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With the intention of synthesizing research on OT interventions used to promote social-emotional development in young children with or at risk for disabilities, Jane Case-Smith reviewed and organized 23 studies into 5 themes. These 5 themes include: 1) touch-based interventions to enhance calming and parent-infant bonding, 2) relationship-based interventions to promote positive caregiver-child interactions, 3) joint attention interventions, 4) naturalistic preschool interventions to promote peer-to-peer engagement, and 5) instruction-based interventions to teach children appropriate social behaviors. Touch-based interventions were supported through research with infants in the NICU and showed higher cognition at 12 months than the control group. Relationship-based interventions were supported through research with children with ASD, institutionalized children, and children who spent time in the NICU. Joint attention interventions were supported for use with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Peer-to-peer engagement interventions were supported with the use of computer activities, toys, etc. Instruction-based interventions demonstrated that specific instruction in socially appropriate behavior appears to have moderately positive effects on improving children's social competence.

Adaptive Positioning Interventions for Premature Infants: Issues for Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practice. British Journal of Occupational Therapy March 1989 vol. 52 no. 3 93-96 Adaptive positioning is an important aspect of occupational therapy intervention with premature infants. This article looks at the current literature and describes the benefits of a variety of positioning strategies with these babies. This article also goes into great detail on the variety of different alert states of infants and how this affects the services provided by the occupational therapist. Occupational therapists need to be able to read and understand the different alert states of premature infants as well as be able to educate parents on what they mean. In addition to the alert state education, occupational therapists should express the importance of positioning their infant and educating them as well.