joints. This condition makes the joints stiff and difficult to move.
- Multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition that affects nerve cells in the brain and spine. MS can cause moderate to severe paralysis.
- Parkinson's disease, a condition that affects the workings of the brain in controlling body movements. The most widely known symptom of this disease is tremor or trembling.
- Schizophrenia, Chronic mental health conditions that cause psychological symptoms such as hallucinations, chaotic thoughts, or behavioral changes.
- Depression, which is a disorder mood which causes feelings of sadness or despair in the long run. This disorder can also hinder a person's physical and mental activity.
In addition to adults, this therapy can also be done on children who suffer from certain conditions, such as:
- Cerebral palsy, a disorder that affects one's muscles, nerves, movements, and motor abilities to move in a coordinated and directed manner.
- Down syndrome, which is a genetic condition that causes learning disorders and certain physical characteristics.
- Autism, neurological abnormalities and developments that begin in childhood and last a lifetime. Autism can affect the interaction of patients with others and how patients communicate and learn.
- Dyspraxia, which is a disorder of motor skills in the form of disturbances in the coordination of the brain, eyes and limb muscles to carry out activities such as running, jumping, or cutting.
- Developmental disorders that make it difficult for children to process information and communicate with others.
- Spina bifidabirth defects that affect the development of the spine and nervous system.
2. Conditions related to aging
Occupational therapy can also be used to overcome problems that develop due to age. For example, you have difficulty doing certain movements, such as waking up in the morning. Well, occupational therapists can suggest tools that make it easier for you to do the movement or teach new techniques that might help.
3. Recovery related to certain medical conditions
Occupational therapy can be used after:
- Hip fracture
- Severe head injury
- Amputation
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
If there is a family member or someone in your neighborhood who has the above conditions, then there is no harm if they are given advice to get occupational therapy. However, before doing so, they are advised to consult first so that the therapy given can really improve the quality of life of patients.
Where can you do occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy can be done in several places, such as:
- Hospital
- Rehabilitation center
- Home of the patient (home visit)
- Shelter or nursing home
In Indonesia, not all hospitals provide occupational therapy because the number of experts capable of providing this service is still limited. That is why, before deciding to do this therapy, consult a doctor first to get a referral where to do the right occupational therapy from a doctor.
