Description Of A Pediatric Occupational Therapy

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Gentry Erion
Colorado Mesa University

Pediatric Occupational Therapy
My dream career is to be a Pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in Sensory Processing Disorder. When I first started school my major was nursing, however, I later switched to Counseling Psychology due to my interest in children who have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). I have a six year old cousin who was diagnosed with SPD when she was three and a half years old. I have been fortunate enough to be able to see the progress she has made through working with a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. The result from her working with a private therapist for four years has been remarkably positive and impressive. To become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in SPD there are specific educational requirements along with extensive fieldwork before being able to work independently. To be successful in this career it is important to have compatible personality traits to be able to work well with people. Some of these qualities include interpersonal skills, patience, listening skills, communication skills, compassion, and writing skills (U.S department of labor, 2014). According to the results of my Strong Interest Inventory profile, I fit all of those traits except the writing skills.
Education
The education required in order to become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in SPD is a bachelor’s degree and then a 2 year Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy program (USC, n.d.). Each University that offers this program will not necessarily have the same course requirements or offer the same courses but in general the program is split into two parts. The first year is focused on learning the...

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...tional therapy approaches. Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2012). Occupational therapists. Retrieved April 14, 2014 from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-therapists.htm
Dunn M., Cosbey J., & Johnston S. (2010). Sensory processing disorder and social participation. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64(3), 462-473. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2010.09076
Stephens L. (1997). Sensory integrative dysfunction in young children. Retrieved April 12, 2014 from http://www.tsbvi.edu/seehear/fall97/sensory.htm
University of Southern California. (n.d.) Division of occupational science and occupational therapy. Retrieved April 13, 2014 from http://ot.usc.edu/academics/sensory-integration
U.S Department of Labor. (2012). Occupational therapists. Occupational outlook handbook (pp. 432-434). New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing.

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