Lecka Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) Hi! So -- my son is doing well in speech (articulation), and reading (he needed a lot of help with phonemic awareness). I don't know what was going on over Christmas but he was not speaking that well, but he is sounding better now. We're doing Abecedarian Level B for reading and he is doing well with it. So -- handwriting. He has just started OT. He had a screening and tested normal for visual motor integration, visual perception, and motor coordination. She has just had one session, but thinks so far that low tone and hand strength are not issues (she is not positive about the hand/trunk strength, just thinks they are not from what she saw when she did the screening). So it seems to be mainly just writing. He is not writing on the horizontal line, not forming letters correctly, making different sized letters, mixing capital and lower-case letters, and has a lot of reversals. He also presses too hard and doesn't like to sharpen his pencil. The OT said she will start by talking to him about the horizontal line, using special paper, highlighting things on his writing paper, and talking to him about how quickly he moves his pencil as he makes straight and curved shapes. He will have 30 min. 1x/week, at school, in a small group with her. I am wondering what to do? First, does this sound like a vision therapy thing? I have looked at the checklist, and there are some things, but not others, but I am just not sure. Second, I am looking at getting Handwriting Without Tears and using the chalk slate. I have seen that other people use different things for writing and writing surfaces, and I am wondering what the ones are for someone who presses too hard. Third, I looked at Dianne Craft and I am not sure it seems like him. Not sure? Fourth, my husband has extremely poor spelling, so I am expecting that as well, I guess, and wondering if I should just go ahead and start Apples and Pears this summer. He is almost 7, so I also wonder if I should just wait? On the side of not waiting -- my husband struggled very badly with handwriting so I would like to be proactive. I have read some old threads and there is wonderful information already, but just wondering. :) Edited February 17, 2012 by Lecka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacefully Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Amazingly -- I went back to the covd site and all of a sudden there is a fellow right in my town! The last time I looked the closest one was in St. Louis. Anyway -- I talked to his receptionist and expect more information on Monday. Thanks so much for the advice! I like to have a direction to go in. I feel settled at least on HWOT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I would recommend HWT. Also writing on a slant board (you can make one out of a big ring binder), practicing writing in sensory materials (sand, playdoh, mud, shaving cream), writing with a pencil grip, maybe using weighted gloves, and definitely do some trunk strengthening activities before seated school work (wheelbarrow walking, heavy pushing/pulling, etc.) Write standing up (white board/chalk). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 HWT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PandaMom Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I recommend HWT. My 6 y/o DD has speech delays, SPD and anxiety. Her OT works with her using HWT. We also use it at home. We are working through the pre-k book with her now and she is doing well. I just don't push too much because of her lack of hand strength. My parents got her an iPad last week at the recommendation of her OT. I found an app that uses HWT!!! This has made her more excited about learning to write. Here is a link that explains the app. http://otswithapps.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/letter-school-app/ Susie Mom to Dallas(6) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 That looks so cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 I just talked to the vision therapy optometrist. He is on the covd.org list as a fellow. We have an appointment March 1st, I think it will cost less than $300 and that $100 of it will be covered by our insurance. (Really, I think it will be less than that, that is an upper estimate.) I just need to rule this out or know if it is a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcook Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I recommend HWT. My 6 y/o DD has speech delays, SPD and anxiety. Her OT works with her using HWT. We also use it at home. We are working through the pre-k book with her now and she is doing well. I just don't push too much because of her lack of hand strength. My parents got her an iPad last week at the recommendation of her OT. I found an app that uses HWT!!! This has made her more excited about learning to write. Here is a link that explains the app. http://otswithapps.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/letter-school-app/ Susie Mom to Dallas(6) Wow - this is a fantastic app! Thanks for sharing. Do you have any others? - Leslie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LenasMommy07 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I also have to say how much I love handwriting without tears.. It has been wonderful for my daughter who has significant fine motor delays. One suggestion I would make is to use the chalk slate first and then move to practicing on an easel. I just draw a similar square and smiley face on the easel just like they do on the chalk slate. It's a bit more difficult for them to write on there.. But it really helps for kids who have fine motor issues. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacefully Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Wow, thanks for this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 (edited) Well, for insurance reasons I cancelled my appointment with the vision therapy doctor, and went to an optometrist on post. She said my son has convergence insufficiency, and put in a referral for him to see the vision therapy doctor. She said for now he should try to hold his head back from his book when he is reading. She also said we could get him some low-powered reading glasses to help him have less eye strain. I am waiting on that to see what the vision therapy doctor says. I truly don't see any problem when he is reading, but I think I can see it with his handwriting. He turns his head sideways and seems to get tired so fast. I am doubtful it is just his eyes but I am sure this will help. It is nice that she recommended the same doctor I had found on the covd website, though! When he reads he likes to be pretty far from the book, and I have thought it would be easier for him to get closer, and said he should get closer, but I have thought it was a squirmy boy thing and that he likes to have some control of what is going on while he does reading.... so I do think it will help his reading if he can be more comfortable when he does it. He is still in levelled readers with fairly large print (he just started level H!), so it hasn't been a problem yet in reading. Edited March 8, 2012 by Lecka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gevs4him Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Thank you - very helpful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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