Occupational Therapy Waiting List - How long?

[Jerbil]

This is a pointless post I suppose but out of interest I wonder if everywhere has a similar waiting list time for an assessment by an Occupational Therapist?

We're in Manchester and have been given a wait of 52 weeks. Oh, yes not a year, no 52 weeks. is that meant to make it sound quicker?

Meanwhile, loads of eating issues, will not wear underwear, and now refusing to wear most of his clothes. Wearing school uniform in summer holiday cos it's comfy!

[BabeRuthless]

We live in a town in Yorkshire and have been given a waiting time of at least 8-10 months. Same issues really, being unable to dress himself, diet, toileting etc. Starts school in September full time so a few issues going to come up there I think.

Waiting time is madness but can't say I'm overly shocked. We've been pretty lucky with things so far.

[IndigoBell]

If you can afford it you can always go private. You won't get very much on the NHS anyway......

You might get a few classes on how to dress yourself.

But private OTs offer sensory integration training, which will probably help with the clothes.

[feynman]

I'm also in Yorkshire (East), and have been given a waiting list time of never! Apparently there is no service for any children who do not have 'severe cerebal palsy or paralysis'. This is because there are not enough OT's to cover the area.
If you have a child with sensory issues/dcd etc you have absolutly no chance of being seen apparently. The very sad thing is this is not a recent problem. My brother who is asd/dcd/ global delay etc etc never got seen either despite referals for the same reasons, and that was nearly 20 years ago! Shocking but true!
As the above poster suggests if you can possibly go private then do so.

[Jerbil]

Bit the bullet, and have booked OT for Tuesday privately in my home. £250 for assessment followed by £65 for each session. I believe they are trying to get Sensory Disorders onto the DSM-V. And then a culture change will need to follow. I think one of the biggest problems for us is his eating and clothes, not to mention cutting finger nails etc. These are everyday issues and it makes me soo mad that this condition is not given the recognition it should have.
And then, I still need him to be seen by the NHS as School will not accept anything a private diagnosis says. Obviously I want to help him and that's the biggest reason for me doing what I'm doing. But the second reason is so that I stop questioning my parenting skills when school constantly say he's playing me.

[IndigoBell]

Well done!

How do you know school won't accept any recommendations from a private OT? If school are having problems, and the OT makes sensible suggestions, school won't care if it's private or NHS.......

[auntevil]

Jerbil - only just spotted this. My DS waited almost a year for another OT assessment - having been 'signed off' at 6 for doing so well with his improvement at school. The NHS in our area has obviously bucked a trend and have an OT whose specialism is sensory integration and has done the SITP test on my DS - just waiting full results.
Postcode lottery again - but there are some out there.

[Ben10isthespawnofthedevil]

that is a very good price for the OT assessment. Mine was £430 with £65 per session. I really think that it is an invaluable service. DS will now go on a swing in the park whereas before he was absolutely terrified, he can do junior meccano whereas before his fine motor skills meant it was impossible, and is definitely becoming much stronger and calmer in his self.

Our school are implementing some of the recommendations without a problem. I am still battling to try to get them to give him a sensory diet in school but that is to be expected as it is a cost to them timewise.

If he gets a dx of ASD then he will get more help and this would include OT as they saw him for a basic motor skills assessment and would use the private Ot assessment as well

[Chundle]

52 weeks is good. We are in devon and I was told 3 year wait for dd2!!! She's only 2 so would've been in school had we waited! I kicked up a stink at the CDC and they 'squeezed her in' for a block of sessions so had a 9 month wait instead

[Galena]

I feel bad now. We were referred for OT on the 30th June and we've got our first assessment on August 23rd.

Now, DD does have CP but it's mild.

[Galena]

(Oh, and we're in Gloucestershire)

[rebl]

My ds was referred as a critical case (serious 5 injuries as a result of his behaviours) and he's being seen within 5 months. Thats with the major adaptions OT badgering every week and camhs badgering them every week.

