What the family must do, and perhaps the most difficult thing, is to accept the process as it is. Thus, it will be easier to cope with the situation and produce realistic solutions. To reject the process means to put a new obstacle every day in the way of progress. Not accepting the existing situation causes the child to suffer in every field of development. For example, it causes the child to fall further behind in skills that can be developed cognitively; When the child is isolated from society by the family due to the concern that he will not be accepted in society, he cannot develop socially. In addition to all this, both the family and the child are dragged into emotional despair, thus this vicious cycle continues.
It is important to have good communication and strong cooperation between occupational therapists and families in order to reach the desired level at every stage of treatment.
Children spend most of their time at home with their families. We often hear about the importance of play for both children's sensory development and their participation in daily life. At this point, it is expected that the positive and negative information received from the parents will be supportive for a correct approach to the therapist in preparing the most appropriate therapy program for the child. After the necessary information after the session, parents should get support from the occupational therapist to ensure the continuity of the process, the permanence of the treatment and, most importantly, to establish the correct bond with the child. In the therapy and home program created using all the information received, cooperation with the therapist to create meaningful time for parents to spend with their children and to develop/increase their skills will add color to the therapy process. As occupational therapists, we see the family and child as a whole during the therapy process. It is not possible to consider the child alone when determining treatment goals.
It is among the duties of occupational therapists to help families accept the process they are in. While we support families by taking scientific and theoretical knowledge into consideration and try to instill hope; Making promises that will not come true means abandoning the scientific and therapist identity. Considering all these, occupational therapists should support families as teachers of children. The aim is to explain what attitudes should be taken in line with the child's wishes and needs, to ensure that children have knowledge about their developmental areas and how to support their development skills, and to provide information on how to support their behavior and social skills. Ergotherapists make the relevant guidance in accordance with the child's needs. They aim to increase efficiency by directing them to specialists who will provide the necessary support.
The important thing is to contribute and support children's education, treatment and families together, by understanding and supporting. Being in cooperation is the first and primary step of development.
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