Occupational Therapy (OT) Questions and Answers
What skills do OTs work with?
Occupational Therapists in the school setting look at certain skills issues which may interfere with a
child’s educational performance such as hand function, oral motor function, visual motor and
perceptual skills, sensory awareness/processing, self-care and pre-vocational tasks. These areas
can be addressed through a variety of intervention strategies, which may include direct therapy with
the child, consultation with the teacher, modification of the environment, provision of adaptive
equipment, and staff training. They do not teach handwriting but may address underlying skill
deficits (dexterity, strength, perception, etc.) that might impair the handwriting process. Children who
would benefit from OT generally have fine motor skill deficits that impact not just handwriting, but
other skills such as cutting and tying shoes.
Who do our OTs serve?
In general, OTs are here to support students in special education achieve there IEP goals. In order to
provide OT services, there should be a goal in the IEP for which OT is necessary in order for the child
to meet the goal.
What about regular education students?
OTs are available for consultation with regular education students. If consultation is desired, this
concern should be addressed in an Intervention Team meeting, and the consultation should be
listed on the I-Team Plan. Note: Consultation would not entail a full evaluation and individual OT
sessions. Instead, it might involve a quick screening of the student and discussion with the
teacher, followed by suggestions for ways in which regular education staff and parents could help
meet the child’s needs.
What age children do OTs serve?
OTs may serve children throughout their educational career. However, if handwriting is involved, the
best time to intervene is between kindergarten and second grade. After this point, children’s
handwriting habits tend to be habitual and are very difficult to change.
Can OTs come to IEP meetings?
OTs will attempt to come to meetings in which OT is initially being added. They will also attempt to
attend meetings in which a child is being dismissed from OT services. They may also attend
meetings when a major transition or IEP change is being discussed. Priority is given to treatment,
rather than to attendance at meetings.
How do we handle children who transfer into the district with OT on their IEPs?
In general, if there are present levels, goals, and service time delineated, the OT will continue
services. If such items are not present, then the OT will ask the case manager to conduct a
reevaluation meeting in order to ask for further information.
Can private OT evaluations qualify a student for OT services at school?
If the team is recommending an OT evaluation and the student has an existing private OT evaluation,
then the case manager should do a records request. Once received, the OT will review the existing
evaluation to determine if the child will meet school criteria for services. Note: The criteria for private
OT and school OT are quite different. Qualification for private OT does not automatically mean that a
child will qualify for school-based OT.