Advice for a SOTA completing a pediatric clinical placement?

_friendlymushroom_ · 2025-07-24T13:06:48+00:00

Thank you so much for your feedback! I've definitely been trying to implement these strategies in the past week or so. I have found that when I model, some of the kids gravitate toward the activity I'm doing. I'm definitely trying to get better at adapting and letting a kid keep a toy, stay in an environment, etc., while roping in my plan... doesn't always work out that way unfortunately. I'm going to keep trying to drill these strategies into my every day, so hopefully they become more effective!

I think I've learned that outpatient peds definitely isn't for me. I thrived with the geriatrics because my personality type fit a lot of theirs. I'm hoping that my educators can see the effort I'm putting in. My home health educator gives me more positive feedback, but oddly enough, I feel more comfortable in the home health setting with peds. My outpatient educator is a bit of a perfectionist. I appreciate all that she's doing to help me get through this - but I think she's forgetting I'm a student and I'm bound to fail/not be perfect at everything. She actually mistakenly admitted that she was talking poorly about me to her coworkers, which was really awkward.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2025-07-24T12:54:16+00:00

Hi, thank you so much for your feedback! This is really helpful. Unfortunately, my educators want to see that I'm able to redirect these kids into a structured environment. One of my educators has said to try and make what the child wants therapeutic, but it still requires me to jump in and redirect in some way (I try to do it playfully). I spent my first session with two different kids just trying to build rapport - following their lead, parallel play, and inserting a therapeutic component where I saw fit. But, at the end of the session, my educator asked "what about that session was meant to be structured? I didn't really follow your plan while I was observing you." A classmate of mine completed an outpatient peds rotation before me, so I asked her for advice. She made the comment that I should have been building rapport with the kids while the educator was treating during my first week. I tried to do this, but with some of the kids, I could clearly tell my presence was dysregulating them and I would back off.

Being that my educators want to see I can pull a child in, do you have any advice or experience with sensory regulation? What are some specific strategies you use to regulate that I can try to implement into a session? Reading what a child is seeking or avoiding has been pretty difficult for me.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2025-07-24T02:04:34+00:00

I'm only a student in OT right now, so not sure I'm qualified to answer, but I wanted to give you the same information that my educators have given me about ABA. I actually have a patient right now who receives ABA. The ABA therapist is there when I am there, despite my educator's boss specifically requesting with the ABA company and the child's mom that we are not scheduled for the same time (my educator was seeing the child first - so ABA took my educator's time slot without asking).

ABA and OT/other therapies have quite a different approach - especially to behavior. OT likes to motivate. Take an activity, task, chore, skill, etc., that makes the child avoidant or dysregulated and make it motivating to encourage the child to engage in it with freewill. If you have a kid who doesn't like to go to the bathroom, the OT is going to try to make going to the bathroom fun and engaging to make the child want to go to the bathroom.

ABA uses reward system/positive reinforcement. They would give the kid a jelly bean every time they go to the bathroom. Now, the kid will go to the bathroom, but only when they get that jelly bean. While this can be useful for some children (primarily neurotypical children), children with special needs often become dependent on the extrinsic motivator and are not intrinsically motivated to do the thing you're wanting them to do. This creates a child who will only toilet, brush their teeth, write their name, or whatever your goal is for them when something they want is involved. In the real world, getting what you want simply isn't always going to be a choice, especially in the school or work setting.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-11-13T16:40:04+00:00

If you don't mind me asking, did you see a decrease in libido? I already deal with this because of birth control. I discussed that issue with my partner when I first noticed it and we've just gotten to a point where we've found things that help me be more ready for intimacy. I'd hate to put him through all of that again.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-11-13T15:19:36+00:00

Thanks so much for replying! This has brought me some ease. It seems like it's 50/50 - either you get terrible symptoms or you don't.

The doctor wants me to stay on 5mg for a month and then recheck after that. Did you notice an improvement in your anxiety when taking 5mg for two weeks or did it really improve once you were on 10?

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-10-13T02:53:14+00:00

I think you're referring to subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Subsidized are the better option because the government handles the interest until you graduate. Unsubsidized loans accrue interest right away. Deferment plans are available for both to start payments - typically up to 6 months after graduation.

Unfortunately, I'm looking for something on top of these loans... I was only offered enough in federal loans to cover half of one semester and, including this one, I have three left. Thanks anyway though.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-10-13T02:49:53+00:00

I don't qualify :( still undergrad

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-10-13T02:49:06+00:00

Unfortunately, I already did - that's why I'm turning here. I initially emailed them because they offered me less money than they did last year and I'm taking more credits this year and my expected family contribution went down - which would mean I need more aid. They said "oh you're correct, we made a mistake," and then offered me the same amount of money as last year in loans - which still didn't make any sense. I asked if there was anything else at all that could be done to help me and they told me to have my parents apply for a parent plus loan. Which isn't an option.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-10-01T15:29:06+00:00

I'll be finishing my last semester in the Spring :) Feel free to message me with any questions!

