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20 June 2023
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Story Melissa Kilian
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Photo Supplied
Melissa Kilian is a Lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy.
The University of the Free State (UFS) is celebrating Youth Month by showcasing the positive influence of the institution on career development. As part of this initiative, we are sharing the stories of UFS alumni who are now working at the university.
Melissa Kilian, Lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy, shares her UFS journey:
Q: Year of graduation from the UFS:
A: 2011 and 2021.
Q: Qualification obtained from the UFS:
A: Baccalaureus and Master of Occupational Therapy.
Q: Date of joining the UFS as a staff member:
A: 1 June 2022 (employed for one year this month).
Q: Initial job title and current job title:
A: Lecturer in Occupational Therapy.
Q: How did the UFS prepare you for the professional world?
A: The UFS provided me with excellent clinical exposure to the diverse profession of occupational therapy. Additionally, the occupational therapy undergraduate course provided many opportunities for promoting self-awareness and self-development and entering the workforce as a graduate willing to explore the dimensions of the profession and what my unique contribution can be.
Q: What are your thoughts on transitioning from a UFS alumnus to a staff member?
A: Since being employed with the UFS, I have a deeper acknowledgement and appreciation for lecturers, as well as a multi-layered understanding of the importance of curriculum development and how this translates into students becoming competent graduates.
Q: Any additional comments about your experience?
A: It’s been quite an experience ...!
Babies need time on their tummies
2009-08-07
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Babies who spend more time on their tummies (in the prone position) when they are awake are more advanced in their motor development than children who are not allowed to lie on their tummies, or only for short periods, shows research published by Ms Dorothy Russell in the South African Journal of Occupational Therapy. Ms Russell is a senior occupational therapist in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health in the Faculty of Heath Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS). The study shows there were significant differences in the active movements of the arms and the pushing-up on the arms between prone and non-prone infants.
She says research and clinical evidence indicate that parents are not well educated regarding the value of placing their infants in the prone position during the early stages of infancy. The supine position where babies lie on the backs, leads to a decrease in the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and mothers steer away of putting their babies in the prone position because of that. However, lack of exposure to prone position can result in deceased opportunities to learn functions such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling and pulling to the standing position.
Photo: Leatitia Pienaar |