Category: Occupational Therapy

Meet Occupational Therapist, Elizabeth (Bubba)!

4/20/2022

Elizabeth (Bubba), occupational therapist, shares her story!

"I was placed at Little Light House for my occupational therapy doctoral capstone project last February, and shortly after graduating school, I began working as an OT here. One thing I always say about Little Light House to people who ask me is that everyone here is doing OT, whether they realize it or not. I even feel like the OT’s are doing a little bit of teaching. What this means is that everybody here is doing a little bit of everything - speech, OT, PT, and teaching - all together. The disciplines here really are so fluid, and it definitely is a transdisciplinary approach. It is cool to see. The kids are getting every discipline all day long, and it is so beneficial for them. Everything here is very inclusive, and we are all working together on everything the kids need all the time.

One of the big things that I focus on for my overall OT treatment is getting the kids as independent as possible. Things like feeding themselves, following directions, participating in their school routine, playing with toys, putting objects into containers, color, etc. can help them gain independence. When I work one on one with the kids, they love to sit and bounce on the therapy ball. The whole time they are having a blast bouncing, they don’t realize I am actually helping them to engage their stomach or core muscles for better balance. I may have them put shapes into a shape sorter or do a simple shape puzzle to work on grasping while they sit on the ball as well. I have found that bouncing on the ball can be used as a reward for participating in an activity.

The children in the yellow room are all under age 3, so developmentally, I am working on things like pointing, using two fingers in a pincer grasp to pick something up rather than them grabbing it with their hold hand, or picking up their food and bringing it to their mouth. There are so many ways to play with a child that can promote their development, and that is why it is so much fun.

I actually feel like today I experienced one of my most favorite days since working here. A little boy I was working with started crawling for the first time. It was like I could just see it click for him. He got up on his hands and knees and crawled toward what he wanted. I was at such a loss for words when I saw it! It is things like that that make it so worthwhile working here. You will think, I wonder when this will click, and then it does, and you see a child do something that you have never seen them do before. All of sudden they are talking when they weren’t talking before, or feeding themselves for the first time, etc. Kids are always advancing and making improvements, even in as little time as a week, and it is so cool to see that happen.

I feel like LLH is the ultimate place for a child with special needs. The children here will get what they need. We have children with varying needs and diagnoses, but they are all getting treated equally, while still getting what they need individually. If a child needs it, LLH makes it happen. They find the funds. They find the people, and they do it. There really is no place like Little Light House!"

Meet Our Occupational Therapist, Lynn!

4/12/2022

Lynn, Occupational Therapist, Tells Her Story

“I have been an occupational therapist at Little Light House since 2015. After working for the school district for many years, one of my former coworkers told me about LLH. When I interviewed for the OT position, I immediately knew this was where I was meant to be.

I remember one night I woke up in the middle of the night and had this thought that I needed to help children with special needs find a place to go to daycare or school. I saw how the children I was treating in my school district at the time struggled to find care, and parents struggled to find a place for their child to attend that would not only care for them but teach them and nurture them. I ended up staying eight more years at my school district job, then when I found out about Little Light House, I knew God had been preparing me for the moment I would become the OT there.

My best memory of working as an OT here was seeing a child graduate from LLH that had started with me when she was 8 months old. When she got here she was not able to grasp any of my toys, and she wasn’t walking. I had to meet her where she was and adapt some of my toys at first, and by the time she graduated when she was 6 years old, she was able to write and use scissors. I was amazed when I watched her grow leaps and bounds over those six years. She is now in regular Kindergarten.

In our yellow room, our youngest children are usually working on things like pointing with an isolated finger, trying to get them to imitate some of my movements after watching me do the task first during group therapy, helping them form more of an arch in their hands for better grasping and fine motor development, and helping them to participate. My job is to meet the child where they are. What can they do? I start there, and help them progress, celebrating them the whole time.

Each week, I will bring on a couple of activities that focus on one particular thing, such as stringing beads one week or stacking blocks, and grasping small objects another week. During group therapy, the teachers are able to see the way I present the activities to the whole group, but also the way I have to adapt it for each child in the group I go from child to child. For example, I may loosen something for one child so it is easier, and then I may help another child by placing my hand on top of theirs to assist them so they can each be successful.

I am able to help the teachers see different ways to help each child, such as explaining different adaptations or ways to do an activity to promote their ability to participate in it. For example, the little girl I referenced previously was the only one in her class that wasn’t able to sit up at one point, and I was able to help figure out a way to get her sitting up and able to participate with the class as much as possible. If they were all sitting up, she was sitting up. If they were all at the table, she was at the table. It is so important for everyone to be able to be included.

One way my job as an OT fits into the LLH environment, aside from typical one on one therapy, is working within the classroom directly with the teacher to help figure out a way to make sure each child is able to participate in all activities. A lot of people don't think about school and play being a child's main occupation, but participating in school IS an occupation. Sharing with peers and engaging in whatever is going on in the classroom is an occupation.

Little Light House is just a part of me. It is where I am called to be, and where God has led me to be. I have grown in my faith as well while working here. This place is truly amazing."

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Little Light House
Central Mississippi

6000 Old Canton Road,
Jackson, MS 39211
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 13662,
Jackson, MS 39236-3662

Contact Us:
info@llhms.org
Ph: (601) 956-6131
Fax (601) 956-6143

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Little Light House Central Mississippi is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit Christian Developmental Center for children with special needs, age birth through six years of age. All gifts to Little Light House Central Mississippi are tax-deductible, less goods and services received.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: Little Light House-Central Mississippi is a non-profit Christian Developmental Center for children with special needs, birth through six years of age. The Little Light House does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, or medical diagnosis (unless it affects the child’s ability to attend on a regular basis) in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other school programs. Some behavioral conditions may be evaluated on an individual basis. Little Light House assures that all children’s records will be maintained as confidential.

BLOG

Meet Occupational Therapist, Elizabeth (Bubba)!

Meet Our Occupational Therapist, Lynn!

Lynn, Occupational Therapist, Tells Her Story

HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE SENSORY BAG: OT

OT PARENT ADAPTATIONS: PREWRITING/ SLANT BOARDS

Categories

BLOG​

Meet Occupational Therapist, Elizabeth (Bubba)!

Meet Our Occupational Therapist, Lynn!

Lynn, Occupational Therapist, Tells Her Story

HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE SENSORY BAG: OT

OT PARENT ADAPTATIONS: PREWRITING/ SLANT BOARDS

Categories

BLOG