Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Fine Motor Integration For Children With Special Needs And Low Tone, Iliana V. Blancas, Rebecca King

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The topic of focus will be a Fine Motor Integration Program for Children with Special Needs and Low Tone and provide students, parents, teachers, and therapists a resource to aid with the development of these skills. This program hopes to establish the development of the fine motor skills at an early age to reduce the issues that arise later within the school years that stem from lack of fine motor skills within this population.

Yoga Program For Children At Risk For Trauma: Promoting Self-Regulation And Educational Participation, Sydney Gonzales, Rebecca King

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This presentation describes implementing a yoga-based program within an early childhood education setting. Occupational therapists can utilize yoga-based activities and advocate for their use in classrooms to promote the positive development of self-regulation and educational participation for at-risk populations.

An Ot Needs Assessment For Children And Families Residing In Shelters, Jessie Siono, Susan Macdermott

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This study created a needs assessment is to determine the unique occupational deficits of children and their families in California experiencing homelessness within a shelter setting via recording their lived experiences. A local family shelter was analyzed via observation and interviews with staff and residents of the shelter. The results were compiled into a facility assessment to identify supports and barriers to occupation. Results were also utilized to complete an occupational needs assessment for families and children living in homeless shelters. The study determined the occupational needs and occurrences of occupational deficits that were experienced by residents of the family …

Every Moment Counts (Emc): Understanding School Stakeholder Perceptions Of Positive Mental Health Promotion In The Elementary School Setting. A Preliminary Report., Madeline Malooly, Angela Blackwell, Lauren Thomas

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

For children and adolescents, the prevalence of psychological disorders associated with mental illness continues to rise in North America and is now considered to be the leading cause of disability for this population (Bitsko et al., 2022). It was estimated that between 25 and 50% of adult mental illnesses could be prevented through early intervention and preventative measures in childhood (Kim-Cohen et al., 2003). In an effort to address mental health promotion in schools, Dr. Susan Bazyk founded and created EMC, which is a “multi-pronged mental health promotion initiative to help all children to be mentally healthy in order to …

Occupational Impact Of Caregivers In Pediatric Palliative Care, Lezlye Ramos, Karen Park, Jazminne O. Arteaga

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this study is to understand the occupational impact for caregivers who had a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition who had received pediatric palliative care. A lack of understanding of occupational therapy’s role in end-of-life care ultimately underutilizes and under-prepares occupational therapists to work in this practice area. Becoming a medical family caregiver, neglecting personal needs and desires becomes a norm having a in-direct effect on physical and psychological health and well-being. Findings from this study suggest that it is reasonable to infer that occupational participation among caregivers is influenced by finding time for self and …

Improving Participation In Physical Education For Children With Disabilities, Randi Major, Susan Macdermott

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Participating in adaptive sports has many benefits for children with disabilities (CWD), however literature demonstrates that many barriers exist within community-setting adaptive sports which impact participation for CWD. There is currently a lack of understanding of the needs of CWD and the barriers that exist within schools that impact their participation in physical activities and sports. In addition, the literature demonstrates that many individuals with disabilities are not meeting the recommended minutes for daily physical activity which can impact the health and well-being of CWD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022).

The purpose of this capstone project was …

Self-Regulation And Sensory Processing Education Program For Educators, Julianne Mendivil, Tina G. Bhakta, Angela Blackwell

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Children with low self-regulation skills may face many challenges in the classroom environment that can impact their performance in school-based activities. As teachers play a vital role in the development of young children, this educational program aims to improve teacher competence (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) in applying sensory processing and self-regulating concepts to the school environment.

Analysis Of Non-Kinship Foster Parent Training Needs And Their Support Of Foster Youth: An Occupational Therapy Perspective, Mackenzie King, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Amy Paul-Ward

Fall 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster discusses the training needs of non-kinship foster parents and how they support the youth in their care. A quantitative survey was used to find relationships between experience fostering and foster parent preparedness or desire for additional training. The survey also included a section for participants to write down their training needs; themes from this question are found on the poster. The poster further discusses future recommendations and implications for OT practice in working with this population.

Calm Sr: Classroom Activities For Learning And Managing Self-Regulation, Corina Arroyo, Angela Labrie Blackwell, Mallorie Garcia

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

CALM SR is a program developed for 3-4-year-olds to increase successful participation in desired occupations due to improved self-regulation skills. This program is designed for implementation in a preschool setting over the course of 9 weeks. This program incorporates activities that target sill acquisition across multiple domains. Activities are supplemented by literature, visual displays, modeling, and facilitation of the self-regulation process.

