can an OT help a child with an ASD?

[aefondkiss]

I just got an appointment through for an OT assessment, my ds hasn't got a dx yet, but we have paed and clinical psych appointment in the next couple of weeks.

has anyone here any experience/advice what an OT might be able to do to help my ds?

[magso]

Wow! were you hoping for an OT appointment or has it come out of the blue - as part of the investigations?

[aefondkiss]

Magso - ds is under a multi disciplinary (sp) team , so I asked if he could see an OT - I was hoping, but not feeling very sure about it now, that OT might help my ds with sensory issues... like noise sensitivity ( hand dryer in public toilet)advice about helping him with every day social/life skills ( toilet training...clothes + putting them on, hair cutting and washing).

the thing is ds seems to go through phases, being able to cope with lots more noises now (not scared of hair dryer and hoover anymore) than when I first asked about OT last year.

I am now trying to think what issues ds has that an OT might be able to help with, I don't want to waste their time

[Yummymum1]

Hi ,we had an ot asessment for ds1 7 AS as he finds it very difficult to use a knife and fork and ends up eating ALL food with his fingers!! His writing is also a bit haphazard and his drawing hasnt progressed from stick men.We went along and she was great.Ds now has some Caring Cutlery that he finds really easy to use and we are currently on a reward chart when he uses them properly.He was given a special pencil for use at school which he loves.They also said after doing some copying actions together that ds has trouble swapping sides of his body IYSWIM where he finds it hard to put his left hand to right ear and that sort of thing and this is apparantly a common problem with asd.We have some games and exercises to do to help him with this.She sent the report to school as well as to us so it is good to know that we all know what is going on.There may be things that you are aware of that your ds finds hard to manage like co ordination or buttons etc and they can help you with all of that.HTH Good luck

[magso]

Ot can help with all of those things I think and you will not be wasting their time!
Because of the long wait ds was nearly at the cut off age for ot here so we had only an assessment (to highlight areas of need) and a session of games and to teach me what to do. It was so useful I am saving for private ot as I need some new ideas! Getting dressed was one of our issues - so we worked on that both directly (Ot assessing his difficulties) and indirectly (play dough games making peas (between finger and thumb), french beans( fine rolling), carrots(moulding) to improove fine motor skills etc, bean bag throwing, rolling and other games to work on crossed over skills as yummymum). Ds enjoyed the games and still does. I know roughly what we need to work on and modify or make up games to suit. Ot let me photocopy lots of puzzle style work sheets - which kept us going for ages. We did not have time to work on the sensory issues but I was given a couple of ideas.
Don't feel guilty! Making a list is a good idea.

[aefondkiss]

thank you Magso and yummymum, this is why I like this board!

the using a fork and knife idea is good, I suppose I am worried about going then coming out and remembering loads of things I wish I had thought to ask about...

I will write a list.

the assessment lasts an hour and a half!

I will go and see what I can think of to put on my list.. cheers!

[coppertop]

The OT may fill in a questionnaire for your ds (if this hasn't already been done) and get a sensory profile from that. That should give them a good starting point for working out what kinds of things your ds might need help with.