Final answer:
An Occupational Therapist must assess the infant's developmental level, family resources, and family dynamics before providing details about a home program to ensure the program is tailored effectively for both the infant and the family.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prior to providing the parents with details about the home program for their infant, the Occupational Therapist (OT) must determine several critical factors to ensure that the program prescribed is suitable and beneficial for both the infant and the family. The OT should assess:
- The infant's developmental level and specific needs, to tailor the home program appropriately.
- The family's resources, including time, financial capacity, and physical space, which will influence the feasibility of the home program.
- The family dynamics and level of support, to understand how best to engage the family in the infant’s developmental process and adapt the program to fit their context.
Research, such as that carried out by Olds et al., has shown that early intervention through programs like the Nurse-Family Partnership can have positive effects on maternal life course and child development. Aligning the home program with evidence-based practices as discussed in the literature is also crucial.