Occupational Therapy for Child's Handwriting

[Beithe]

Hi,
I am wondering if anyone can recommend an occupational therapist based in the Central Belt. We're looking for support for DS8 who is getting no help from school for poor grip and posture. The waiting list for Forth Valley's occupational therapy is quite long so we're hoping we can find support faster privately.
Any recommendations?
Thanks

Edinburgh practice may be able to recommend someone, it’s worth looking for Facebook support groups as typically good advice on there. My dd(8) is learning to type on advice of OT as having to put a lot of effort into handwriting can hold them back from concentrating on what else they’re supposed to be learning. Sorry you’ve faced such a wait I was lucky to get her seen a few years ago and it was hugely helpful, even if some of it was around adjustments rather than fixing.

Maybe look at physiotherapy to assess her core strength too - this is needed for posture for writing.

My son has dyspraxia & he tried all the different pencil supports/grips etc.

He was a late diagnosis & by the time we saw an OT he was in P4 & the OT's view was that it was a bit late.

Instead, he has used a keyboard/iPad more than anything.

Thanks all - that's helpful.

We're going to self-refer for OT and also if we can find some private support. A lot of it - we think - is posture. So definitely will consider physio.

We've so cross that the school has repeatedly dismissed our concerns. They seem disinterested in good handwriting. There is no regular handwriting practice and no emphasis on the importance of being able to write well.

I hear you on that! And it’s a good tip on physio but again OT should be able to assess core strength and balance too, it’s all part of the movement ABC. I self referred to OT when mine was 4 - despite having DCD and very significant motor issues her first school raised no concerns on anything.

There are tonnes of writing guides out there for children that struggle with handwriting - I had some good advice on the SN chat so maybe worth searching or posting there too.

Following for my soon to be S4 daughter... Been on OT waiting list pre covid

Handwriting simply isn't as important as it used to be, though.

you need to look on rcot website
Find An Occupational Therapist London And The UK - RCOT

@Beithe this was posted this am re apps to help dyslexia / writing / organisational issues

https://www.callscotland.org.uk/assets/files/ipad-apps-for-learners-with-dyslexia.pdf

My eldest is now 20 and we were in your position when he was in P3/P4. His writing is AWFUL and I mean really, really awful. School did what they could but they were very much taking the approach that practise would make it all better and we spent hours doing those Teodorescu writing packs making loops and drawings and it was torture for him (and me). He was assessed by Occupational Therapy at that stage for a potential dyspraxia diagnosis - this is also now known as Developmental Coordination Disorder, or DCD. The OT lady was very nice, accepted that he had difficulties but wasn't "bad enough" for a diagnosis.

Anyway. All through secondary school he was allowed to use a laptop for doing exams, and both school and the SQA were happy to allow this without a formal diagnosis. That all changed when he arrived at university and was told no diagnosis, no laptops or digital exams. So at that point we had to pay £££ to see more OT people privately for a proper diagnosis.

So my point is really that if you suspect your child may have dyspraxia, the pencil grip and writing practise might help, but it might not. Think around other things which dyspraxic children have issues with ring any bells with your child - things like learning to ride a bike, learning to swim, tie his shoelaces took my boy SO much longer than other children and I only realised that when my younger children reached the same stage and mastered the bike riding in a couple of hours whereas it took him weeks. He struggled (and still does, hugely) with organising, prioritising, fiddling with things.Rubbish at sport, throwing and catching, learning to drive has been very challenging for him. There is LOTS of support for him at Uni now that he has the official diagnosis though with a whole Wellbeing team at uni running support and study sessions with software and techniques to help.

Long story short - if you suspect something like dyspraxia - and you can see the list of symptoms here

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia/symptoms/

then I would STRONGLY ADVISE pursuing that now through either the NHS or privately, with input from school now when he's still wee and cooperative. I can recommend private assessment in Glasgow if that's any good for you, unsure about Edinburgh.

Thanks RavenclawDiadem.

I'd be surprised if DS has DCD/dyspraxia. Whilst his handwriting is a concern, he learnt to ride a bike quickly, plays tennis and shinty (and apparently has good hand-to-eye coordination) and can twirl spaghetti on a fork. I have to admit that he's been slow to learn to swim but we thought that was partly through lack of practice because of Covid. But it's still something worth considering.

We have had some progress with his school. A firmly worded letter has resulted in a referral to OT and handwriting practice in class (remarkably they do virtually no focused handwriting practice). So we'll see if there's any progress. If there isn't, we'll consider getting him assessed for dyspraxia.

Dysgraphia?