Caitlin Zook, OT-RL

Occupational Therapist

Ms. Caitlin Zook is an Occupational Therapist in Aptos, CA with special training and skill in holistically treating injured, ill, or disabled patients through therapeutic activities that help them develop, recover, improve, and maintain the skills needed for daily living and working. As an Occupational Therapist, Caitlin Zook, OT-RL performs rehabilitation of patients with mental, emotional, and physical disabilities by planning and administering medically prescribed occupational therapy. Occupational Therapy is physiological treatment of patients recuperating from physical or mental illness that encourages rehabilitation through the performance of activities required in daily life. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Occupational Therapists include work related upper extremity injuries, amputees and people with special prosthetics, stroke or heart attack victims, arthritis, multiple sclerosis or permanent disabilities patients, patients with head injuries and mental disabilities, severe burn and spinal cord trauma patients. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Occupational Therapists include individualized evaluation to determine the patient's goals; customized intervention to improve the patient's ability to perform daily activities, and outcome evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met and/or intervention plan adjusted.

An occupational therapist is a person who has graduated from an entry-level occupational therapy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or predecessor organizations, or approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), or an equivalent international occupational therapy education program; has successfully completed a period of supervised fieldwork experience required by the occupational therapy program; has passed a nationally recognized entry-level examination for occupational therapists, and fulfills state requirements for licensure, certification, or registration. An occupational therapist provides interventions based on evaluation and which emphasize the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (i.e., occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of facilitating participation in roles and situations and in home, school, workplace, community and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided for the purpose of promoting health and wellness and are provided to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. Occupational therapists address the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of occupational performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life.

Developmental Therapist

Ms. Caitlin Zook is a Developmental Therapist in Aptos, CA with special training and skill in identifying and treatment of developmental disorers in toddlers and young children. As a Developmental Therapist, Caitlin Zook, OT-RL performs play activities designed to help the child learn new skills and overcome their challenges. Developmental Therapy is a discipline that focuses on diagnosis and treatment of developmental disorders in children between the ages of 0-5 years old. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Developmental Therapists include speech delays, decreased attention skills, autism, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, poor social skills, sensory issues, and hearing impairments. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Developmental Therapists include conducting evaluations and interventions, providing parenting strategies, facilitating social skills, and providing play therapy.

A Developmental Therapist is a person qualified by completion of an approved program in Developmental Therapy and where applicable credentialed by the state and practicing within the scope of the credential, or credentialed by completion of education experiences as approved by the state and practicing within the scope of that credential or, where state credentialing does not exist, certified by the Board of the Developmental Therapy Association. A developmental therapist evaluates children's global development in order to identify areas of developmental delay whether arising from physiological, neurological, or environmental factors, or a combination of factors; and designs, implements, and modifies therapeutic interventions for the child and the family to promote the child's acquisition of skills in a variety of developmental areas, including cognitive processes and social interaction in order to maximize functional independence and developmental homeostasis, and improve the quality of life at home and in the community; and provides consultation for the parents and other professionals working with the family on global development.