SPD /OT experts - can I pick your brains please?

[sh77]

Ds age 5 has HFA. I would like him assessed for sensory issues. He constantly touches kids in class and struggles with noise. Has anyone had success with OT to reduce/eliminate such behaviours? Can I get a SIPT assessment on the NHS?

How do I go about finding an OT who is well versed in sensory and auditory issues? I am in London and would appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you!

Hi, my ds is autistic with sensory issues (visual and auditory). I always felt his energy seemed wrong. He's nearly 5 and we have just begun OT.

I wasn't sure what OTs did or how to find one so put it off. By the end of his first session I was re-energised and more focused than I have been in a long time!

I'm not in the UK but I eventually heard of someone through a friend. I'd ring around and ask if they have experience with children like your ds (as some work with the elderly etc).

I WISH I had started earlier. We now have an app that he can listen to with enhanced sounds at bed time/ public with sound blocking headphones and sunglasses and will continue working on triggers and labeling the feeling/experience so he can eventually say that it's too loud (or whatever) and know what to do.

Hi
Just going from my experience (I'm Midlands-based), here you can get NHS referrals for sensory issues up to age 6.
We missed the boat (DS is 7) and scrimped and saved for a private assessment at school and home.
It's proved one of the most useful things we've ever done.
It's explained WHY DS does his sensory seeking things (significant vestibular processing difficulties and proprioception seeking input).
I knew certain activities send him 'hyper' and the OT explained why, plus has then provided lots of tailored activities for DS to 'counter-act' the hyperness and provide him with the intense proprioception input that he craves in an appropriate way (so all the touching, chewing, pulling people on top of him)
I have been able to share the report with his school and they have worked in sensory movement breaks for him (still a work in progress, but they do know understand the WHY behind a lot of his behaviour)

I will say though I expect the report we got would be far more comprehensive than an NHS one, it wasn't cheap - but if you can get an NHS referral definitely worth doing)

Hope that helps - I wish we'd done it sooner.

Oh- I asked a local support group for OT recommendations - ones they had used and trusted

Children's Therapy based at Kite Studios W12 might be worth looking at?