Today we’re gonna have a little fun and share a few of our favorite stories that we have experienced as an occupational therapist working in early intervention. To be honest, sometimes our job can be really tough, but it is the progress and positive things that happen that can really make our day, our week and even our year. Listen in to hear these stories and the impact they still have on us today.

Feeding is a big part of working in early intervention. Whether it’s a feeding case you pick up or a case that has no indication of feeding on the IFSP, but when you arrive the caregiver mentions concerns with feeding, we need to be prepared to address it in our sessions. And let’s face it, most of us are not taught much about feeding (especially in early intervention) in our OT/OTA programs which means it’s up to us to figure out how to become competent at addressing feeding in our sessions. But feeding is so much more than just picking up food, bringing it to our mouth, and chewing it. Feeding ties into family routines, culture, values, and relationships. In reality, it is one occupation that is actually pretty complex to address. In today’s episode, we dive into feeding in early intervention and break down some of these complexities.

Interdependence is not a topic we hear often in Early Intervention even though it literally is founded on the concept of interdependence. The document that supports each child is called an Individualized Family Service Plan - it is literally grounded within the interdependent roles of the parents/caregivers and others who are responsible for supporting the baby or young child. We must evolve our thinking and expand on the foundations Wilcock presents, the four dimensions of occupation - doing, being, becoming, and belonging, and now explore these concepts within all dyads and how this can influence occupational engagement. In this episode, Danielle breakdowns what interdependence is and how we as early support providers can help shift the narrative from the beginning with voice clips of insight from Greg Boheler and Jackyln Googins from OTs for Neurodiversity.

Typically kiddo’s in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, also known as the NICU, have some type of diagnosis or condition that may result in developmental delays or difficulty reaching important milestones particularly in the first year of life. As a result, EI services are typically part of the referral process when families discharge. The transition from NICU to home can be exciting for families as they are finally able to go home but it can also be full of feelings of being scared, anxious, overwhelmed, and nervous having to leave the safety of the hospital. Early Intervention providers are an important part of this transition from NICU to home. We provide support for the kiddo but we are also there to support our families, especially emotionally as they navigate this huge transition in their lives. This episode dives into the connection between the NICU and early intervention.

We all know the value that we as OT practitioners bring to the table in early intervention. We also know how important it is for our little ones to get the supports and services that they need at this crucial time. But sometimes parents and caregivers might not know or understand the value of early intervention or might be on the fence about getting their kiddo evaluated or even starting therapy. This episode dives deep in how we go about communicating the value of early intervention to parents and caregivers and discusses important considerations to be mindful of when collaborating with our kiddos and their families.

Guess who’s turning one year old today? That’s right- The Real OTs of Early Intervention. One year ago we released our first podcast. In honor of celebrating our 1 year anniversary, we wanted to put together a special podcast episode to share we're we've been over the past year and also what's next for the future.

Coming up with amazing treatment ideas is a very hot topic amongst occupational therapy practitioners. In today’s episode, we discuss the treatment mindset over the treatment activities approach. We talk about how to focus on daily routines rather than physical items during treatment planning and how to use common household items as a way to work on goals. It is about empowering therapy practitioners to utilize the treatment mindset that they already have and be able to treatment plan without all the bells and whistles.

Want to know the one thing that has shifted my perspective the most as an OT practitioner? It’s becoming a parent. In today’s episode, I discuss this journey and how my perspective has shifted from being solely a practitioner to now being a mom that is also a practitioner. This journey into motherhood has had such an impact on my lens as an occupational therapy practitioner that I wanted to share some of the things that I have learned along the way.

This special edition episode is Danielle going solo disseminating her occupational therapy doctoral capstone project about mindfulness and movement in the early years. Get ready to learn why it is so important to embed mindfulness and movement into your early intervention practice and every day life.

We made it! April and OT Month is coming to an end and we have the final letters to unpack for Shannen Marie OT’s #ABCsofOT challenge. This challenge raises awareness for the occupational therapy profession by discussing a topic related to each letter of the alphabet throughout the month. And we’ve got just a few more EI letters and words to share with you. Today’s episode highlights the last letters S-Z.

It’s week 3 of OT Month and we still have more fun stuff up our sleeves. We’re continuing with the #ABCsofOT challenge hosted by Shannen Marie OT, which raises awareness for the occupational therapy profession by discussing a topic related to each letter of the alphabet throughout the month. And keeping in line with our jam and passion for early intervention. Today’s episode highlights the letters M-R.

Continuing with the OT Month celebrations, we’ve got more #ABCsofOT hosted by Shannen Marie OT. This challenge raises awareness for the occupational therapy profession by discussing a topic related to each letter of the alphabet throughout the month. And of course we’re bringing the early intervention goodness to this advocacy challenge. Today’s episode highlights the letters G-L.

It’s April which means it’s officially the greatest month ever because it’s OT month here in the states! This month, The Real OTs of Early Intervention will be participating in Shannen Marie OT’s #ABCsofOT challenge. This challenge raises awareness for the occupational therapy profession by discussing a topic related to each letter of the alphabet throughout the month. Of course, we’ll be putting our own little EI spin on things. Today’s episode highlights the first few letters A-F.

The first session with a new family can be exciting but it can also be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. There are so many factors to keep in mind, before you even set foot in the door. Today’s episode lays out considerations and tips to help you prepare for your first session with a family before you even set foot in the door.

Containers, we’ve all seen them in practice and we’ve also probably seen some kiddos who spend too much time in them. Today, we’re talking about containers and the term container syndrome. We share what container syndrome is, some different types of containers we’ve encountered in practice, and some potential harmful impacts of too much time spent in a container. We also provide some insight into other container considerations to be mindful of when working with our families.

Tummy time… It is definitely a hot topic in early intervention and one area that there is a lot of really good and really bad information about. That’s why we wanted to take a minute to break down the importance of tummy time for our little ones and share some tips to promote a positive tummy time experience. There is so much information to cover with this topic so stay tuned for some follow-up episodes going even more in detail into this important part of development.

Do you struggle with daily documentation? Today’s episode does a deep dive into the world of daily documentation in early intervention. We discuss what it looks like, the necessary components, and also the importance of documentation for us as practitioners. And at the end of the episode we share some of our own, life changing advice in order to rock your own documentation.

With the current state of the world, many of us were quickly transitioned into providing early intervention services via teletherapy. In today’s episode, we dive into the basics of EI teletherapy including our unique lens as an OT practitioner, how to redefine what teletherapy really is, and also some of the pros and cons to this service delivery method. There is a bunch to talk about in regards to teletherapy so stay tuned for some follow up episodes going even deeper into the virtual therapy world.

Did you just get a job in early intervention? Or are you hoping to make the jump from working with adults to working with babies? We’ve received a lot of questions about transitioning into EI so today we’re digging into considerations for practitioners and new grads on how best to get into this practice area. We discuss some of the best ways to gain experience with this population, how other practice areas can support your work in EI, and also provide some professional development resources to help you be confident and competent while transitioning into working in early intervention.

The IFSP is a critical part of working in early intervention. But you might be asking what is it exactly? This episode breaks down the IFSP process including what the letters mean, who contributes to it, when it is updated, and our role as occupational therapy practitioners. We also discuss the difference between an IFSP and an IEP.