How occupational therapy helps in the process of rehab

Evaluations:
1. Sensory evaluatins of the extremeties to test for parlysis, paresis, etc. Such as the semmes-weinstein monofilament test. This will test the dermatomes impacted and the level of injury. It will allow the therapist to develop a treatment plan as to waht the client will be functionally able to perform. It will also allow the therapist and client to know what precautions to be aware of, and safety issues.
2. The FIM can be use to monitor and evaluate progress associated with daily activities in the area of self care, mobility, locomotion, communication, and social cognition. Determines whether person is either dependent or independent in activities such as eating, toileting, and dressing. This will determine how much a person with SCI can do on their own and how much they may need assistance on.
3. Home evaluations to detect hazards for falls, make the home more accessible for a SCI client.
4. Life satisfaction inventory

Treatment:
A client with C6 SCI causing quadriplegia will benefit from OT intervention to regain function with activtiies of daily living. An OT can develop an intervention to develop a more functional grip using the naturally occuring wrist tenodesis. OT's can educate the clients on the use of splints and other adaptive equipment to make the use of wrist tenodesis more functional in daily activities such as dressing, transfers, eating, etc.