SO what equipment, if any should an OT provide?

[Dingle]

DDs OT has been pretty hit and miss. In fact it was non existent until she was gone 4 and then we were lucky to be seen a couple of times a year.

Last year the OT department organised a chair for DD, it wasn't a tripp trapp,similar but smaller and now she has outgrown it.

Now they recommend a move'n'sit cushion and also say she will need some type of box to rest her feet on. AS well as that they suggest we use "caring cutlery" to help her with her eating skills.....this is going to cost us around £50 with P&P...money we just haven't got at the moment, especially as we have just started up private SALT again.

Just curious as to what equipment, if any your OTs provide...or am I living in a dream world!

have a look at this

Do you have a disability social worker? Ours got Social Services to pay for a weighted blanket after OT lent us one and we'd got lots of benefit from it.

I think OT should certainly LEND you the stuff to see if it works - ours were making noises about 'sorting something' if SSD wouldn't fund it, but of course SS did, so that conversation never got any further, but it's possible OT might have some funds.

SS might be a good bet. Also that Cerebra link that someone else posted in the Cerebra S&L thread showed that they will also offer grants for equipment - might be worth a look.

Thank you.

2shoes, that cutlery works out just as expensive. I think I have found somewhere that won't charge VAT and are £4.99(ish) a piece....I don't think she actually needs the spoon, it's just getting her finger placement right- I think!

We haven't got a a SW, although I do have a contact in SS OT.

I don't mean to sound petty about £50, but it's money we just haven't got at the moment.

My ds's nursery O.T. (who was totally, totally fab) was able to get us a Major pushchair, a Heathfield chair and a bigger chair when the Heathfield became too small. We have since returned both chairs but they were valuable pieces of 'kit' when we needed them. The O.T. at my ds's school completed an in-depth assessment on him earlier this year and has drawn up a sensory programme for him, which focusses mainly on his need for physical stimulation/play. My experience of O.Ts to date has been great, A1.

We have had seating from our OT (initially a Tumbleform chair, then a modified Tripp Trapp highchair) as well as doing the referral for the Maclaren Major.

She is actually coming on Friday to do a trial with a weighted spoon which I believe we can borrow, but then if we want one we have to buy it.

We've never been given cutlery unfortunately, they are ridiculously expensive. We also had to buy special plates with high sides, also expensive.

The OT has however given us a tripp trapp chair, corner seat, grab rails in the bathroom, err, I think that's it!

They wouldn't do anything about ramps for the front door either, a friend made one for us! It's been invaluable.