Occupational Therapist Test Pediatric OT 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 3-year-old with autism spectrum disorder refuses to eat anything except crunchy foods and gags at soft textures. Which sensory processing pattern best describes this?
- Sensory seeking
- Sensory avoiding
- Sensory sensitivity (over-responsivity) (Correct answer)
- Poor sensory registration
Correct answer: Sensory sensitivity (over-responsivity)
Over-responsivity (sensory sensitivity) causes exaggerated negative reactions to textures, consistent with gagging and extreme food selectivity.
Question 2: When conducting a school-based OT evaluation, which frame of reference most directly guides intervention targeting handwriting legibility in a 7-year-old?
- Sensory integration
- Biomechanical
- Acquisitional/skill-based (Correct answer)
- Psychosocial
Correct answer: Acquisitional/skill-based
The acquisitional frame of reference focuses on teaching specific skills through practice and reinforcement, directly targeting handwriting legibility.
Question 3: A pediatric OT is working with a 5-year-old who has difficulty sustaining attention during tabletop tasks. Which environmental modification is MOST appropriate as a first-line strategy?
- Increase ambient noise to stimulate alertness
- Remove visual clutter and unnecessary materials from the workspace (Correct answer)
- Provide a rocking chair during tasks
- Dim the lighting to reduce stimulation
Correct answer: Remove visual clutter and unnecessary materials from the workspace
Removing visual clutter reduces competing sensory input and helps children with attention difficulties focus on the task at hand.
Question 4: Which standardized assessment measures functional independence in self-care, mobility, and social cognition in children ages 6 months to 7 years?
- Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2)
- Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) (Correct answer)
- Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2)
- Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI)
Correct answer: Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI)
The PEDI measures functional capabilities and performance in self-care, mobility, and social function for children up to 7.5 years.
Question 5: A 4-year-old with Down syndrome demonstrates hypotonia affecting hand function. Which grasp pattern would you MOST likely observe as a compensatory strategy?
- Lateral pinch substituting for tip pinch (Correct answer)
- Dynamic tripod grip
- Palmar grasp only
- Hook grasp for all objects
Correct answer: Lateral pinch substituting for tip pinch
Children with hypotonia often use lateral (key) pinch as compensation because it requires less intrinsic muscle strength than tip-to-tip pinch.
Question 6: During a home visit, an OT observes a 2-year-old with cerebral palsy who is non-ambulatory. Which piece of adaptive equipment addresses postural support for mealtimes MOST directly?
- Supine stander
- Corner seat or adaptive high chair with trunk support (Correct answer)
- Prone wedge
- Platform walker
Correct answer: Corner seat or adaptive high chair with trunk support
An adaptive high chair or corner seat provides the trunk and hip support needed for safe, upright positioning during mealtimes.
Question 7: Which developmental milestone is typically achieved by 9 months of age and is a prerequisite for object permanence and early play?
- Symbolic play with miniature objects
- Intentional release of objects
- Cause-and-effect understanding (e.g., shaking a rattle) (Correct answer)
- Container play (filling and dumping)
Correct answer: Cause-and-effect understanding (e.g., shaking a rattle)
Understanding cause-and-effect, such as shaking a rattle to produce sound, typically emerges around 6–9 months and underpins early cognitive development.
Occupational Therapist Test Pediatric OT 2
A 3-year-old with autism spectrum disorder refuses to eat anything except crunchy foods and gags at soft textures.
Which sensory processing pattern best describes this?