Great list of tools from the AOTA that we can use for pediatric and geriatric patients. Even better, we can find them at the dollar store. Stock up on your next trip :)

I know we don't get a lot of free time as students, but when I have free time I like to relax with a good movie. The AOTA made a list of 14 movies that have OT applications. Pretty cool way to relax, and incorporate what we are learning in class.

Good overview of what a CHT actually does from day to day with her patients. Pay attention to the awesome PRIMUS machine in the video. It would be awesome if every facility had machine like that to use.

The video demonstrates how an OT should properly apply a hot pack. Good information if you want to get certified in modalities later on.

Fantastic website that provides adaptive equipment for individuals with arthritis, products for caretakers, aids for daily living, and mobility aids. Great resource for our future clients, and their family members.

Clever way to remember the levels of the brachial plexus :)

How cool are these bean bags?? They would be great to use in a classroom during story time, or at home while the child is watching a movie. The bean bags look very comfortable, and they provide the deep pressure children with ASD and SPD crave.

Useful tips on how to pick an appropriate purse that will improve our everyday body ergonomics. I intend to use this list when I pick a purse in the future.

I'm sure some of us remember hearing the story on Zion Harvey this summer. This brave little boy underwent a bilateral hand transplant after losing both of his hands, and feet when we was younger. I remember hearing on the news that "he would have several hours of therapy a day" after the successful surgery. I found it encouraging that this article addressed that he had occupational therapy everyday. As future OTs/OTAs we know that occupational therapy will help him work towards his goal of playing on the monkey bars, and help him with his other ADLs. I hope we all have patients this positive in the future :)

Useful tips for how to help someone with arthritis, whether it is a family member or a patient.

There are several videos from an OT about how to reduce spastic tone in the arm after a CVA. Great resource for later!

Could there be a better video to demonstrate the benefits of animal therapy? Grab a tissue.

Great site with handouts for pediatric activities. Great source for later, especially if you have a pediatric rotation for level 2 fieldwork.

I realize this article is mainly about the accolades of the OT Robin Newman. However, I noticed an interesting piece at the end. She is working on a program that focuses on OT treatment for women who experience cognitive difficulties after completing chemotherapy. When my mom went through chemotherapy, the doctors and nurses told us a common side effect was "chemo brain.," where she would forgot how to do common tasks, easily lose her train of though, and not be able to think of words she wanted to say. Chemotherapy affects many areas of the body, including cognitive abilities. OT is definitely qualified to help treat cancer patients regain their cognitive abilities in a therapeutic way. Just another reason to promote OT!

This article touches on several different issues related to occupational therapy. The article on burns is interesting, because it combines two different areas that we have studied, telehealth and burn rehabilitation. The OT in the article, along with other healthcare team members, discover the benefits of using telehealth to check in with patients who cannot make weekly visits to the hospital, like burn victims.

Pinterest is a blessing! This pinterest page is full of ideas for hand exercises, splinting techniques, and hand dysfunctions that we will come across at OTAs. If you have pinterest I recommend following this page.

This video gives a good demonstration of just a few ways to massage a scar. I had never heard of scar care before our hand lab with Carrie, and didn't know that OT had anything to do with it. Not all of us will get to be CHT, but we will all have patients with scars. Good information to tuck away for later.

I wouldn't say that any of us feel "stuck", but I know we all start to feel stressed out towards the end of the semester. The author of this article, Joy Springer, gives some great attempts on ways to make it through. I needed to read the tips in this article, and I hope it helps some of you as well. We can do it, and we are here to support each other :)

This article from AOTA really hit home with me. My mom had a stem cell transplant in November of 2012, and it saved her life. Your immune system is severely compromised during a stem cell transplant, and because of that she had limited access to people, and places outside the hospital. My mom is an adult, and she had a hard time with the limited social interaction, so I can only imagine how hard it is for a child to go through a stem cell transplant and be able to play with their peers at school or at a playground. I know a lot of us will not deal with cases as severe as a stem cell transplant, but it is still encouraging to know that occupational therapy can help. The therapist in the article worked with the kids to make sure they did not develop muscle weakness, or lose ROM while they were in the hospital. This article really made me appreciate the holistic care that OT provides, regardless of your age.

We talked about thermostatic splints today in class. Thermostatic splints are lighter, can be removed for cleaning, and can easily be molded to the client's body. This page shows the different types of thermostatic splints that are available, and what the cost would be. The splints are not cheap, but if the client will need the splint for a long period of time it could be a cost effective option.