Occupational Therapy News and Research

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Silver rings to alleviate symptoms of arthritis

Research by academics at the University of Southampton in collaboration with occupational therapy clinicians into the effectiveness of wearing a particular type of silver ring to alleviate symptoms of arthritis has won an award.

3 Jun 2008

Sensory integration therapy helps children with autism

Parents of children with autism are increasingly turning to sensory integration treatment to help their children deal with the disorder, and they're seeing good results. In 2007, 71 percent of parents who pursued alternatives to traditional treatment used sensory integration methods, and 91 percent found these methods helpful.

27 Apr 2008

Occupational therapists use Wii for Parkinson's study

It's Ingrid Bell's turn at bat. She steps up to the plate, awaiting the pitch. A 70-mph fastball soars toward her. She swings and connects with the ball.

7 Apr 2008

Moderate prenatal exposure to alcohol and stress in monkeys can cause touch sensitivity

A new study on monkeys has found that moderate exposure to alcohol and stress during pregnancy can lead to sensitivity to touch in the monkeys' babies.

8 Feb 2008

Occupational therapy is effective in improving independence in stroke patients

Occupational therapy can improve the lives of patients who have suffered a stroke and lessen their chances of deteriorating or even dying, according to an international study published in the British Medical Journal Online.

29 Nov 2007

Complementary medicine for chronic pain

Mr. Jones has chronic back pain. He cannot sleep, bend or stand for long periods of time because of the pain. He cannot lose weight because the pain keeps him from exercising.

10 Oct 2007

Occupational therapy helps stroke patients

Occupational therapy can improve the lives of patients who have suffered a stroke and lessen their chances of deteriorating, according to a study published on bmj.com.

29 Sep 2007

Does playfulness in young children encourage creativity and confidence?

That was the key question posed by Anita Bundy; Professor of Occupational Therapy at the University's the Faculty of Health Sciences, when she and her colleagues carried out an activity study of children aged five to seven at a Sydney primary school.

26 Jun 2007

University of Alabama at Birmingham opens adult Down Syndrome clinic

UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) has opened one of the few clinics in the nation dedicated to providing services to adult patients with Down Syndrome.

24 May 2007

Groundbreaking research on type 1 congenital myotonic dystrophy

Each year, the parents of an estimated one in 20,000 newborns are shocked to learn their child has type 1 congenital myotonic dystrophy (CDM1), a progressive and crippling genetic disorder.

24 May 2007

New program makes movement-based training more convenient and assessable to adults with cerebral palsy

Forty-one-year-old Laura Gable has lived her entire life with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that appears in infancy or early childhood, and permanently affects body movement and posture.

4 Apr 2007

Multiple sclerosis patients need better socio-economic support

People with multiple sclerosis need much more practical help and better care support, according to a study published in the latest Journal of Advanced Nursing.

2 Apr 2007

Quality of life for dementia patients improved by occupational therapy

According to researchers in the Netherlands, occupational therapy improves the quality of life for dementia patients and their carers.

20 Nov 2006

Community occupational therapy for patients with dementia and their caregivers

Occupational therapy can help to improve the ability of people with dementia patients to perform daily activities and can also reduce the pressure on their caregivers, says a British Medical Journal study.

19 Nov 2006

Study uncovers variations in service on UK's psychiatric wards

A groundbreaking study to assess the state of the nation’s acute psychiatric wards has uncovered substantial variations in service provision and delivery.

21 Mar 2006

Mayo Clinic provides new strategy for designing better treatments for juvenile dermatomyositis

Mayo Clinic researchers, working with colleagues at the University of Minnesota and University of Pittsburgh, are the first to describe a new role for a specialized cell of the immune system in children suffering from a rare muscle-damaging disease known as juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM).

14 Nov 2005

Key neural system at risk from prenatal exposure to alcohol

In a study of adult monkeys who were exposed to moderate amounts of alcohol in utero, scientists have found that prenatal exposure to alcohol - even in small doses - has pronounced effects on the development and function later in life of the brain's dopamine system, a critical component of the central nervous system that regulates many regions of the brain.

21 Sep 2005

Australian lambskin pressure care products granted FDA approval in the U.S.

Export opportunities into the lucrative American market have been thrown wide open for a unique South Australian range of medical lambskin products.

11 Aug 2005

Motor skills: power for life

'Motor Magic', a program that works with pre-school children who are experiencing developmental difficulties, their parents and kindergarten staff, produces marked benefits in terms of motor skills and sensory processing, leading to improved self-confidence and concentration, and better engagement in learning activities.

21 Jun 2005

Sensory intervention cab help ADHD kids

Preliminary findings from a study of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show that sensory intervention - for example, deep pressure and strenuous exercise - can significantly improve problem behaviors such as restlessness, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Of the children receiving occupational therapy, 95 percent improved. This is the first study of this size on sensory intervention for ADHD.

15 May 2005