Amanda Schuller
COMM 3100
Final Paper
5/9/15
Religion is a very interesting and important concept that comes into play when looking at the occupational therapy profession. As an occupational therapist, I see many children and adults that have differing religious beliefs. This profession does not discriminate based upon someone’s religion but it helps guide our treatment session with the patients. It is not a question we ask initially; however we do ask if religion is a part of their life when scheduling their appointments to accommodate their family better. The therapist must take into account their specific religious beliefs to know which goals are of importance to them, what foods they are prohibited from eating, and their religious ceremonies…show more content… They also take into account parent report of deficits the child might exhibit such as not being able to tie their shoes, poor and non-legible handwriting, balance and coordination deficits, feeding difficulties, as well as challenges with their social skills. The main goal of an occupational therapist is to help the child achieve their highest level of functioning on any activities they complete throughout their lifetime. This is accomplished by taking a holistic approach on adapting the environment, providing the child with compensatory strategies, and educating the family in home programming activities…show more content… Buddhists need peace and quiet during times of crisis due to their belief in meditation. They may also request a therapist of the same gender due to their culturally-based concern for modesty. Hindu patients may request this too for the same reason and often the spouse is not present when discussing genital or urinary issues. Jewish patients have the same concern for modesty, however they have a high regard for healthcare professions and this may lessen their concern for the gender of the therapist. Muslims on the other hand have this concern for modesty, but women need to cover their entire body before someone enters the room. They may also request to have a family member in the room during exams. Muslim men request male therapists due to the strict modesty concerns including no eye contact or hand shaking with females outside of their family unit