The Irish Occupational Therapy Podcast

In this conversation speech and language therapist, Sarah Kelly, discusses the importance of individualised communication strategies for children. She emphasises the need for parents to seek information and advice from reputable sources, such as registered health professionals.

Sarah provides practical tips for parents to support their child's communication and language development through play and everyday routines. She highlights the significance of gestures, imitation, and turn-taking in communication. Sarah also discusses the use of Augmented Interactual Communication (AAC) devices and the importance of providing choices for children to express themselves.

You can find Sarah at:

https://speakeasyslt.ie/

https://wwhttps://speakeasyslt.ie/w.playeasy.ie/

Key Takeaways:

In this conversation, Patricia Flynn, a perinatal and paediatric occupational therapist and researcher, discusses the importance of sleep for parents and children. She emphasises the need for parents to trust their own instincts and expertise when it comes to their child's sleep. Patricia also highlights the impact of sleep on the parent-child relationship and offers practical strategies for improving sleep. She encourages individualisation and non-judgment when it comes to sleep environments and addresses the concept of sleep regression. Patricia advocates for occupational therapists to take a holistic and occupation-centered approach to sleep support.

Key Takeaways:

For more information go to https://knowsleep.org/

Introducing Season 3- this is a limited series focused on the basics of parenting. Speaking to Occupational Therapists and other experts in the field we will address areas such as feeding, toileting, sleep, communication, play and parenting children with additional needs. Hit follow to make sure you get your weekly update!

With a wealth of clinical experience spanning mental health and primary care services, Claire's journey into management in late 2023 marks a significant career milestone.

In this episode, Claire shares insights from her transition from hands-on clinical practice to strategic leadership within a hospital setting.

Delving into her passion for evidence-based interventions, Claire reveals the pivotal role of occupational therapy in facilitating the transition from institutional to independent living, drawing from her PhD research completed in 2020.

For anyone who is interested in the process of undertaking a PhD, Claire shares some top tips on how to approach this.

Yvonne Pennisi is an impassioned Occupational Therapy lecturer in University College Cork.

Jen, Emer, and Aideen discuss menopause and its impact on women. Emer, an Irish Occupational Therapist who specialises in menopause, shares her journey into this field, starting with a project in university. She highlights the lack of understanding and attention given to menopause and emphasises the need for more focus on this issue. Regardless of areas of practice, Occupational Therapists who are working with women or people assigned female at birth need to be aware of their role in supporting individuals experiencing menopause.

Find Emer at https://www.the-meno-ot.ie/

Follow Adam on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/adam.the.ot/