Analysis Of Occupational Therapy’S Role To Promote Healthy Sleep Participation To Support Caregivers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sophia N. Roman

Student Capstone Papers

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face sleep disturbances. Healthy sleep habits are essential for children with ASD and their caregivers to properly engage in their everyday lives. Occupational therapists are trained to evaluate clients in areas that contribute to sleep dysfunction and to focus on promoting optimal sleep performance. There is limited research on caregivers’ perceptions of their child’s sleep disturbances, these disturbances’ influence on occupational engagement, and whether occupational therapists have collaborated with caregivers of children with ASD to treat this area of occupation. Collecting data from caregivers by using a questionnaire can provide occupational therapy (OT) practitioners …

A 3-Month Interdisciplinary Process Drama Program To Build Social Skills In Pre-Schoolers With Asd: A Feasibility Study, Lorie G. Richards, Heidi Woolley, Xan S. Johnson, Pamela Mathy, Stacy Manwaring, M. Raby, Penelope Caywood, W. Wilde, L. Thornton

Occupational Therapy Collection

Objectives:

• To test the feasibility and effect of an interdisciplinary process drama program targeting social skill development in 3-5 year-old children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) characteristics
• To develop a paradigm for testing brain-behavior relationships related to social skills in these children using EEG and testing its ability to detect intervention-related changes.

Background: Social skill deficits are a hallmark cause of disability in ASD. Such disability is of critical concern given the rising prevalence (1 in 54 Utah children) of ASD. [1] As children learn through social experiences, difficulty in social interactions can limit development and ability to succeed …

Psychometric Properties Of Segmental Assessment Of Trunk Control In Infants And Toddlers With Down Syndrome, Megan Flores, Katy Mitchell, Carolyn Da Silva, Christina Bickley

Physical Therapy Collection

Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to investigate infants and toddlers with Down Syndrome (DS) to determine: 1) interrater, intrarater, and live versus video reliability of the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo), 2) concurrent validity of the SATCo with the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), and 3) whether a model of staggered entry with age and SATCo score predicts GMFM score.

Number of Subjects: 18 children with DS between 6 to 23 months (mean = 13.67, SD = 5.31) participated. Materials and Methods: The SATCo is a dichotomous scale to assess 7 discrete levels of trunk control in …

The Effect Of Aquatic Interventions In Combination With Early Start Physical Therapy Services On Gross Motor Development In A Male Child With Down Syndrome, Roxanne Mueller

San Marcos, Fall 2019

Introduction: Aquatic therapy has been used in various patient populations as a modality to facilitate motor control and manage tonicity.^1-3 Despite the variety of literature addressing individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and aquatic therapy, there has been little described about the effects of aquatic therapy on early gross motor development in children with DS.

Purpose: The purpose of this case study is to examine whether aquatic physical therapy interventions combined with early start physical therapy influence gross motor developmental delay in a child with DS.

Case Description: The patient is a 31-month-old boy with diagnosis of …

Interrater Reliability Of The Pediatric Neuromuscular Recovery Scale In Children With Spina Bifida, Elizabeth Ardolino, Megan Flores, Germaine Ferreira, Susan Jeantete, Kathleen Manella

Physical Therapy Collection

Purpose: There is a paucity of outcome measures to assess the quality of functional mobility in children with spina bifida¹. The Pediatric Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (Peds NRS) is a valid and reliable outcome measure that was developed to assess the motor capacity of children with spinal cord injury^2-6. The purpose of this study was to examine the interrater reliability of the Pediatric Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (Peds NRS) to classify motor capacity in children with myelomeningocele (MMC) form of spina bifida.

Subjects: Twenty-one children with MMC (1.4- 10 years of age; mean age of 5.3 …

International Service Project Supporting Children's Sensory/Emotional Needs, Susan Jeantete, Suzanne Trotter, Andrea Cline, Kiersten Svatos

Occupational Therapy Collection

Background:

Health care providers in the United States must be prepared to collaborate inter-professionally for optimal care with culturally diverse populations. As of 2016, more than a quarter of the overall U.S. population was made up of immigrants and their U.S. born children (Zong, Batalova, & Hallock, 2017). International service-learning experiences have been used across a variety of health care educational programs, some providing inter-professional rehabilitation services, to help prepare students to work with individuals from varying cultures (Buff et al., 2015; Mu et al., 2016). Field immersion experiences can support the development of cultural competency in health care students, …

Caregiver Perspectives On Body-Weight Supported Treadmill Training As An Intervention For Young Children With Cerebral Palsy, Megan Flores, Carolyn Da Silva

Physical Therapy Collection

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels IV and V present with challenges that impact their functional activities and participation in family activities. The purpose of this study was to examine caregivers’ perspectives on body-weight supported treadmill training (BWSTT) as an intervention for their young children with CP.

NUMBER OF SUBJECTS: Participants included 4 caregivers of children with CP in GMFCS levels IV (n = 2) and V (n = 2) who previously participated in 6 weeks of BWSTT.

