The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) is designed to differentiate fatigue from clinical depression, since both share some of the same symptoms. Essentially, the FSS consists of answering a short questionaire that requires the subject to rate his or her own level of fatigue. The obvious problem with this measure is its subjectivity.

• A 9-item questionnaire with questions related to how fatigue interferes with certain activities and rates its severity
• The items are scored on a 7 point scale with 1 = strongly disagree and 7= strongly agree
• The minimum score = 9 and maximum score possible = 63. Higher the score = greater fatigue severity
• Another way of scoring: mean of all the scores with minimum score being 1 and maximum score being 7
• Self-report scale
• The evaluation of the FSS-BR (Fatigue Severity Scale-Brazilian-Portuguese version) suggests an excellent Test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.91)

The International Institute of Therapeutic Intervention and Learning is a great resource for those utilizing brain entrainment and neurofeedback. Their soundscapes specifically target areas where a client may be having trouble. For those unfamiliar with Brain Entrainment, it refers to the capacity of the brain to naturally synchronize its brainwave frequencies with the rhythm of periodic external stimuli, most commonly auditory, visual, or tactile. The external stimuli elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following response’, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given medium. FFR can be useful because brainwaves are very much related to mental state. For example, a 10 Hz brainwave is associated with relaxation, so a 10 Hz sound pattern would help reproduce the relaxed state in your brain. I have successfully used it with varying conditions including; ADHD, ASD, PTSD, Anxiety, and Sensory Integration. However, one does not have to have a diagnosis to utilize brain entrainment. Positive research on brain entrainment continues to grow and expand.

https://www.edx.org/course/through-my-eyes-intellectual-disability-healthcare-around-the-world

This health course focuses on the stories of people with intellectual disabilities around the world, as well as their families and supporters.

You will learn about the challenges and aid received in healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities, including their experience of specific syndromes and communication difficulties, and how they stay healthy.

Learners will also hear from family members as they discuss complex care, rare syndromes, early death, and planning for independence. The end of the course will focus on the history of treatment, the impact of rights’ movements on healthcare delivery, common health conditions, and health promotion.

This course is open to anyone, but will be of particular relevance to those in the field of advanced medical, allied health, and disability. This course can also be used as workforce education for medical professionals in this field.

 What you'll learn

• Insights into the daily life of those with intellectual disabilities and their families
• Challenges and obstacles experienced and how these are overcome
• Specific healthcare needs and how to promote good health for people with an intellectual disability

The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a self-administered questionnaire that consists of two dimensions, one for pain and the other for functional activities. The pain dimension consists of questions regarding the severity of an individual's pain. Functional activities are assessed with questions designed to measure the degree of difficulty an individual has with various activities of daily living that require upper-extremity use. The SPADI takes 5 to 10 minutes for a patient to complete and is the only reliable and valid region-specific measure for the shoulder.

(free eval)

Here is another OT Quick Question Session from our upcoming NBCOT study guide!!

You have no idea who you can inspire by chasing your dreams. As Occupational Therapists, in addition to the physical rehabilitation we perform, there are mental components, and in some cases rehabilitation of one’s  spirit.  We do this my increasing motivation, helping clients see their potential, and letting them know that the only limits that exist is the one that they place on themselves.

I want to introduce you to a great young man. Taquarius Wair, a high school football player, is in his senior year. He burned 55% of his body, some places all the way to the bone, at age 4. His mother pulled him from the fire, but he ran back in trying to save his oldest sister. Unfortunately, she didn't survive, but his hero heart holds her with every stride. Because of preconceived notions that no disabled person would ever go pro, he almost didn't play this year. That was until the Seattle Seahawks drafted a one-handed player, Shaquem Griffin, in the 5th round. Good thing he didn't quit, because he now will play college football at Mesabi Range College.

The GCPLA was initially designed to support an individual planning system in the assessment and generation of community participation and leisure needs, and to monitor the outcomes of interventions designed to increase and enhance the individual service user's experience of community and leisure activities. It may also be of use in individual planning, service evaluation, and staff training.

Think of your daily activities. Which activity is so important you should devote one-third of your time to doing it? Probably the first things that come to mind are working, spending time with your family, or doing leisure activities. But there’s something else you should be doing about one-third of your time—sleeping. Many people view sleep as merely a “down time” when their brains shut off and their bodies rest. People may cut back on sleep, thinking it won’t be a problem, because other responsibilities seem much more important. But research shows that a number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help people stay healthy and function at their best.

The mediocre OT tells.

The good OT explains.

The superior OT demonstrates.

The great OT inspires.

Who are you?