Question
What is the OT role in childhood grief?
Answer
Occupational therapy addresses children's grief by focusing on the disruption of meaningful occupations, including ADLs, play, education, and social participation. Practitioners use purposeful activities to promote mental health, helping children who may show behavioral regressions—such as loss of dressing skills or school avoidance—re-engage with their daily routines. By integrating holistic, client-centered interventions like mindfulness and sensory regulation, OTs provide a vital service that restores a child's ability to navigate their world after a devastating loss.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Addressing Children's Grief Head On From An Occupational Therapy Perspective, presented by Elizabeth Reymann, OTR/L.
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