People take treatment from different health care professionals for their better health. Professional occupational therapy is one of the important and major parts of treatment. It is not a new profession in Bangladesh. Occupational therapy was introduced in 1973 by an American orthopaedic surgeon, Prof RJ Garst. He started the first school for occupational therapy in Bangladesh. In 1976 there were three occupational therapists (OTs) in the country, who graduated with the relevant degree. Now occupational therapists provide latest international standard treatment in our country. Occupational therapists are always ready to provide their services to all kinds of people.
Occupational therapists are working in different settings like Pediatric, Neurology, Orthopedic, Hand Therapy, Spinal Cord, Mental Health, Geriatric Care, Ergonomics, Special Needs School and Vocational Training Centre etc.
Pediatrics: OTs work with children of all ages from neonates to adolescents (e.g. cerebral palsy, autism, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), behavioral problems, Down's Syndrome, developmental delay, learning disabilities, hydrocephalus, microcephalus, muscular dystrophy, Spina Bifida, Erb's palsy, flat feet, congenital hip dislocation, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rett's Syndrome, poliomyelitis etc.
Neurology:
OTs work with adults across the areas of neurology e.g. stroke, head injury, Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS), spinal cord injury, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neuron Disease (MND), transverse myelitis, orthopaedics (e.g. total hip replacements, Ankylosing Spondylitis and arthritis), sensory impairments (e.g. vision) and cardiology (e.g. heart attacks).
Hand Therapy: Occupational Therapy also plays a major role in the rehabilitation and recovery of patients, who have hand or upper extremity injuries. Hand therapy involves the treatment of conditions such as traumatic hand injuries (e.g. fractures, tendon injuries, De Quarvain Tenosynevitis, Dupuytren's Contractures, and soft tissue injury), degenerative condition (e.g. arthritis, frozen shoulder, nerve injuries, (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome) and burn injuries.
Mental Health: Occupational therapists also work with people who have mental health problems and learning disabilities. In this work, therapists choose activities that help people learn to engage in and cope with daily life. Activities include time management skills, budgeting, shopping, homemaking, and the use of public transportation. Occupational therapists may also work with individuals who are dealing with alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, eating disorders, or stress-related disorders. The ultimate aim of the occupational therapists is to help people engage in personally satisfying and socially adaptive occupations.
Elderly Care: OTs work with older people with disabilities and age-related changes, including problems with balance, coordination, endurance, memory, vision and hearing.
Workplace and Accessibility Assessment: Occupational Therapists assist individuals to return to work and continue to work safely and efficiently. OTs provide a range of services including:
- Workplace safety assessments and advice on workplace modifications
- Musculoskeletal risk assessments (e.g. risk of back and neck injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome etc.) and education about proper body position using ergonomic strategies to reduce risks of future injuries or pain.
- Assessment and providing suggestions regarding accessibility to all kinds of buildings and public places (e.g. lifts etc.)
Special Needs School: At special schools, therapists evaluate children's abilities, recommend and provide therapy, modify classroom equipment, and help children participate as fully as possible in school programmes and activities. Occupational therapists focus on children with disabilities, who attend inclusive schools, and provide individual (e.g. hand therapy) and group-based therapy (e.g. social skills, ADL training, handwriting classes) for increasing their classroom performance.
Occupational Therapy in Vocational Rehabilitation Centre
Occupational therapists are involved across all service models and approaches, including:
l Condition management
l Return to work
l Rehabilitation in the form of work hardening or work conditioning
l Job retention
l Supported employment;
l Vocational assessments and
l Case management
From where you get occupational therapy service
l CRP
l CDD
l DRRA
l Handicap International
l Mental Hospital
l Apollo Hospital
l NITOR
l Different Special Needs School
l Shishu Polli Plus
l Other rehabilitation and research centres
Qualities of Occupational Therapist
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. The course is affiliated to the Medicine Faculty of Dhaka University and its duration is five years (four years theory and one year compulsory internship).
Occupational therapy has a great role in treatment but the people of our country especially MBBS doctors are not aware about this profession. That's why sometimes we get patients very late. Bangladesh government has different projects to rehabilitate disabled people. But they don't recruit qualified occupational therapist. These are being run by developmental therapists who are not qualified and they have no sufficient training. Now occupational therapy becomes popular in healthcare system. In Bangladesh only CRP is working for rehabilitating disabled patients. So, government should also take some steps. Government should recruit qualified occupational therapist in every government hospital.
The writer is Clinical Occupational Therapist at Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP),
Mirpur-14, Dhaka. Email: rabeya1988@gmail.com
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