OT or PT Reasons for Referral - Island Health

Occupational Therapy (OT) or Physiotherapy (PT) Reasons for Referral What do you want the student to do? How do you want the student to participate differently? OT: Please help the student to…      

Print or write more legibly, use an efficient pencil grasp, complete written work more quickly Do demonstrated tasks more easily (please specify these tasks on the referral form) Handle small objects more effectively (please list these objects on the referral form) Copy work from the board more accurately, organize work on the page better Take care of personal needs (please specify what these are on the referral form) Follow school routine more independently

PT: Please help the student to…        

Use a walker, wheelchair, standing frame, and/or braces safely and correctly Be safely and correctly lifted or moved in and out of specialized equipment(list the equipment on the referral form) Move in ways that allow him or her to participate in activities at school – e.g., PE, get up from the floor, walk up/down stairs, walk or run safely Experience fewer complaints of pain that seem to be related to doing a specific physical activity or activities (list the activities that seem to cause pain on the referral form) Be more co-ordinated with physical activities or learn to do them more easily (please list the activities on referral form) Participate in movement activities, where behavior alone is not the underlying cause of lack of participation Participate in activities expected for age/grade Participate in movement activities after there has been a change in a student’s ability to function.

Diagnosis alone, e.g., Down syndrome or Cerebral Palsy, is NOT a sufficient reason for a referral. Please review previous recommendations made by OT or PT before making a referral and then give practical reasons for the therapist to become involved. **If you have any queries regarding possible medical/neurological/other impairments affecting a student’s function, please consult with a school OT or PT before making a referral.

September 7, 2010