OTA Pediatric OT 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 4-year-old with sensory processing disorder avoids touching messy materials. Which intervention approach is MOST appropriate to begin desensitization?
- Immediately submerge the child's hands in finger paint
- Use a sensory diet with gradual exposure starting with dry textures (Correct answer)
- Require the child to complete art projects with wet materials daily
- Refer the child to a psychologist for behavioral therapy
Correct answer: Use a sensory diet with gradual exposure starting with dry textures
A sensory diet with gradual exposure from less aversive (dry) to more aversive (wet/messy) textures is the evidence-based approach for tactile defensiveness.
Question 2: Which standardized assessment is MOST commonly used to evaluate sensory processing patterns in school-age children?
- Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS-2)
- Sensory Profile 2 (Correct answer)
- Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2)
- Bayley Scales of Infant Development
Correct answer: Sensory Profile 2
The Sensory Profile 2 is a caregiver questionnaire specifically designed to measure sensory processing patterns in children ages birth through 14 years.
Question 3: A 7-year-old with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has difficulty with transitions between activities. Which OTA strategy is MOST effective?
- Enforce strict schedules without warning to build flexibility
- Use visual schedules and provide advance warnings before transitions (Correct answer)
- Allow the child to determine their own schedule
- Reduce all structured activities to minimize transitions
Correct answer: Use visual schedules and provide advance warnings before transitions
Visual schedules combined with advance warnings (e.g., '5 more minutes') help children with ASD predict and prepare for transitions, reducing anxiety.
Question 4: During a feeding evaluation, a 9-month-old demonstrates tongue thrusting with every spoon presentation. This pattern is BEST described as:
- A normal developmental reflex that should persist
- An abnormal oral motor pattern requiring intervention (Correct answer)
- A sign of food preference that should be accommodated
- Normal behavior indicating readiness for solid foods
Correct answer: An abnormal oral motor pattern requiring intervention
Tongue thrusting that persists beyond 4–6 months when solids are introduced is abnormal and indicates immature oral motor patterns requiring intervention.
Question 5: An OTA is working with a 5-year-old who has difficulty with bilateral coordination. Which activity BEST addresses this skill?
- Sorting small beads with one hand
- Completing a 4-piece puzzle independently
- Cutting paper with scissors while stabilizing the paper with the other hand (Correct answer)
- Tracing shapes with the dominant hand only
Correct answer: Cutting paper with scissors while stabilizing the paper with the other hand
Cutting with scissors while stabilizing paper requires simultaneous, coordinated use of both hands, directly targeting bilateral coordination.
Question 6: A school-based OTA is collaborating with a teacher for a child with ADHD who has trouble staying seated. Which environmental modification is MOST appropriate?
- Remove the child from classroom activities when disruptive
- Place the child in isolation to complete work
- Provide a dynamic seating option such as a wobble cushion (Correct answer)
- Increase homework load to improve focus during school
Correct answer: Provide a dynamic seating option such as a wobble cushion
Dynamic seating options like wobble cushions provide proprioceptive input that can help children with ADHD maintain attention and regulate arousal while remaining in the classroom.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes the role of the OTA in early intervention services under IDEA Part C?
- OTAs independently develop and implement the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
- OTAs provide services under the supervision of an OT and within the context of the family's routines (Correct answer)
- OTAs are not permitted to provide services in early intervention settings
- OTAs solely train parents without providing direct treatment
Correct answer: OTAs provide services under the supervision of an OT and within the context of the family's routines
Under IDEA Part C, OTAs provide services under OT supervision and integrate intervention into the family's natural routines and environments.
OTA Pediatric OT 2
A 4-year-old with sensory processing disorder avoids touching messy materials.
Which intervention approach is MOST appropriate to begin desensitization?