Ishanee Jahagirdar

Occupational therapist, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

“I work with children who’ve recently received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. I provide support with everyday functioning, like working on motor skills; independence with self-care activities like dressing or feeding; and self-regulation. Sometimes we have issues with technology or slow internet, but we try to problem-solve together, like trying different devices or locations. Our families come from all across Ontario and for some of them, appointments are now more accessible because they can have their consultation without taking time off work or travelling.

“When I’m coaching parents or working with kids, I keep activities on hand so we can do things together. I use the screen-sharing function to show visuals or videos. And some parents and kids benefit from the virtual environment. One mom told me her child is often anxious in new environments, and that being at home for our appointment helped her child manage the anxiety of a new situation. Another kid was excited to show me all the cool Lego he’d built in his home.

“It’s also helpful to see the kids’ home environments. With one family, we wanted to create an obstacle course to work on the child’s balance, coordination and motor planning. We used chairs to create a tunnel, put tape on the floor to create a balance line and used a laundry basket as a basketball net.”