2022-page

Here is an old favorite! – a repeat of the December 2019 Resource of the Month – 

just in time for the 2022 holiday season!

 “Tips to Select Toys for Children with Special Needs"

from the American Physical Therapy Association. It has suggestions for types of toys that may delight children with special needs and various abilities. There is also a link to a podcast by two mothers raising children with special needs and a panel discussion of toy buying tips for the holidays.

So, check it out and maybe share it with parents of the students you serve.
Happy Holidays!

Click here for the festive link!  Tips for Toys for Children with Special Needs​

​

In honor of National Physical Therapy Month, October's Resource of the Month is a new video posted on TxSpot's Professional Development page:

SCHOOL-BASED PHYSICAL THERAPY – WHAT IS THAT?​

Watch this short video to discover more about school-based physical therapy practice and some of the ways in which it differs from physical therapy practice in other settings. Also hear from some school-based physical therapists and physical therapist assistants about their practice in schools.

  Who should view this video?

Anyone who wants to learn more about school-based physical therapy.

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who want to share with others about their practice in the school setting. 

​Link to video: School-Based Physical Therapy - What is That?       

https://bit.ly/School-basedPT  

September 2022

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF HANDWRITING INTERVENTION

NOV. 9, 2022     8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

(Available Livestream and On Demand through Dec. 31, 2022)

The speaker: Dr. Beverly Moskowitz,

A nationally recognized speaker and author of the

Size Matters Handwriting Program 

 This workshop is designed to help occupational therapy practitioners and educators design and implement handwriting instruction that reflects current educational policy and practices alongside the latest evidence and research on handwriting intervention.

Audience: Occupational Therapy Practitioners, General and Special Education Teachers.

5.25 contact hours CEU, CPE.

Registration deadline for Livestream: October 31; Registration deadline for On Demand: December 16

(Registrants will have course materials mailed to them)

For more information & to register, follow the link: 

The Art and Science of Handwriting Intervention - workshop flyer and registration

The School-Based Therapy Services division of Harris County Department of Education sponsors

School-Based Leadership Groups

 including virtual meetings where school-based personnel meet to discuss topics, exchange information and ideas, discuss strategies, explore solutions, and connect with other like-minded individuals.

​

Physical Therapy Leadership Group

Open to school-based physical therapists and physical therapist assistants

Meeting Time:  12:00 Noon – 12:30 PM

Third Tuesday Meeting Dates:  September 20, November 15, January 17, February 21, March 21, April 18

Link for Physical Ttherapy Leadership Group meeting: https://hcde-texas-org.zoom.us/j/83056271095?pwd=enFEUmxEN1I2cFR1Y3hlR3ZlQnRwUT09​
​​​​

Mental Health Leadership Group

Open to any interested person

Meeting Time:  12:00 Noon – 12:30 PM

Second Tuesday Meeting Dates:  September 13, November 8, February 14, April 11

Link for Mental Health Leadership Group meeting: https://hcde-texas-org.zoom.us/j/82158735973?pwd=N05aQ1RZK28zVkRLRTNEdk9pRFRoZz09

Texas Occupational Therapy Association presents:

School-based Occupational Therapy: Solutions for Multi-tiered System of Support

Virtual Webinar

June 11, 2022   10 AM – 12 PM CDT

Speaker: Lou Ann Hintz, PhD, OTR

Current occupational therapy literature and federal legislation support school-based occupational therapists' participation in multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Yet many school-based occupational therapists struggle to implement. This interactive virtual webinar will share recent research which describes teachers' experiences with occupational therapists who participate in MTSS and illustrate precisely how some occupational therapists across the nation are having success with MTSS. Solutions will be shared to support occupational therapists in advocating for their role in MTSS, outlining their role and scope, and establishing documentation for data collection.    

​(2 CEUs)

Cost of Webinar:    TOTA member: FREE     Non-member OT/OTA: $30     Non-member student: $15

Click here for the conference brochure and link to registration:  TOTA Multi-Tiered System of Support flyer​​

School-Based Physical Therapy: Collaboration with School District Carpenters​

May's Resource of the Month is a short video by Nora Contreras, one of Harris County Department of Education's own physical therapist assistants. Nora describes how collaboration between physical therapy and her school district's carpentry department has resulted in custom-built adaptive equipment specifically designed to meet the needs and goals of individual students. The video features 3 charming youngsters and 5 different examples of custom-built equipment.

 

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, March/April 2020, Vol. 74, No. 2

Research Article

Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy to Improve Children's Academic Participation:

 A Systematic Review​

Link:  https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.039016

The objective of this research article was “To examine the effectiveness of interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to improve academic participation of children and youth ages 5-21 yr." It was supported and funded by AOTA as part of its Evidence-Based Practice Project.

​A total of 46 studies were included in the review; these were “based on three themes: (1) interventions to support participation and learning in the classroom; (2) interventions to support motivation and participation in literacy, including combined reading, written expression, and comprehension; and (3) interventions to support handwriting."

Joint Statement on Interprofessional Collaborative Goals in School-Based Practice

“highlights a process for IEP team members to collaborate to develop IEP goals to support students with disabilities in participation in school life.

A group of occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs), physical therapists (PTs), and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with extensive experience in school practice worked together to summarize considerations for collaborative goal writing. However, the information shared in this document was designed for use by any team of professionals developing collaborative IEP goals, and can be shared with administrators, families, IEP team members, and advocates to demonstrate the steps involved in this process."

​

Online Class

Thursday January 27, 3:30 – 5:30 PM CST

Presented by Educational Service Center - Region 6

Speaker: Dr. Anne Watson, OT, PhD

​Sensory processing differences is an often-used term that may be applied loosely to explain difficulties some children have with participating in school activities. This presentation is recommended for teachers, OTs, LSSPs, and diagnosticians. [Dr. Watson] will review specifically the sensory differences associated with autism and ADHD. The presentation also includes a review of intervention strategies that can be used in the classroom to address the behaviors associated with sensory differences and how the efficacy of those strategies can be measured.