OT Definitions
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The following is a list of definitions that are commonly used in OT.
SENSORIMOTOR PROCESSING SKILLS: ability to accept and organize sensory information in order to adapt and respond appropriately to the environment. Integration occurs when the information comes from the senses and the body produces a motor response. Areas include taste, smell, sight, sound (auditory), touch (tactile), movement (vestibular), and body position (proprioception).
Oculomotor: ability to control eye movement, look at, and follow objects, for example, reading a book, copying from the chalkboard, cutting, catching/throwing a ball
Eye-hand coordination: ability to use the eyes and hands together to perform an activity, for example, stringing beads, completing puzzles, playing board games
Bilateral Coordination: ability to use both sides of the body at the same time, for example, jumping jacks, holding the paper with one hand (stabilizer, "helper" hand) while cutting or writing with the other hand (dominant, "worker" hand)
Body Awareness: ability to recognize body parts and space on self and others
Motor Planning: ability to plan and carry out movement, for example, how to form a letter when writing
GROSS MOTOR SKILLS: ability to use large motor skills, for example, balance, skipping, tossing a ball
FINE MOTOR SKILLS: ability to use small motor skills (hands), for example, grasp, color, cut, write
Grasp: ability to pick up and hold objects with your hand
Pincer Grasp (on objects): thumb and index finger; AKA "pincher fingers", most mature
Tripod Grasp (on objects): thumb, index, and middle fingers; less mature than pincer grasp
Tripod Grasp (on writing implement): three fingered; thumb, index, and middle fingers
Quadripod Grasp (on writing implement): four fingered; thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers
Open Webspace: when thumb and index finger form a circle
Closed Webspace: when thumb crosses/hooks over, typically over the index finger or writing implement
Dynamic: when fingers move when using the writing implement
Static: when wrist moves when using a writing implement
Isolation: ability to separate and use one or more fingers, for example, point with index finger, pincer grasp with remaining fingers tucked in fist, number counting 1-4 on fingers, fingerspelling (sign language)
Manipulation: ability to move objects within the hand, for example, grasp/release 1 of 3 marbles at a time and hold them in hand
VISUAL MOTOR SKILLS: ability to use the eyes and hands together to get things on paper, for example, copy shapes/letters, color, cut, write in notebook
VISUAL PERCEPTUAL SKILLS: how the brain interprets what it sees
Visual Closure: ability to recognize a shape, object, letter, or word when only part of it is seen, for example, dot-to-dots, photocopy of a page when letter/words are cut off
Visual Discrimination: ability to tell the difference between objects that differ, for example, square vs rectangle, /b/ vs /d/, uppercase vs lowercase letters
Visual Figure Ground: ability to pick out objects from a background, for example, Where's Waldo, hidden pictures, scanning a sentence to find the letter /t/
Visual Form Constancy: ability to recognize the same shape, object, or letter in different situations, /t/ written in textbook is same as /t/written on chalkboard
Visual Memory: ability to recall the visual image of objects, forms, symbols, and movements, for example, games such as Concentration and Memory
Visual Sequential Memory: ability to recall a series of objects, forms, symbols, and movements
Visual Spatial Relations: ability to recognize a shape, object, or letter when presented in different positions, for example, puzzles, block designs, assembly projects
Reversals: when letters, numbers, or words, appear backwards either visually or written
SELF-HELP SKILLS: ability to perform skills such as dressing, bathing, eating, brushing teeth, and combing hair