Understanding the “Busy Body” Profile

Credit

Handouts/Brochure

Speaker

Cara Koscinski, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, CAS Related seminars and products

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Dr. Cara Koscinski is an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience. She is a Certified Autism Specialist and the founder of The Executive Function Institute, where she translates years of research into practical tools to support children, families, and professionals. Cara developed the Executive Function Express Program; a transformative model built on a child’s unique strengths to support executive function. The approach combines sensory regulation, movement, body awareness, and interoception as the foundation for planning, organization, time management, and metacognition.

An engaging speaker, she presents nationally on executive function, interoception, behavior, and self-regulation. Cara has authored seven books for caregivers and therapists, taught graduate OT courses, and continues to mentor doctoral students. She also founded The OTP Hivemind Mentoring Circle, creating a space for mentorship, collaboration, and growth among clinicians. Cara leads the largest pediatric OT Facebook group with more than 52,000 members worldwide. As the mother of an autistic adult son, she brings both professional expertise and personal insight to her work.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Cara Koscinski is the founder of Occupational Therapy Hivemind Mentoring Circle and Executive Function Institute. She receives compensation as a presenter and royalties as a published author. Cara Koscinski receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Cara Koscinski has two sons who are autistic and have sensory regulation deficits. She is a volunteer mentor with the Texas Women's University and the University of Florida.

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Objectives

1. Identify characteristics of high-energy, sensory-seeking, and inattentive behaviors that impact occupational performance and participation in school settings.
2. Differentiate the neurological and developmental foundations of sensory processing and executive functioning as they relate to classroom learning and behavior.
3. Analyze how inequalities and socioeconomic influences contribute to the achievement gap and describe the occupational therapist’s role in supporting more equitable access to learning.

Outline

Framing the “Busy Body” Profile

• High-energy, sensory-seeking, and inattentive behaviors
• Impact on learning, participation, and classroom flow
• Limitations of the research and potential risks

The Neurobiology of Learning

• Sensory processing and executive functioning
• Disruptors you can control in the classroom environment
• Link brain/body processing to behavior and attention

Diagnoses and Presentation in Schools

• Common diagnoses connected to the “busy body” profile
• Non-diagnosed presentations that still affect performance
• Recognizing overlap across profiles

Inequities and the Achievement Gap

• Socioeconomic influences on learning and participation
• Analyze how inequities contribute to opportunity gaps
• The role of occupational therapy in fostering equity

Strategies and Takeaways

• Practical tools for addressing sensory, executive function, and attention needs
• Approaches to support both diagnosed and undiagnosed students
• Wrap-up and reflection

Experiential Activity: Find the disruptors (Hint – it’s not the kids!)

Target Audience

• Occupational Therapists
• Occupational Therapy Assistants
• School Based Professionals
• Educators
• School Administrators
• Speech-Language Pathologists,
• Early Intervention Specialists
• Child Life Specialists
• School Psychologists
• Special Education Teachers
• Classroom Teachers (General and Elementary Education)
• Educational Consultants, Behavior Analysts,
• Pediatricians and Pediatric Specialists
• School Counselors