What is OT?

[Knickersinatwist36]

DD2 is partway through asd dx but we are now onto what I see as the fine tuning bits (we have seen camhs and paed now onto audiology and OT).

I have a vague idea what OT is but have a 'telephone discussion' about DD2's needs and they gave us a list of questions I will be asked. The first four are things that happen now (I can do them ). Five is what have you already tried - nothing on purpose, but we manage her behaviour mostly out of instinct (might not be assessed as component with that one). Then the last two are 'what has been helpful?' and 'what do you want from us?'.

Feeling totally useless as I don't know where to begin with these two.

Any 'Janet and John book one' type explanations on what it is they do/could help with, or what I should say would be really so helpful. Feeling utterly clueless on the whole thing

OT tends to be about (a) issues concerning mobility and co-ordination and (b) sensory issues.

So for (a) they're probably interested in things like how she is on running, walking, stair climbing, jumping, ball games, dressing, washing and feeding herself, toileting, drawing, writing, how flexible or otherwise she is, how her midline crossing is (crossing over the mid point of the body), awareness of where her body is in space etc etc.

For (b) they're interested in whether she has any sensitivity to things like noise, light, touch, taste, and smells; is she sensitive to things like washing, hairbrushing, teeth cleaning; are there sensations she particularly likes, e.g. certain fabrics, or water; whether she's particularly fidgety and whether fidgeting helps her to concentrate; what her attention is like and whether she's easily distracted by noise.

There's probably much more than that, but it's all I can think of!

Thank you these are great. It's the sensory things that she needs. Her coordination and climbing/balance ability has always been spectacular. She has no sense of danger either. But the sensory thing has always been her issue (although different senses at different times IYSWIM). Ok I'm going to make a list in the DD2 notebook! Thank you :-)

Just to add - how are her fine motor skills? Can she draw, write, hold a pen, pencil comfortably? What strength grip does she have? Can she open things: packets, jars, drinks?

In sensory, how does she find haircuts? How does she respond to heat? What about food? Does she still walk on her tiptoes? What is her eye contact/movement like?

Helpful for us would go - pressure: so hugs, lying on floors; hanging upside down, all things at a tepid heat, wobbly cushion, slanted writing desk, typing, dragondictate, no clothes or few clothes, taking his bedding with us, leaving places when he complains about the smell/noise being overwhelming.

What do you want help with: encouraging DS to try new things - he does the avoidance thing whenever he feels he may fail. Tackling all the issues raised! I think a lot is connected to a lack of filtering and overwhelmed senses so building tolerance and resilience.

Ooooo yes that's great, thank you buttons. Loads of specifics and great ideas re help (I was still a bit stuck on that)?
I still worry that I don't know the difference between won't and can't (but then if she can why won't she?) she is six and I have no idea if she can even read (I was an English teacher, it silently breaks my heart that she has no desire to read or learn letters). Hmm still to think on that. :-) Thank you that's ace.

Loving books may well still come. I can remember the first time DS2 asked for a book - in Smiths, in York ! I bought him two - the Pirates next door series. He would have been 8. Until then, he had ignored story telling and books as a pastime and at bed times, would rather round up a gang of toys and talk to himself. Actually, typing that down, I have had a lightbulb moment - he is processing with the self-talk and doesn't need more input that a book would give him - duh!

I think they are on a different developmental curve. I have had the subtitles on tv turned on forever - another friend's son learned to read that way. We have always gone to libraries - he just didn't choose anything. Similarly, we all like a Waterstones with a cafe. We used to get The Phoenix and before that the Dandy and the Beano. He now chooses gaming magazines. Graphic novels have also come into my life in a big way.

DS2 has always connected best with the explicit and humour, so we read all of Mo Willems:

and I loved the Usborne early readers because he liked them, too.