Occupational Therapy and the use of assistive technology as therapeutic resource in arthrogryposis

In this article, we present the intervention of occupational therapy through the use of Assistive Technology resources in a case of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC). It is a descriptive case study with qualitative research. We made use of two instruments: the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) was used for standardized assessment, while the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was used for classification. We observed improvement of functional abilities comparing the first and second assessments after occupational therapy intervention through the use of Assistive Technology. Improvement was noted mainly in the continuous PEDI score, which compares the patient with himself/herself. Regarding the ICF, case evolution was observed in the component 'Activities and Participation and Environmental Factors' evaluated from the clinical history. The occupational therapist uses Assistive Technology as a therapeutic resource in rehabilitative care not only as a single resource, but also as a constituent element of clinical reasoning.