Ms. Faherty - Occupational / Physical Therapy

Room C119

Occupational Therapy with Mrs. Faherty : Grades 1-12

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Click here to learn about School Occupational Therapy services

 Hello Hull families!  As we continue to struggle with the reality of Covid and it's impact on education, I want you all to know that I will do my best to assist and build the skills of the students I am assigned to.  Flexibility and adaptive skills are neccessary in order to be an effective therapist, especially this year.  We are asking our children to also be flexible and adapt to wearing a mask in school, to frequently wash their hands, to walk arms distance from their peers, and to stay in a limited area for recess.  All these changes can be stressful and children with sensory needs have an extra struggle.  Here are some ideas to help your children with these challenges:

For the child who seeks touch or as I call them the "skin hungry kids", make sure they get lots of hugs, squeezes and back rubs before school.  Choose clothing that hugs their bodies, like sports shirts and for girls yoga pants or tights.  

For the child who hates weird smells, expecially the smell of their mask, spray a nice scent on the outside top of their mask. Make sure not to spray it to close to the area of the mask right over their nostrils.  

For the child who hates the feel of their mask around their ears, use a mask that has soft loops for ears.  You can sew on a butoon that the loops go over on the back of the head versus around their ears.  Gentile but firm pressure can be given over the cheek down to the chin and over the mouth to desensitize a child's face prior to putting it on.  If a child is really struggling to keep a mask on, build in an incentive for wearing their mask and build up the time they have it on their face using a timer.  When they meet the time, give them the incentive and gradually increase the time till the next reward.  

I hope these ideas are helpful.  I look forward to seeing your children in person this September.  It will be a challenge for all of us, but we are Pirate Strong! 

Mrs. Faherty 

 

  

~Hartley Faherty OTR/L


Jacobs School Core Values/Classroom Rules:
Be R.A.D.!!
Respect yourself and others.
Act in ways that make our school safe, caring, and welcoming.
Do your best learning.