In our second episode of OT Evidence in Action, Jessica and Bianca delve into the crucial role occupational therapists play in supporting children’s success at school.

We review the article “Interventions within the Scope of Occupational Therapy to Improve Children’s Academic Participation: A Systematic Review” by Lester Coloma Grajo, Christine Candler, and Amira Saraf, published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. This systematic review synthesises evidence from 46 studies and explores how OT interventions can improve academic participation for students aged 5 to 21 using occupation-centred and activity-based approaches.

You can access the article here: https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.039016

We unpack:

• The evidence for commonly used sensory strategies like weighted vests and stability balls, and what to consider when recommending them.
• Why yoga in schools shows moderate evidence for improving participation and regulation.
• Creative and collaborative strategies that improve literacy engagement
• The strong evidence supporting OT-led handwriting interventions (and why therapist skill matters more than the program)
• Key takeaways to help you advocate, document, and collaborate more effectively as a school-based OT

Whether you’re a student, an early career OT, or simply curious about occupational therapy in education, this episode will give you some insights into applying evidence in practice and expanding the ways we support academic participation meaningfully and ethically.