OTs in the Community

   After listening to the "Glass Half Full occupational therapy" podcast, titled "Au-some swimmers", I realized how big of a need there is for occupational therapy in the community setting, especially since  often there is a lack of funding. This podcast discussed a program that was started by OTs to help train lifeguards at a local swim lesson program to work with children with autism and other sensory processing disorders. To be honest, before listening to this podcast I overlooked many of the barriers present for a child who is on the spectrum may face when learning to swim. For example, it was brought up that even the time of day and day of the week can make a huge difference based on the number of people who may also be using the pool. The program that is discussed in the podcast helps lifeguards address these issues and helps train them to handle some of the behavioral differences in children with autism so that they can do their job effectively and teach the child to swim.
   It is easy to look at a child who is miserable and uncomfortable trying to learn to swim and figure why put them through that? However the reality is that if a child does not have basic swimming skills they are at a high risk of drowning if they ever fall in the water. This is why it is important for occupational therapists to go out into the community and help where they can. This podcast helped show me that there are so many essential programs out there that are not currently adapted for people who have a disability and we need OTs to be active in the community to help these programs interact in the necessary ways with people who have a disability for the safety and comfort of everyone involved.