At a glance, many would never have guessed that this petite woman is an occupational therapist.
Born in Kuala Lumpur, but brought up in Perak, 25-year-old Nazahiyah Abdullah is one of the three full-time therapists at the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation-National Centre (KDSF-NC) in Petaling Jaya.
She is the only occupational therapist there, with the other two being physiotherapists.
What does one gain from being an occupational therapist?
"I didn't choose occupational therapy as a career. I wanted to study physiotherapy at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), but occupational therapy was offered to me instead.
"I had no idea what occupational therapy was. When I went for classes, I began to understand more about occupational therapy," said Nazahiyah, who is known as Naza to family members, friends, and KDSF-NC's colleagues and children.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Naza enrolled in UiTM in Shah Alam, Selangor, in July 2006 and graduated four years later with B.Sc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy.
She started working at a private centre as an occupational therapist in November 2010 before joining KDSF-NC in April 2011.
What do occupational therapists do?
Occupational therapists assist patients in performing tasks at home and at the workplace.
"They (occupational therapists) work closely with people who have mental, physical, developmental, and emotional issues. Occupational therapists help to improve patients' motor functions and reasoning skills.
"By helping patients in these tasks, we hope they will be able to lead independent, productive and satisfying lives," she said.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
According to Naza, occupational therapists help disabled people in their everyday life.
"Common occupational therapy interventions include enabling children with disabilities to participate fully in educational activities and social situations, helping people recover from injuries, assisting individuals in skills-development, and assisting older adults who have physical and cognitive problems," she said.
According to Naza, an occupational therapist works closely with his/her client and his/her family to determine the client's goals. Accordingly, the therapist will provide assistance to the client so that he/she can perform daily activities with ease and reach his/her goals.
"An occupational therapist may study a client's home and other environments, including workplace or school, to ensure the client receives the right training and assistance," she said.
Occupational therapy practitioners help clients to adapt to their environment and fit into social situations.
DOWN SYNDROME
Compared to other children with different health conditions, children with Down Syndrome are unique in their own way, yet similar to other children.
Naza said it is important for children with Down Syndrome to be able to perform daily tasks, go to school, and have a meaningful life once they become adults.
Occupational therapists help children with Down Syndrome by teaching them life skills.
Therapists also engage children in games and educational activities.
Occupational therapists identify other problems a child may be facing, including sensory integration problems.
Naza explained that occupational therapists also provide customised treatment programmes to improve one's ability to perform daily activities.
"Occupational therapists are responsible for comprehensive evaluation of homes and workplaces, to ensure their clients adapt well to their environment.
"An occupational therapist will also look into the usage and training of adaptive equipment," she said, adding that training is also given to family members and caregivers.
NOT A POPULAR PROFESSION?
"Occupational therapy is not a popular profession. However, occupational therapists play an important role in the society. I urge all occupational therapists to serve their patients with care," said Naza.
"It is our job to ensure that people with disabilities are independent and are able to lead meaningful lives.
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