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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

1 2

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

Had OT seesion now need help finding stuff

26 replies

bunnyrabbit · 08/06/2009 14:25

Had a very interesting first OT session for DS1.

Hypermobility in his wrists definitely affecting his writing as well as poor grip. They reccommended pencil grips. anyone point me at a good website to get some of these?

Suggested I get knife and fork with very big handles as he really can't seem to use a knife. Any ideas where I can find sets of these that aren't toddler size? Need big enough for a nearly 6 year old.

They also recommended I get one of the peanut shaped excerice balls. Any suggstions welcome.

Cheers,

BR

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lou031205 · 08/06/2009 14:30

Exercise ball £7.99 on Ebay

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lou031205 · 08/06/2009 14:32

Pencil grips £4 for 5

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lou031205 · 08/06/2009 14:34

A variety of adapted cutlery here

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bunnyrabbit · 08/06/2009 14:48

Wow thank you. OK will definitley fill in those DLA forms now... this is gonna come to a bit more than I thought!!

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bunnyrabbit · 08/06/2009 14:53

These pencil grips look a bit smaller than the ones the OT used. Do you know if tere are dofferent sizes?

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Widemouthfrog · 08/06/2009 16:04

I was advised to use the junior caring culery for DS after an OT appointment last week as he cannot cut with a knife. I was amazed how reorientated his grip and allowed him to use a knife and fork correctly- he is just 6.
I found the cheapest site was here benefitsnowshop.co.uk

DS has poor fine motor control and cannot apply any pressure with his hands and fingers.

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madwomanintheattic · 08/06/2009 16:20

we use junior caring as well - dd2 is 5.

try special direct for all things pencil/ educational.

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bunnyrabbit · 09/06/2009 08:51

Thank you WMF and MWITA, DS1 can't cut with a knife either. I have ordered the cutlery.

Do your DCs use it all the time? Do you take it with you when you go out? What about at school?

Just wondering if I should order several sets if they work...

Do your DCs also used the pencil grips? Any recommendations?

Cheers,

BR

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madwomanintheattic · 09/06/2009 09:56

we bought 4 sets - 1 for school and 3 for home/ grandma's/ holiday etc. they are quite pricey lol, but she is def better with them. the ot calls them 'pointy finger' cutlery.

i am a little bit at your ot though - ours brought along a couple of different sets to try out before we forked (lol) out for any... that way at least we knew they were suitable...

we are still umming and aaahing about pencil grips tbh. the ot did suggest the really chunky ones and we tried loads (they have the big trial box from special-direct). in conjunction with school we are holding off for now - at the moment we think it would slow everything down further to have to swop grips around each time she wanted to change pencils etc, and (touch wood) with the little written work she is doing, she's managing... ultimately we know she will probably end up as a keyboard user, but we're just letting it ride for a bit... we're keeping the idea in our back pocket for now

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Widemouthfrog · 09/06/2009 10:14

We dont use specific pencil grips - just very chunky pens/pencils or crayons and a writing slope. the angled slope helps to stop the fist-like grip as it re-positions his wrist.
I was told to cut down fat crayons or chalks into very short pieces as the child is then forced to hold them with a tripod grip.

I've only bought 2 sets of cutlery, but I am trying to get him to use them all the time. he has to put hi 'pointy finger' in the groove.

Good luck

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bunnyrabbit · 09/06/2009 11:00

mwita - She did try a few but suggested we get some foam tubing and stick it on cutlery. Not really a solution as the adult cutlery is too big and childrens' cutlery tends to be too small. Not only that, I can't really see the school coping with this as they had to clean everything for health and safety and it would soon get destroyed.

Will see how he gets on with this set. At under £8 a shot I don't think that's too bad.

WMF yes I was also told to use a writing slope and small crayons/chalks. They also suggested writing on a black board whilst kneeling down. His grip itself isn't too bad but he turns his wrist over so he's sort of holding his hand upside down (as some left handed people do) so can't really move his hand properly.

interesting comments about the pencil grips.... I wonder if I should just talk to the school and see what they think. I suppose I could always get the same grips as them.

