The Real OTs of Early Intervention Danielle Delorenzo, Amirra Johnson, Sarah Putt

Today we’re gonna have a little fun and share a few of our favorite stories that we have experienced as an occupational therapist working in early intervention. To be honest, sometimes our job can be really tough, but it is the progress and positive things that happen that can really make our day, our week and even our year. Listen in to hear these stories and the impact they still have on us today.

Feeding is a big part of working in early intervention. Whether it’s a feeding case you pick up or a case that has no indication of feeding on the IFSP, but when you arrive the caregiver mentions concerns with feeding, we need to be prepared to address it in our sessions. And let’s face it, most of us are not taught much about feeding (especially in early intervention) in our OT/OTA programs which means it’s up to us to figure out how to become competent at addressing feeding in our sessions. But feeding is so much more than just picking up food, bringing it to our mouth, and chewing it. Feeding ties into family routines, culture, values, and relationships. In reality, it is one occupation that is actually pretty complex to address. In today’s episode, we dive into feeding in early intervention and break down some of these complexities.

Interdependence is not a topic we hear often in Early Intervention even though it literally is founded on the concept of interdependence. The document that supports each child is called an Individualized Family Service Plan - it is literally grounded within the interdependent roles of the parents/caregivers and others who are responsible for supporting the baby or young child.

We must evolve our thinking and expand on the foundations Wilcock presents, the four dimensions of occupation - doing, being, becoming, and belonging, and now explore these concepts within all dyads and how this can influence occupational engagement.

In this episode, Danielle breakdowns what interdependence is and how we as early support providers can help shift the narrative from the beginning with voice clips of insight from Greg Boheler and Jackyln Googins from OTs for Neurodiversity.

Typically kiddo’s in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, also known as the NICU, have some type of diagnosis or condition that may result in developmental delays or difficulty reaching important milestones particularly in the first year of life. As a result, EI services are typically part of the referral process when families discharge. The transition from NICU to home can be exciting for families as they are finally able to go home but it can also be full of feelings of being scared, anxious, overwhelmed, and nervous having to leave the safety of the hospital. Early Intervention providers are an important part of this transition from NICU to home. We provide support for the kiddo but we are also there to support our families, especially emotionally as they navigate this huge transition in their lives. This episode dives into the connection between the NICU and early intervention.

We all know the value that we as OT practitioners bring to the table in early intervention. We also know how important it is for our little ones to get the supports and services that they need at this crucial time. But sometimes parents and caregivers might not know or understand the value of early intervention or might be on the fence about getting their kiddo evaluated or even starting therapy. This episode dives deep in how we go about communicating the value of early intervention to parents and caregivers and discusses important considerations to be mindful of when collaborating with our kiddos and their families.

Guess who’s turning one year old today? That’s right- The Real OTs of Early Intervention. One year ago we released our first podcast. In honor of celebrating our 1 year anniversary, we wanted to put together a special podcast episode to share we're we've been over the past year and also what's next for the future.