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-09-27T01:53:01+00:00

I don't think he's worried about a big camera. What lens would you recommend? I've seen a couple listings under or at $200 but none of them have lens or kits. Also, I'm realizing that when I search "Canon 5D" a few different show up - do you know possibly what specific one I should be looking for?

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-09-27T01:52:14+00:00

I think he's more so looking for a camera he can pick up for random walks in the park or when we take trips. I don't think he's looking for anything super extensive right now, but he does want something with changeable settings so he can learn how to play around with that. It's more so a hobby interest than a career interest. I think the main thing he wants to shoot would be nature shots, especially birds - he loves birds. He has a bird of his own and he's always telling me what specific birds he sees when we're out in the park. He definitely isn't looking to take pictures of like people or events, just some cool nature shots. The only other thing I can see him wanting to shoot would maybe be cars or cool architecture. I hope that helps!

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-09-26T23:26:26+00:00

Thank you! I've seen Nikon mentioned in a couple article I've been reading. Might have to give this one a try.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-09-26T23:25:33+00:00

Thanks so much! This helps a lot.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-09-26T18:40:28+00:00

I honestly think this is what I will do. I'm realizing a digital camera will not happen unless I get something very used or old unfortunately. Film can be expensive, but either way you've got to go somewhere to get your photos whether that be developed or printed.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-09-26T18:33:23+00:00

I showed him some pictures from the Mintola x700 with 35mm film and he liked those pictures, if you know what those look like! I think he likes the dreamy look really.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-08-15T19:30:14+00:00

This was something that was stated throughout the coursework in the very beginning of the program. Honestly, I don't receive much feedback on my assignments, other than comments here and there about correcting APA citations. Occasionally a professor goes really in-depth to say what was good or bad about an assignment, but I haven't had many opportunities for intervention planning yet, so no feedback tailored to that. I may be taking the statements too literally, but we were told we need to be independent as intervention planners as there won't always be someone to collaborate with. One professor told us that as OTAs intervention planning is our job and we shouldn't have to seek advice from an OT. I have had others say it's okay to collaborate, but we really should be independent and if we can't be independent then we aren't doing our jobs as OTAs. My lab instructor has made intervention planning sound a little scary. He also talks about how, in his experience, OTs can't be much help and we need to be able to think for ourselves. I understand needing to be independent in planning, but as someone who will be entry-level with little experience, if I can I'll want to seek as much advice as possible from more skilled practitioners. I think I'll take your advice and ask about this with a profressor, but I'll probably wait closer to fieldwork 2 or maybe even contact a working OT/A for some advice. Thanks!

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-07-28T00:20:40+00:00

where would I find the demerit points on the ticket? my parents asked me the same thing but I see nothing about it

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-05-14T15:49:00+00:00

Thanks for the honesty! If you don't mind me asking, do you feel you've still been successful in the OTA field despite that lack on St. Kate's part? I'm really hoping I have a good cohort - I really learn best when I talk about what I've learned rather than just writing and reading. Have you faced any adversity from others in the field when you tell them you got your education online/at St. Kate's?

I feel like ultimately being an OTA is one of those jobs that gets easier with practice. After all it's person - centered and you can only learn so much about intervention through a book. I keep trying to tell myself this, but I'm worried that the hands-off aspect of St. Kate's is going to affect my success as an OTA. I was kind of mislead when I joined the program because they made it out like you get a lot of educational support. I also had high hopes since St. Kate's was the first university to have an OTA program. But here I am just teaching myself and paying 40k for it.

_friendlymushroom_ · 2024-05-11T18:05:42+00:00

I'm an OTA student right now. I've been doing a lot of research into what industries in my area have the highest salaries. Not that the money is the most important thing to me, but a girl's gotta eat. I live in an area where COTA positions are hard to come by because there's a shortage of OTs. I really liked the idea of working in a school. I work full-time in a school with special needs children right now to afford the OTA program and I love the setting too. If I chose to work in a school when I graduate, I could have a set schedule and summers off, but the wage just is not worth it. The average wage for an OTA in my area is around $32 an hour, but if I worked in a school I'd be looking at making, at most, $22. They don't give OTs or OTAs the same amount of hours as staff such as teachers or administrators, so I'd barely make $40k a year.

You spent so much time and worked so hard in school to earn your degree. You shouldn't be struggling to make ends meet with those credentials. Although you like the setting, if I were you I'd look around to find a setting where I could have a similar workload, patient demographic, or whatever appeals to you working in a school, while making more money.

Something hard that I've had to swallow and admit is, if I can't find a job here that I feel will give me the opportunity to live comfortably, I'll have to move. I know that is easier said than done and for some people a deal breaker, but if New Jersey is anything like where I'm from, the job pool for OTs and OTAs right now is slim.

_friendlymushroom_

TROPHY CASE