Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapists know the importance of planning and sequencing in the execution of efficient motor movements for patients to become more functionally independent in their activities of daily living (ADLs). Getting your patients to complete a range of motion isn’t enough. To achieve motor learning, you must also encourage your patients to complete tasks repetitively and efficiently, while encouraging higher cognitive processing. Additionally, it is vital to effectively address the neurological basis for coordinated movement, that of synchronized timing within the brain and between the brain and limbs. And that is just taking into account motor skills. If working with an adult patient, cognitive abilities must also be addressed, such as initiation, sequencing, organization, anticipation, planning, problem-solving, reasoning, and safety-judgment. In the case of a pediatric patient, you may be addressing sensory integration and cognitive abilities such as reciprocal social engagement, eye-contact, self-regulation, focus/concentration, handwriting, and academic achievement, IM is the tool you add to your therapy sessions to address the neurological underpinning of these skills, that of temporal processing (or timing in the brain). By combining treatment approaches to address the core deficit of timing and functional therapeutic activities, you will achieve better treatment outcomes.
Once patients are engaged, the feedback features of the IM are introduced and they begin taking steps towards improving:
- Attention
- Balance
- Bilateral Coordination
- Fine and Gross Motor Skills
- Motor Planning & Sequencing
- Sequencing for ADLs & IADLs
- Self-Monitoring & Self-Control
- Sensory Integration