MATERIALS/METHODS: Three children diagnosed with CP in GMFCS levels IV and V between the …

Effectiveness Of Stretching And Arch Strengthening In A 10-Year-Old Male With Calcaneal Apophysitis, Hannah Hardesty, Catherine M. Andrea

St. Augustine, Fall 2018

The aim of this case report is to create an independent exercise program to minimize pain while allowing continued participation in recreational activities.

Calcaneal apophysitis is a common condition in children that often results in the cessation of physical activity and participation in social activities, which can have a negative effect on both physical and mental well-being.^2-5 This case demonstrates positive outcomes with the use of static/dynamic stretching combined with arch strengthening in the rehabilitation of a patient with bilateral calcaneal apophysitis without reducing the child’s participation in daily and recreational activities.

The Effectiveness Of Physical Therapy Interventions For A Six-Year-Old Boy With Monosomy 18p, Grace Lewis, Catherine M. Andrea

St. Augustine, Spring 2018

The purpose of this case report is to explain the utilization and effectiveness of physical therapy interventions for improving gross motor abilities in a six-year-old boy diagnosed with Monosomy 18p.

The Impact Of Body-Weight Supported Locomotor Training In A Toddler With Gmfcs Level V Cerebral Palsy: A Case Study, Megan Flores, Carolyn Da Silva

Physical Therapy Collection

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level V present with decreased gross motor function and trunk control that impacts their functional activities and participation in family activities. Research indicates body-weight supported locomotor training (BWSLT) may improve motor control for children with neuromotor disabilities. The toddler years present a window of opportunity for developmental changes. The purpose of this case study was to explore the impact of a 6-week BWSLT intervention on postural control, gross motor function, and quality of life in a young child with cerebral palsy in GMFCS level …

Gross Motor Outcomes After Dynamic Weight-Bearing In 2 Children With Trunk Hypotonia: A Case Series, Elizabeth Ardolino, Megan Flores, Kathleen Manella

Physical Therapy Collection

NTRODUCTION:

Children with trunk hypotonia may have limited ability to maintain an upright weight-bearing position, resulting in decreased postural control and a delay in achieving gross motor milestones.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this case series is to report the effect of a home-based dynamic standing program on postural control and gross motor activity in 2 children with trunk hypotonia.

DESCRIPTIONS:

Child 1 (aged 24 months, Gross Motor Function Classification Scale Level IV) and Child 2 (aged 21 months, Gross Motor Function Classification Scale Level V) participated in a standing program using the Upsee harness at home 3 days per week …

Implementation Of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Post Mesenchymal Stem Cell Procedure Secondary To Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease: A Case Report, Sara Daley, Anne H. Boddy

St. Augustine, Fall 2017

The purpose of this case report is to determine if the PNF rolling technique can improve strength, balance, range of motion, lower extremity power, and gait speed in a male pediatric patient with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease post femoral core decompression with mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) injection.

Upsee Daisy! Gross Motor Outcomes After Dynamic Weight Bearing In Two Children With Truncal Hypotonia: A Case Series, Megan Flores, Kathleen Manella, Elizabeth Ardolino

Physical Therapy Collection

PURPOSE: The purpose of this case series was to report the impact of a home-based dynamic standing program on postural control and gross motor activity in two children with truncal hypotonia.

BACKGROUNDS/SIGNIFICANCE: Poor postural control associated with central hypotonia limits a child’s ability to interact with the environment, delaying attainment of developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling, standing and walking. Participation in social interactions with peers and caregivers may be restricted resulting in a decreased quality of life. Supported standing programs are commonly used to ameliorate impairments and optimize function in children with poor postural control. Increased social interactions, …

Upping The Ante!: Physical Therapist Management Of Femoral Anteversion, Kathryn R. Terrian, Matthew L. Daugherty

St. Augustine, Spring 2017

The purpose of this case report is to describe the outcomes following the rehabilitation of an 11-year-old female athlete with femoral anteversion utilizing Pilates based therapy in conjunction with traditional physical therapy.

The Effects Of Closed Kinetic Chain And Endurance Exercises On Reducing Pain In A Child With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A Case Report, Linda Duong, Megan Flores

Physical Therapy Collection

Background and Purpose: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by joint laxity, chronic pain, and joint instability. Often, children with EDS exhibit polyarthralgia and fatigue as their main symptoms. Although physical therapy is a mainstay of treatment for individuals with EDS, evidence is lacking for specific exercises or treatment strategies for management of pain. The purpose of this case report is to describe the effectiveness of closed kinetic chain and endurance exercises on reducing pain in a child with EDS.

Case Description: The child was a 9 year old girl diagnosed with EDS hypermobility type, and …