A atuação da terapia ocupacional na educação infantil: uma revisão de literatura

Abstract

Introduction: This Final Course Work aims to analyze, through a literature review, the contributions of Occupational Therapy in the context of early childhood education, with an emphasis on promoting inclusion, play, and children's social skills. The research was motivated by the need to understand how the occupational therapist acts as a mediator between the demands of the school environment and the singularities of children, especially those with disabilities or atypical development. From the reflections on the role of Occupational Therapy in early childhood education, the question arises: "How can occupational therapy contribute to the development of children's participation and involvement in the context of early childhood education?" Methodology: To answer this question, a search was carried out in the Lilac, Scielo, and PubMed databases and in the three Brazilian Occupational Therapy journals, in March 2025. For the search, the following descriptors were used, in Portuguese, with crossovers: Terapia Ocupacional AND educação infantil. All articles that presented the theme of Occupational Therapy in early childhood education in the last 10 years were selected, ensuring that the data were up-to-date. Results and discussions: As a result of the analyses, 10 articles were selected and from these articles, four categories that stood out the most in the articles were observed. The following categories were elaborated that, together, point to the interface of the role of Occupational Therapy in early childhood education: the possibilities of Occupational Therapy in early childhood education; articulation between family, school, and Occupational Therapy partnerships; the use of assistive technologies and Occupational Therapy in the context of inclusive education. Final considerations: The studies analyzed demonstrate that the occupational therapist, when articulating knowledge about occupation, environment and child development, acts as a mediator between the unique needs of children. Collaborative consulting was a relevant finding that brought many contributions and demonstrates another possibility of the profession's role in the context of early childhood education, bringing this collaborative action with teachers and families favors the participation of all children, respecting their singularities. Studies indicate that their presence contributes significantly to making the school environment more accessible, inclusive and open to diversity, strengthening children's autonomy and active participation in the educational process.