We've started OT!!!!

[lou33]

Yipee!!! Ds loved it. He's already met the OT as she has made sure she has popped in during physio sessions to say hi, and done a home assessment, but yesterday she did her first session in combination with ds's physio. Ds was brilliant the whole time with both, and loved the finger painting most of all. So we are now getting a block of 6 lessons, to be fitted in with his phsyio every week, then she will check him again and see if he needs more. Am so pleased ,

[Jimjams]

My god they exist!!! Well done Lou! Gorgeous photo btw- thanks- what a sweetie!

[lou33]

Thanks Jimjams .

It was very interesting actually. I've spent so long concentrating on ds's legs I haven't really noticed his arms and hands . I was shocked to see his arms lock up from the effort of the reaching he was doing, his OT really had her work cut out to stretch them and get them relaxed. Also we noticed that he has trouble putting things into effect , for example when finger painting she was trying to get ds to paint the wheel of a car, but he just had no idea how to do it, even after she had done it with him, by holding his hand. It wasn't that his drawing skills aren't up to scratch, he couldn't even try. And threading cotton reels wasn't very successful, although he enjoyed sliding them down the string once they were on. No perception of shape either from what I can see, the form board was very hard for him. He obviously has trouble using his arms and perceptual skills, and I just never noticed. Maybe I should put it on the bad mum thread?

(Walks off beating myself with birch twigs to alleviate the guilt...)

[Jimjams]

Interesting lou- ds1 has similar problems (he has dyspraxia- and I read somewhere on mumsnet that dyspraxia is like a mild cp). He can't copy movement. So for example when I was teaching him to drink from a cup I had to place his hands on the cup, hold them there and then physically move his hands to his mouth. Had to do that for about a week when he was 18 months old before he could do it. I almost passed out when ds2 just did it at 5 months. If your OT gives you any tips on getting children to blow please pass them on- we've been trying to "teach" him blowing for about 3 years now! DS1 can't thread either- only pull it down the string- threading is quite hard as it involves quite a sequence of movements. DS1 is quite good at form boards now although we do have to remind him to "look at the shape/picture" sometimes. However it is something his portage worker has really concentrated on. He couldn't do any when he first started portage.

Don't be guilty- I've spent the last year completely over-estimating ds1's language ability. The trouble is becuase they kind of cope and compensate day to day, it's only when you strip away everything that is hiding their problems that the extent becomes apparrent.

[Jimjams]

ooh should just add- when we visisted BIBIC they said a lot of the dyspraxia type problems were sensory- so for example the reason he has a very weak pencil grasp is because holding a pencil is so uncomfortable because he's hypersensitive. I don't know if sensory integration problems feature in CP. OT's are pretty clued up on sensory stuff these days anyway.

[eidsvold]

lou - just a hint - Early learning centre have great finger paints and art paper very cheap - bought them for dd after an OT session where she loved fingerpainting. She recently did a 'picture' for her grandparents.

[lou33]

Eidsvold, much as I love ds2, I have white walls and a white rug! Finger paints can be weekly treats away from my place! .

[chatee]

the garden on sunny days is where i let my dd explore her creative talents

[lou33]

Jimjams, I'll ask her next time we see her on Friday if you want.

I don't know if ds has sensory problems or not, but he does find it very hard to cope with people coming too close or touching him if he doesn't know them very well. Took about 6 months for him to do physio without crying when she touched him, and any doctors, well he's screaming before we are even in the room. Ot he is ok with because in his mind they are just playing games, but if she tried to make him do something he didn't want to he'd get distraught. Spacemonkey has seen him regularly since he was tiny and she got her first briefest cuddle only last weekend! This is from the boy who loves talking to her on the phone, and from his love for Gareth Gates, thinks she is GG's mum (don't even ask it's too long a story!)and therefore perfect!!! He gets really stiff whenever he thinks he's going to be touched.

I've also noticed over the last month or so, that he sometimes has to look right at me before he will notice what I am saying/do what I ask. For example in physio, he will if given the chance escape into his own world playing with the little yellow school bus he is obsessed by (dinky car size), just pushes it back and forth non stop. He becomes oblivious to anything else and I have to call his name quite loudly, and tell him to look at me/physio, so one of us can tell him what to do. Then he will say ok (or no if he's feeling cheeky) and do whatever he's supposed to. But this is happening a fair bit now, and I'm not sure if it's just an age appropriate development of selective hearing or not!

On an aside, dh and I have both noticed that he keeps falling over a lot recently when crawling, his arms give way , particularly his left one. This evening he did it and got his arm trapped rather awkwardly , and he was rubbing it for a while bless him. Anyone with any experience of this?

