Teaching interprofessional collaboration: using online education across institutions.

Interdisciplinary courses among students in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology are important for addressing teamwork, communication, and understanding of professional roles, especially in pre-service training for early intervention and school-based practice where collaboration is essential. Although interprofessional education (IPE) as a part of higher education in the health sciences has been strongly encouraged, IPE courses are difficult to schedule and implement. This article discusses the challenges of developing and delivering two IPE courses in an online format, specifically the innovation that addresses logistics, time factors, and social presence for the IPE courses across two institutions.

Factors associated with therapists' involvement in children's transition to preschool.

We identified factors associated with occupational therapists' involvement as children receiving early intervention services transition into preschool. A survey was sent to members of the American Occupational Therapy Association's School System Special Interest Section. The highest ranked factor for respondents in early intervention was understanding their role (mean [M]= 4.96, standard deviation [SD] = 1.26, n = 78) and for respondents in preschool programs it was having preschool staff value their participation (M = 4.84, SD = 1.46, n = 248). Preschool occupational therapists' relationship with early intervention providers, employer-based supports, and knowledge of the transition process were significantly associated with their involvement in two transition planning areas: collaboration with early intervention programs (p < .001) and family support (p < .001). Findings suggest that practices that enhance relationships among programs influence occupational therapist involvement. Implications for formal training to support involvement in the transition process are discussed.

Informing early intervention through an occupational science description of infant-toddler interactions with home space.

OBJECTIVE: The study provides a substantive description of infant and toddler play with everyday objects and independent negotiation of home space. METHOD: A grounded theory approach was used to study 18 typically developing children longitudinally from ages 1 to 18 months. Data from 133 home visits included videotaped self-directed play sessions with usual objects, maternal interviews, and observation records. RESULTS: Infant Space Theory is a substantive theory of infant-toddler interactions with the spaces and objects of the home. This contextualized view of the infant-toddler describes progressions in gaze and visual play, in mapping and ranging home space, in stationary object play, and in the little-described development of mobile object play. CONCLUSION: Therapists providing early intervention services within the home environment may benefit from the theory in their creation and modeling of naturalistic interventions with infants and families.

Descriptive study of occupational therapists' participation in early childhood transitions.

OBJECTIVE: The study describes the current role of occupational therapists in the transition of young children with special needs from early intervention to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten. METHOD: Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 500 pediatric occupational therapists who are members of the American Occupational Therapy Association's School System Special Interest Section. RESULTS: The response rate was 44.3%, with 173 usable surveys. Approximately 40% of therapists working in the early-intervention-to-preschool transition and 32% of therapists working in the preschool-to-kindergarten transition reported not participating fully in the process. The primary barrier to full participation was "not enough time." Evaluation was identified as the most frequently used strategy for participation. Only 23% of respondents reported receiving specialized transition training. CONCLUSIONS: Although limited by a small sample, the study provides an initial description of occupational therapists' participation in early childhood transitions.

The use of infant seating devices in child care centers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the duration of time that infants in child care centers were placed in infant seating devices to the duration of time spent on the floor or being held by child care providers. METHOD: Thirty-eight infants who were typically developing (mean age = 4.5 months) from eight child care centers were observed minute-by-minute for a consecutive 120 min, targeting the amount of time each infant spent in seating devices, on the floor, or being held by child care providers. RESULTS: The amount of time the infants spent in seating devices was significantly longer than on the floor (p= .0001) or being held by child care providers (p= .0001). CONCLUSION: All infants spent more time in seating devices than on the floor or being held by child care providers. Future research should explore seating device use in infants identified as at-risk or as having special needs, particularly how child care routines for these infants may influence seating device use, as well as the impact of this practice on these infants' motor development.

Factors influencing physical therapists' involvement in preschool transitions.

BACKGROUND: Families and children receiving early intervention services benefit from service provider involvement during the transition to preschool special education services. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine the factors that physical therapists working in early intervention services and/or preschools identified as supportive of their involvement, and associated with their perceived involvement, in transition planning for young children with disabilities moving from early intervention to preschool services. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was used. METHODS: A survey was mailed to a random sample of 600 members of the American Physical Therapy Association's Section on Pediatrics. Physical therapists working with children transitioning out of early intervention and into preschool participated. Data from physical therapists providing services in preschools were included in this study. RESULTS: The response rate was 56.3%. The highest- and lowest-ranked facilitators of transition planning were: "Staff at my preschool program value my participation in transition planning activities" (highest ranked) (X=5.02, SD=1.36, n=142) and "I am encouraged to participate in transition planning activities by the early intervention service coordinator" (lowest ranked) (X=1.91, SD=3.50, n=143). Multivariate regression models demonstrated that physical therapists' perceived value and expertise in providing transition planning services were significantly associated with collaboration with professionals from early intervention programs (F(1,129)=207) and support of families during the transition process (F(1,134)=48). CONCLUSIONS: Physical therapists who identified implementing practices that supported communication, collaboration, and strong, positive relationships between early intervention and preschool programs had greater involvement in the transition planning process.

Exploring occupational therapy and transitions for young children with special needs.

Young children with special needs typically experience many transitions between services. As part of a larger family system, each of these transitions and the myriad of factors involved affect the life of the child and the lives of their families. Occupational therapists have a unique, yet insufficiently explored, perspective that may contribute to the support and planning for families and children during the transition process. The purpose of this paper is to explore the Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) framework (Dunn, Brown & McGuigan, 1994) and apply it to occupational therapy and early childhood transitions. A description of the transition process and potential occupational therapy interventions using the EHP framework is developed.

Physical therapists' participation in early childhood transitions.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the role of physical therapists in the transition of young children with special needs from early intervention to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten. METHODS: Questionnaires were mailed to 500 pediatric physical therapists throughout the United States. Respondents reported how they participated in transition planning, if they perceived they were participating fully in the transition process, what barriers limited their participation, where they obtained information about transitions, and special training they had received on transition planning. RESULTS: The response rate was 41.6%. Differences in type and level of participation were noted across settings. Therapists commented on specific barriers to participation and identified working with the family and performing evaluations as the top strategies for participation. Only 16.6% of respondents reported receiving training on transition. CONCLUSIONS: The survey provided preliminary data regarding physical therapists involvement in early childhood transitions and suggests that further research is needed.