Importance: Premature infants are not prepared developmentally, physically, or cognitively with the multiple survival skills of the typical newborn. Objective: To determine whether physical activity generated spontaneously by premature infants stretching against the resistance of “prepod” garments is as effective as exercises provided by therapists in slowing bone density loss. Design: Preterm very low birth weight infants were placed in two nonrandomized parallel groups according to birth age. Setting: Infants routinely started in a traditional intense intervention setting and graduated to a special care section with private rooms that allowed parents to remain with their child. Participants: Healthy infants without medical complications, born between 28 and 32 wk postmenstrual age. Intervention: The control group received traditional exercises. The experimental group wore a prepod almost 24 hr a day. Outcomes and Measures: An ultrasound of the tibia was obtained at 31 to 32 wk and 4 wk later. Weight gain, head circumference growth, and length of stay (LOS) were also measured. Results: Although not statistically significant, the ultrasound results showed that the prepod group had less loss of bone density than the traditional therapy exercise group. The desired outcome was for pods to be as effective at reducing bone loss as traditional exercise, so the results exceeded expectations. The unexpected, and more notable, finding was a striking drop in LOS for the prepod group. Conclusions and Relevance: Spontaneous exercise by premature infants decreases bone loss and LOS. Better bone health and increased developmental maturity increase the chances of a positive developmental outcome and save the hospital significant expense. What This Article Adds: The prepod is a simple, cost-effective, noninvasive treatment tool occupational therapy practitioners can use to support a premature infant’s development. This study has considerable potential to affect how infants are served, both developmentally and financially.

Importance: Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of unintentional deaths of children ages 1 and older, particularly children with health care needs. Objective: To explore family caregivers’ experiences and current practices while transporting children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Design: A concurrent nested mixed-methods approach was used to gain insight into caregiver experiences. Setting: Participants completed an online Qualtrics survey. Participants: A convenience sample of 54 caregivers of children with ASD from 17 U.S. states. Results: Themes that emerged include sensory behaviors of children, education related to child passenger safety, and participation in the community. Statistically significant findings suggest a correlation between caregivers (n = 39) being less likely to participate in activities away from home if the child had attempted to elope (p = .013), displayed aggressive behaviors (p = .005), or demonstrated self-injurious behaviors (p = .001). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings suggest a correlation between caregivers limiting the distance traveled during vehicular transportation and behavioral safety concerns. If caregivers must limit travel, they may refrain from accessing the community and engaging in leisure pursuits. What This Article Adds: The findings suggest that therapists who treat children with ASD should be familiar with child passenger safety restraints, particularly for elopement.

Importance: The recovery model in mental health involves person-driven care and informed decision making to enhance engagement in meaningful activities and inclusion in society. To facilitate the recovery process, occupational therapy practitioners must support their clients in understanding how their participation in meaningful occupation is intimately related to their health and well-being. Objective: To explore whether engaging in an occupational reflection intervention on an inpatient psychiatric unit can support the recovery of adults living with serious mental illness (SMI). Design: Using a phenomenological design, we conducted semistructured interviews to assess whether participation in an occupational reflection intervention supported recovery. Setting: An inpatient psychiatric unit at a university medical center. Participants: We recruited 10 adults living with SMI using purposive sampling. Intervention: Participants engaged in a structured occupational reflection intervention using the Occupational Experience Profile (OEP). The OEP is a time-use diary that captures respondents’ subjective experiences of pleasure, productivity, restoration, and connection in relation to their participation in occupations over 24 hr. Study participants engaged in collaborative analyses regarding their OEP results to explore their subjective experiences in relation to their occupational participation. Outcomes and Measures: Participant self-report during interviews. Results: Engaging in structured reflection affected participants’ experiences of recovery by promoting insight into and awareness of how occupations affect mental health, encouraging positive reframing of occupational experience, and facilitating identification of strategies to support recovery and meaningful participation after discharge. Conclusions and Relevance: Occupational reflection can promote the recovery of adults living with SMI. What This Article Adds: A structured occupational reflection intervention can help adults living with SMI in inpatient psychiatric units to understand the close relationship between their participation in occupations and their health. This process provides valuable insight to clients regarding how to support their recovery through engagement in meaningful occupation.

This case report describes the distinct value of occupational therapy services in the treatment of a pediatric patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children in an acute care setting. Practice-based evidence was used to design the treatment plan for this patient throughout the course of his hospital stay. Interventions addressed range of motion, strength, functional endurance, activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and functional cognition. Occupational therapy goals focused on the progression toward return to baseline functioning and participation in ADLs and IADLs.

This case report describes occupational therapy services provided in consultation with a primary care practice for a community-dwelling older adult dyad with mild coronavirus disease 2019. The occupational therapy evaluation included administration of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure through telehealth to identify priority areas for intervention; the clients selected participation during activities of daily living and mealtime, fall prevention, cooking together, and leisure participation. The intervention process focused on addressing the dyad’s identified priorities as well as managing caregiver stress and preventing hospitalization. Positive outcomes were achieved while adhering to social distancing guidelines set forth by state and national agencies.