[Jerbil]

Someone just told me today that in Liverpool it's less than a 10 week wait. That sounds incredibly quick and I get the feeling a one off.
IndigoBell: I am presuming they are going to have the same attitude that they had when i suggested I'd go private on an Ed psych (no cannot afford it). they point blank said it would be a waste of time as it wouldn't be acknowledged.

auntevil: yes, think you're right. postcode lottery.

Galena: Don't feel bad. Just pleased for you. Nice to hear that someone is being treated in a reasonable amount of time.

Chundle: think I would have done the same if I was told 3 years.

rebl: still, not quick when there's bad accidents going on. This post is about DS1. DS2 is waiting to see community pediatrician because he is v clumsy. one of his nursery carers ytold me today she's never seen a child fall over so much. he came home last night with a huge egg on his head, not for the first time.

Ben10... (love the name)Yes, I agree about ASD, but he has had ADOS now and they said he didn't score ASD. He didn't act ASD in school and yet outside of school they said he did. they are currently referring us for a 2nd opinion. the psych says he has a set of symptoms that need treatment, but she cannot put a name to it. he seems to fall between the cracks.

I looked at the NHS guidelines yesterday on waiting lists and 18 weeks is the maximum between a Consultant visit and treatment. However, I am guessing our case comes under non-urgent non-medical i.e. mental health.

[IndigoBell]

Private EP reports are slightly diff to private OT reports because

• EP is likely to make far more recommendations to school than an OT is
  
• EPs can diagnose dyslexia
  
• for a statement you need an LEA EP recommending it
  

But you're right some schools are shit. An awful lot of us here, including me, have had to change schools to get our kids the help they need. At my old school they wouldn't have followed the recommendations of either a private or an LEA professional - whereas at my new school they're happy with private reports.

I guess your school is unlikely to follow the recommendations of any OT.

[Jerbil]

Someone has just informed me that they may legally have to listen (disability discrimination). Don't know whether that one's true.

Anyhow, an amazing 2&1/2 hours of assessment with fluctuating cooperation obviously.

She said he's hypotonic (low muscle tone). His fine motor skills are not OK despite school saying they are (pediatrician also said not.)

Bilateral confusion. we thought he was left handed but when he's throwing a ball he's using his right hand. looking through telescope uses left hand and right eye, and this is not good as he's having to transfer from one side of brain to the other. It all adds to his confusion.

Something about a midline shift, has to do with him having to move his body when drawing a line. He can stay within the lines but the effort he has to go to and manoevre around to get it done is too much. She said he scores well, but the telling factors are in his efforts to actually do it.

She says his sensory stuff is huge. Her words not mine. It is not me, and he is not just playing up for me. he is conforming in a big environment because that's what his peers do.

Re: lack of confidence about trying new things such as football tasks. He has trouble comprehending the instructions (knew that), but he has poor motor planning and he must be stood there thinking how do i get my body to do that?

Needs something to fidget with at school, needs a cushion to sit on, needs to stand at front or back of queue rather than middle so people don't invade his personal space.

That's just what I can remember!

I am so glad I spent the money now! I am going to School with it, and if they do not listen then I will have to pull him out of there.

[Triggles]

We're in Gloucestershire. DS2 had referral in November, initial assessment with OT in end of December, then follow up in May, I think it was. And they apologised for the lengthy delay a number of times.

[IndigoBell]

Well done with your referral.

Supply the cushion (moveNSit) and a fidget toy, and school are unlikely to complain.

The back of the queue is better than the front of the queue, because you still get bumped a lot at the front of the queue...... Especially lining up to go into class.

Certainly sounds like he has dyspraxia (or sometimes they call it DCD) - specifically ask if he has dyspraxia, because the OT may know he has it, but not actually diagnose it that unless you ask.....

[steelev48]

Hi. Both of my boys have been assessed by OTs. One in the borough we live in and the other in the borough where our GP is (we are on the border of 3 boroughs). One had to wait for 6 moths, the other was told he would have to wait for a year but in the end he was seen after 7 months.

One of my friends who has a boy in the same school as my children told the SENCO she was thinking of having a private EP assessment. The SENCO told her that the school would take no notice of it. She said that because the EP would be being paid by my friend that they would be likely to recommend things to justify their fee! Not that they take much notice of any recommendations anyway.