If they start using a grip, does that mean they'll always need one?

To be honest, it's always a battle to get him to do something like writing at home. With an ASD child battles are not exactly fun, and as we have so little time together anyway I don't think I'm going to push him to do too much.

BR

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bunnyrabbit · 11/06/2009 11:07

Have the new cutlery already and DS1 says he loves it, although we haven't used it yet.

Silly question but can I ask how are they supposed to hold it? Can I assume that the index finger should be in the 'dent' on the back of the knife and fork? What about the spoon.

These do seem a little on the small side for him. How are they with your DCs? DS1 is 6 in September and isn't exactly big for his age.

Thanks again for your help

BR

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Widemouthfrog · 11/06/2009 11:28

Yes, they are small but my DS, 6, still seems quite comfortable with them. The index finger should point forward into the groove on the knife and fork. The spoon, the fingers hooks underneath around the groove if that makes sense.
They are exactly the same size as the OT gave us to use and she thought they were the right size.

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jjones · 11/06/2009 12:31

I have just got some fantastic cutlery from ikea, they are plastic, nice and chunky rounded and more angled to make it easier to use. They where £1.09 for 6 sets of knife fork and spoon in different colours, the best thing my ds likes about them is that the knife is a proper knife, iykwim.

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bunnyrabbit · 11/06/2009 12:54

JJ just looked at ikea. Are they these ones?

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jjones · 11/06/2009 13:01

Yes they are the ones, they are a lot beter than they look there. They are a good size too.

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bunnyrabbit · 11/06/2009 14:05

But they're plastic? Do they cut properly? Not sure if DS1 might think these are baby cutlery.

BR

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troutpout · 11/06/2009 14:07

We have those ikea ones. Yes the knives are sharp

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troutpout · 11/06/2009 14:08

well sharp enough to cut up food anyway

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bunnyrabbit · 11/06/2009 14:30

LOL. I love the way you had to qaulify that!

Are they big enough for a 6 year old?

It's almost worth buying them as disposables for when we're out and about.

BR

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troutpout · 11/06/2009 14:52

yes they are very good for pack lunches etc
Yes big enough for a 6 year old.My boy used them up untill he left primary school (now he is very grown up dontchaknow and won't use them in public). Dd (6) uses them at for packed lunches though
They have a nice shape to them (ds has dypraxia with poor musle tone hypermobility in all joints)They seem to fit his hand well. He can cope ok with your normal cutlery though too...(although still drops it sometimes)

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bunnyrabbit · 11/06/2009 14:57

Oooh cool thanks for all your comments guys.

Now I just have to get to Ikea as you can't order these on line!!

BR

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cory · 11/06/2009 15:34

I could do with some of these. Ds is 9 but has appalling table manners. And he is very patriotic (Swedish) so he probably would accept some cutlery that came from Ikea. Thanks, folks!

Our SENCO provides pencil grips (which ds obligingly loses for her ), and WhSmiths did some easy-grip biros that dd found really helpful.

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jjones · 11/06/2009 21:40

These ikea ones arebig enough for my 10 yer old to use comfortably, they are more like picnic cutlery than baby ones. Only problem like you said is getting to ikea.

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ChopsTheDuck · 13/06/2009 07:40

the caring cutlery is what ds1 is supposed to use, need to order some. He is nearly 7, and big for his age and it fits his hand perfectly. I'd keep trying with them for now. (Also agree that OT should have tried tem out!)

Pencil grips do come in tons of different shapes! here the ultra grip is like the one recomended for ds1. It is really good for hypermobile fingers as the size and curves of it keep the fingers stable. The contours make sure the fingers stay in the right position too.

There is also a band thing that can be used that goes around the wrist and fastens to the top of the pencil. Might be worth asking about to help with hypermobile wrist. ds1 didnt actually like that. here The charm bit is meant to be held in the palm of the hand.

ours also suggested using a lever arch file as a cheap writing slope!

I would have thought if he needs the cutlery at school, then they should provide it. In theory they should purchase any equipment the OT recommends in her report to the school for use there.