Occupational Therapist Test Pediatric OT 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which visual perceptual skill is MOST critical for reading words accurately without confusing letters such as 'b', 'd', 'p', and 'q'?
- Visual figure-ground
- Visual form constancy (Correct answer)
- Visual sequential memory
- Visual closure
Correct answer: Visual form constancy
Visual form constancy allows recognition that a shape is the same regardless of orientation or size, essential for differentiating similarly shaped letters.
Question 2: A therapist is using Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) with a 4-year-old who has hemiplegia. What is the PRIMARY mechanism of CIMT?
- Restraining the affected limb to rest it during therapy
- Constraining the unaffected limb to encourage use of the affected limb (Correct answer)
- Using bilateral activities to promote coordination
- Strengthening the affected limb through resistance exercises
Correct answer: Constraining the unaffected limb to encourage use of the affected limb
CIMT constrains the unaffected extremity so the child is required to use the affected limb, promoting neuroplasticity and learned use.
Question 3: An OT is conducting a play-based assessment with a 3-year-old. Which type of play is MOST developmentally appropriate to observe at this age?
- Cooperative play with shared goals
- Onlooker play only
- Parallel and simple associative play (Correct answer)
- Complex dramatic play with assigned roles
Correct answer: Parallel and simple associative play
Children around age 3 typically engage in parallel play (side by side without direct interaction) and early associative play (sharing materials with loose interaction).
Question 4: When writing an IEP goal for a child with fine motor delays, which goal is MOST measurable and occupation-based?
- Child will improve fine motor skills as evidenced by therapist observation
- Child will increase finger strength over the course of the school year
- Given classroom tools, child will fasten three buttons independently in 4 out of 5 trials by December (Correct answer)
- Child will demonstrate improved pinch across all functional tasks
Correct answer: Given classroom tools, child will fasten three buttons independently in 4 out of 5 trials by December
A well-written IEP goal includes a specific condition, measurable behavior, performance criterion, and timeline, as demonstrated in the button-fastening goal.
Question 5: A parent asks why the OT is using a weighted vest for their child with sensory processing difficulties. What is the BEST evidence-based explanation?
- It provides proprioceptive input that some children find calming and organizing, though evidence is mixed and use should be time-limited and monitored (Correct answer)
- Weighted vests are proven by strong research to improve attention in all children with SPD
- The vest physically prevents sensory-seeking behaviors
- It improves muscle strength in the trunk over time
Correct answer: It provides proprioceptive input that some children find calming and organizing, though evidence is mixed and use should be time-limited and monitored
Weighted vests may provide calming proprioceptive input for some children, but the evidence base is limited and their use requires monitoring for effectiveness and safety.
Question 6: Which assessment tool uses caregiver report to evaluate sensory processing patterns across eight sensory systems in children ages 3–14?
- Sensory Processing Measure (SPM)
- Sensory Profile 2 (SP2) (Correct answer)
- DeGangi-Berk Test of Sensory Integration
- Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT)
Correct answer: Sensory Profile 2 (SP2)
The Sensory Profile 2 (Dunn) uses caregiver questionnaires to identify sensory processing patterns across all sensory systems for children ages 3–14.
Question 7: A 12-year-old with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is returning to school. Which OT strategy BEST supports memory deficits in the classroom?
- Drill and repetition of academic content multiple times per day
- Use of an external memory aid such as a planner, checklist, or smartphone reminders (Correct answer)
- Removing all cognitively demanding tasks until full recovery
- Increasing class size to promote peer-modeling
Correct answer: Use of an external memory aid such as a planner, checklist, or smartphone reminders
External memory aids compensate for TBI-related memory impairments by reducing reliance on internal memory systems that have been disrupted.
Occupational Therapist Test Pediatric OT 5
Which visual perceptual skill is MOST critical for reading words accurately without confusing letters such as 'b', 'd', 'p', and 'q'?