Sorry for all the waffle!

[Jimjams]

Some of that does sound quite like sensory problems lou- although your OT should pick it up if it is. A good book is "the out of sync child" - Amazon sell it. Sensory dysfunction cane ven account for things like selective hearing - if he has trouble processing more than one sense at a time then he could get lost in the bus iyswim, and really not hear you.

No idea about the falling over though - poor little thing.

Thanks re the blowing. We've tried candles, bubbles, blowing into a drink, recorders, party blowers. Nothing so far- just can't do it. SOmeone has suggested blowing funny noises onto a blown up balloon so I'll try that. He can suck but had to learn progressing from a tiny juice carton straw and then up- couldn't initally mamage a big one (didn't realise that wasn't normal until today when ds2 just drank out of a big straw, first time with no problems).

BTW- do you go donkey riding regularly. We've been thinking of doing that. Only problem is ds1 won't wear a hat!

[eidsvold]

well being able to strap her into her high chair and have a smock that almost covers her whole body is helpful. Having said that the carpet in our lounge ( rented house) looks like a finger painting!!!

[lou33]

Thanks Jimjams I'll have a look for the book. We haven't started regular donkey rides yet, because we were away for 2 weekends and now they are away, but they said that ds didn't have to wear a hat if he didn't want to, as long as we stayed close by. Have you tried Riding for the Disabled? Do a google search and it should come up with a website with local areas listed. They take children from aged 3.

I'll ask Ot for you , but can you remind me again closer to the time (Friday am I will be leaving)just in case?

Eidsvold, don't you have paint spatters all up the wall? Ds would wave his hands all over the place to get it off if I left him painted for too long .

[eidsvold]

no I have to hold her hands so she does not eat the paint so I have a lot of control for NOW

I am sure if I left her to do it all herself it would be everywhere....

[fio2]

Sorry lou haven't read the replies, but whats an OT?

congrats by the way

[lou33]

Occupational therapy Fio!

[ThomCat]

Lou - just seen this. Great news about R and OT. You must feel just great. I'm really pleased for you all. About the guilt/bad mother thing - therapists often say how long does she..... or does she.... and sometimes I just don't know the answers. It's not outrageous that we don't analyse their every move, we're too busy being mums!

[fio2]

oh lou I was being sarcastic by the way We've never seen one although being refered So glad for you, but soooo juelous

I will read all this wednesday dh is at home so HE is on the computer most the time >tut

[fio2]

must preview in future I meant jealous(is that how you spell it?)

[lou33]

Maybe you could all a) hide in my handbag and listen out for tips, b) give me a list of questions to ask, or c) pretend to be a relative and accompany me to a session!

[MABS]

Lou - so glad this is all happening now. How long did you actually wait in the end ? We 're 22 months waiting at the mo.

[fio2]

jimjams we have to get our dd to blow too, the thing I have found really helps is blowing a feather accross the table to her and she then blows it back-this has really helped. Its fun and its quite easy to blow so there isnt so much frustration. I am going to sit in on one of communication classes soon and they do alot of mouth exercises so I will let you know if I learn anything.

[lou33]

Not long , about 6 months. I feel guilty for bragging now!

[MABS]

don't be ridiculous Lou , i'm delighted you 'only' had to wait 6 months. It sounds like your ds have more to gain from it than mine (didn't mean that to sound patronising)

My ds is doing soooo well at the moment, and only really limping when he's tired , that I feel a bit of a fraud on this thread!!

However he does this, then he'll regress for a few weeks - there's a definite pattern emerging. Now the physio is recommending hydrotherapy - done that at all?

[fio2]

MABS my dd has hydrotherapy at nursery and apparently she really loves it. If your ds likes swimming and water he'll most probably like the hydro pool because its lovely and warm.

[doormat]

Lou33 my ds arms and hand used to lock up and they would stay very tight to his chest. After a few months of me stroking them with the command of "lax your hands" they gradually began to unlock.All I had to say was "lax your hands" and he would relax them. I am so glad you have got OT though.

Mabs, my ds has hydrotherapy at school once a week. It is so relaxing for him that he falls asleep in the pool.The pool has recently been refurbished and looks really wonderful with all the lights etc.

[lou33]

Ds isn't keen on hydro, as he has a fear of strangers being near him, and the pt is a different one from the one he sees weekly. We might start it up again soon though, give him another go now a few months have passed. Dd1 had it from the age of 9 months and thought it was brilliant. They don't even realise they are exercising because it's made such fun.