Physical Therapy - Wichita Falls ISD

When to Refer
To Occupational Therapy:
When students have deficits in sensory
processing, fine motor/ handwriting skills, upper
extremity coordination/strength, or self-care
skills limiting their success in the educational
environment.
Contact
Information
Name: Pat Bynum, PT
Phone: 235-1019
*14016
Email: pbynum@wfisd.net
To Physical therapy:
When students have deficits in gait, frequent
falls, lower extremity coordination/strength,
and are unable to access their environment
without adaptive aids/equipment limiting their
success in the educational environment.
Name: Tabatha Amick, COTA
Phone: 235-1019
*14014
Email: tamick@wfisd.net
Factors for referrals include:
1. 
2. 
The deficits significantly interfere with the
student's ability to benefit from his/her
educational program.
Appears to be primarily motor or sensorimotor based.
3. 
Documented previous attempts to alleviate
problems have not been successful.
4. 
Potential for change in the student's
performance through intervention appears
likely (change unrelated to maturity).
5. 
The expertise of a therapist is required.
In the educational setting, the physical
and occupational therapists are NOT
responsible for the total rehabilitation
of each student. Non-educationally
related goals for a student may be the
responsibility of other professionals
such as outpatient and/or private
practice clinics/ clinicians.
Kidspeaktherapies.com
Name: Lauren Burrer, OTR
Phone: 235-1019
*14027
Email: lburrer@wfisd.net
Name: Abbie Flinn, COTA
Phone: 235-1019
*14013
Email: aflinn@wfisd.net
Name: Cassidy Keeter, COTA
Phone: 235-1019
*14017
Email: ckeeter@wfisd.net
WICHITA
FALLS ISD
OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY
AND
PHYSICAL
THERAPY
Occupational
Therapy
What it is:
School-based occupational therapists
(OTs) and occupational therapy
assistants (COTAs) use meaningful
activities (occupations) to help
students participate in what they need
and/or want to do in order to promote
physical and mental health and wellbeing in the educational environment.
Occupational therapy addresses the
physical, cognitive, psychosocial and
sensory components of performance in
the areas of play and leisure, social
participation, self-care skills (ADLs or
Activities of Daily Living), and
transition/ work skills. Occupational
therapy’s expertise includes activity
and environmental analysis and
modification, with a goal of reducing
barriers to participation.
What OT addresses:
* Fine motor skills: hand development,
hand strength, dexterity, scissor skills,
shoulder/trunk strength and stability.
*Handwriting: providing adaptive paper
or equipment, pencil grasp, grasp
patterns, adaptive equipment to
improve legibility.
* Self-help skills: manage clothing in
the school setting (i.e. backpacks,
buttons, zippers, snaps, and tying
shoes), feeding skills/independence in
the cafeteria, toileting, and adaptive
equipment.
* Oral motor skills: facilitation and
desensitization of oral structures,
positioning techniques, and adaptive
equipment.
* Sensory awareness and processing:
recommend sensory strategies to
optimize student’s learning potential,
and decrease sensory overload from
the environment (i.e. meltdowns,
aversion to tactile/auditory stimuli,
constant rocking).
*Education: providing education to
students, staff and parents via
handouts, staff meetings, or one on
one consultation.
Physical
Therapy
What it is:
The emphasis of school-based physical
therapy is to help students access the
academic environment and participate
in educationally related activities.
Physical therapists are responsible for
evaluating and treating students with
disabilities, and recommending
adaptive equipment, environmental
accommodations, or assistive
technology.
What PT addresses:
Ambulation: Functional mobility skills
(independent and/or assisted),
architectural accessibility, utilizing
appropriate assistive devices,
transfers, positioning.
Gross Motor tasks: visual motor,
positioning, pre-vocational tasks, play
and leisure activities, activities that
support students in natural
environments or general education
curriculum.
Education: Staff in-service and
professional development, and provide
assistance in environment adaptations,
acquiring, or modifying equipment or
devices.