any experiences of Sensory Integration Therapy?

[pence]

I have one OT telling me that my son would benefit from Sensory Integration Therapy, but the LA OT is saying they don't do it and there's no evidence it works.

Interested to hear other people's experience of it.
Was it funded privately, via ehcp, some other way?
Did it make a difference to their child, if so what difference?

thanks

SIOT can be included in EHCPs. If the LA won’t include it you can appeal. You will need evidence, and that evidence needs to be more detailed, specified and quantified than “would benefit from” thought.

Yes, it helps my DSs. It helps them in many ways e.g. to regulate and engage with education, life and the world around them better.

Ds had a private sensory assessment funded by our LA via his EHCP. The therapist also worked for the NHS and she was then able to transfer over to work with Ds at our local Child Development Centre. Our NHS trust do offer sensory integration therapy for under 19's, but it is an autism specific service.

At the time Ds did have a lot of sessions but I'm not sure he was in the right space to fully engage. He had been recently diagnosed with autism and he was very much trying to reject support.
He now attends a specialist placement and has a sensory diet printed for him and staff to access. He seems more aware now of how his sensory difficulties impact him. I think that's a maturity thing and it's taken a long time for him to even begin to understand this.
I think it can be really helpful though and an OT saying that it isn't, is probably trying to save the LA money.

Has helped my autistic/PDA young teen a lot. The main thing I’ve noticed over a year of it is they are just generally calmer and seem to be able to calm themselves down from the edge/meltdowns much much quicker than before. And with less parental input.

My child is very sensory seeking and physical so they see the sessions as a fun work out.

We pay for it privately.