Consultative occupational therapy services are becoming widely used in the school environment. However, few studies have evaluated the utility of and the process by which these services are delivered. This study examined whether the written communication and fine motor skills of 23 children with fine motor difficulties improved after receiving school-based occupational therapy from a program whose mandate was to deliver services according to a consultation model of service delivery. In addition, the study assessed the process of service delivery, including treatment fidelity, or the extent to which consultation services were implemented as intended. Statistically significant and practically meaningful improvement was found in written communication on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Classroom Edition (VABS-C) and School Functional Assessment-Version 3.0 (SFA), and in fine motor skills on the SFA, but not on the VABS-C. An examination of the service delivery process revealed that therapists deviated from a purely consultative model, with 86% providing some direct therapy to children. Parents were mostly satisfied with services received, whereas teachers were indifferent or somewhat dissatisfied. Treatment fidelity is taken into consideration when discussing study findings. Recommendations to enhance school-based occupational therapy services delivered according to a primarily consultative model, and suggestions for future research, are provided.

Studies have investigated the use of eye-tracking technology to assess cognition in individuals with Rett syndrome, but few have looked at this access method for communication for this group. Loss of speech, decreased hand use, and severe motor apraxia significantly impact functional communication for this population. Eye gaze is one modality that may be used successfully by individuals with Rett syndrome. This multiple case study explored whether using eye-tracking technology, with ongoing support from a team of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) therapists, could help four participants with Rett syndrome meet individualized communication goals. Two secondary objectives were to examine parents' perspectives on (a) the psychosocial impact of their child's use of the technology, and (b) satisfaction with using the technology. All four participants were rated by the treating therapists to have made improvement on their goals. According to both quantitative findings and descriptive information, eye-tracking technology was viewed by parents as contributing to participants' improved psychosocial functioning. Parents reported being highly satisfied with both the device and the clinical services received. This study provides initial evidence that eye-tracking may be perceived as a worthwhile and potentially satisfactory technology to support individuals with Rett syndrome in communicating. Future, more rigorous research that addresses the limitations of a case study design is required to substantiate study findings.

It was anticipated that the frequency of family meals would positively influence the food group intake patterns of limited resource families with children. The sample consisted of new enrollees (N = 108) in the Nebraska Nutrition Education Program. The data included demographic information, 24‐hour food recalls, family mealtime patterns, and a food group frequency questionnaire. One of the measures was the Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR), which compares the intake of individual nutrients to the Dietary Reference Intake. The 24‐hour recalls showed that only 27.8% of the primary caregivers had a MAR < 75, which is considered to be adequate. For the total group of caregivers, the mean MAR score was 61. Chi‐square tests revealed the following significant relationships between frequency of family meals and food consumption by the oldest school‐aged child: increased frequency of family breakfast and the milk group; increased frequency of both family breakfast and lunch and 100% fruit juice; and increased frequency of family breakfast and fruit.

While optimizing quality of life (QOL) is a key goal of rehabilitation care, no previous study has reported on what ‘QOL’ means to youth with chronic health conditions. In addition, no qualitative studies have explored the relationship between QOL and self-determination (SD). Objectives of this qualitative study were to examine: what the terms ‘quality of life’ and ‘self-determination’ mean to youth with chronic conditions; the factors these youth think are linked with these concepts; the relationship they see between concepts, the types of future goals youth have and how they view the connection between their SD and these goals. A descriptive methodology was used. A purposive sample of 15 youth aged 15 to 20 years was obtained. Youth had cerebral palsy, a central nervous system disorder, or autism spectrum disorder. Semi-structured interviews were conducted first, followed by a focus group. Line-by-line coding of transcripts was completed, codes were collapsed into categories, and themes identified. Participants viewed QOL as an overarching personal evaluation of their life, and used terms such as satisfaction and happiness to describe the concept. Factors related to QOL included: ‘relationships’, ‘supportive environments’, ‘doing things’, ‘personal growth and moving forward’, and ‘understanding of self/acceptance of disability’. Participants described SD in such terms as confidence and motivation. Contributors to SD were: ‘personal strengths’, ‘interdependence’, and ‘functional independence’. SD was considered important to QOL. Youth goals were reflective of the goals of most adolescents. They identified the importance of having key goals that were of personal interest to them. This study adds consumer-based information to the debate over the meaning of QOL. Service providers and decision makers should be aware of the factors that youth feel impact their QOL and SD, the importance of SD to youth QOL, and of SD to future goals, and consider this information when tailoring therapeutic interventions.

Consultative occupational therapy services are becoming widely used in the school environment. However, few studies have evaluated the utility of and the process by which these services are delivered. This study examined whether the written communication and fine motor skills of 23 children with fine motor difficulties improved after receiving school-based occupational therapy from a program whose mandate was to deliver services according to a consultation model of service delivery. In addition, the study assessed the process of service delivery, including treatment fidelity, or the extent to which consultation services were implemented as intended. Statistically significant and practically meaningful improvement was found in written communication on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Classroom Edition (VABS-C) and School Functional Assessment-Version 3.0 (SFA), and in fine motor skills on the SFA, but not on the VABS-C. An examination of the service delivery process revealed that therapists deviated from a purely consultative model, with 86% providing some direct therapy to children. Parents were mostly satisfied with services received, whereas teachers were indifferent or somewhat dissatisfied. Treatment fidelity is taken into consideration when discussing study findings. Recommendations to enhance school-based occupational therapy services delivered according to a primarily consultative model, and suggestions for future research, are provided.