Abstract

If you are unsure about what occupational therapy (OT) is and how it can help your child, this accessible overview is for you. Answering all of the common questions about the issues an occupational therapist might address with a child with special needs, including core muscle strength, feeding, fine motor skills, sensory sensitivities, transitions and life-skills, this book also offers simple activities to practice at home that are inexpensive, fun and, most-importantly, OT-approved.

This will be an illuminating and essential guide for parents and carers of children with physical and developmental disabilities or parents of children in rehabilitation from illness or injury. Professionals who want to learn more about the principles and practicalities of occupational therapy will also find it useful.

This pocket reference is an excellent resource to have in your toolkit if you have a child with special needs. In order to advocate for your child through a maze of services, recommendations and new lifestyle demands, it is essential to have the right information. The knowledge contained in this book is empowering and will help guide parents to quality services based on their child's needs.
Patricia Crist, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Science, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ms Koscinski's gem of a book with 144 pages is brimming with answers to questions we all wish to ask paediatric occupational therapists. It will be as much appreciated the first time you read it as the many other times you refer to it for added guidance and reassurance...
Special Needs Book Review

The most appealing feature of this book is its accessibility - making the topics possible to grasp for parents and carers with even limited background knowledge... Also included in the book is a handy developmental chart, outlining the stages of typical child development, which families can use as a valuable reference point... It is evident that Koscinski has used her experiences as both an occupational therapist and a devoted mother to children with special needs to write this practical guide; there is much to be recommended in this book.'

British Journal of Occupational Therapy

'This is a clearly written book that provides a comprehensive insight into the role of the OT, the characteristics of the pupils they come across and ways forward to help improve the inclusivity of these pupils.

SNIP (Special Information Press)
With love and understanding, Cara Koscinski creates an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand warehouse of information on occupational therapy. 'The Pocket Occupational Therapist' offers answers to many questions parents ask about OT: 'why is my child presenting certain behaviors? What does pediatric OT look like? How do I find a qualified OT? How do I support my child's therapy at home?' Cara's 'Out of the POCKET Activities' throughout the book offer strategies parents can use to complement their child's therapy sessions. What a great idea!
Ida Zelaya, President of Sensory Street, Inc.
Cara Koscinski has been an occupational therapist for 15 years. She owns Route2Greatness, a company that provides in-home services and consultations to school districts. Her company also creates, produces, and distributes CDs for children with auditory sensitivity, and designs and distributes awareness products. Cara is also a homeschooling mother to two children with autism spectrum and sensory processing disorders and she lives in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Her website can be viewed at www.pocketoccupationaltherapist.com.