Occupational therapy management of children with cerebral palsy through the three-track reasoning process

Occupational therapy practice requires clinical reasoning as a crucial element in assessing, diagnosing, and planning intervention. The case study discusses how three-track reasoning procedural, interactive and conditional was applied in the management of a 5-year-old child with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Procedural reasoning (based on physical deficits), interactive reasoning (involvement of the child and caregiver), and conditional reasoning (social and environmental contexts) were used to assess, plan interventions, and implement therapy. Results showed increases in functional independence, fine motor control, writing and caregiver handling. This paper has underscored the importance of three-track reasoning in holistic occupational therapy practice with children and the importance of considering cognition and metacognition during treatment design.