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Do your kids regress after they stop therapy?


Mukmuk
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Of late, I've noticed a few things that are forming a pattern. Ds had vision therapy for years, from near 6 - 8yo. The first bout (3 months) was the most useful in that it stabilised words on paper and allowed him to learn to read well. Ever since then, little improvements seem to evaporate after a break of 3-6 months. While he had great results with Fast Forward for listening, I again see some signs that he's finding it hard to listen again. Lately, he's back to his old sensory issues- can't touch food with his fingers, hates sand, cant sit on leather chairs, and so forth. And he had years of motor planning at OT, but recently when confronted with a climbing wall, he couldn't go beyond shoulder level. I worry that we're headed back to the days of poor sleep too.

 

On the other hand, so much has improved. He manages, asks for clarifications, jokes about his sensory issues, complains (no tantrums), is making friends, and he learns really well. I'm wondering if anyone else has seen this sort of regression. I added 2 tutors this year and, because they're one-on-one, is going roses. The exception is his music teacher, but that's improving too, so long as he remembers not to hum because his brain is stuck on the music :p. Is his brain just firmly wired in a specific way? Should he go back to OT!? Ds loves all his sports activities, although I can't see them helping in the areas I mentioned. What would you do?

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Though in regard to OT, what this raises is the question of his motor planning adapting to his growing body at his age?

Where he might have been smaller last time he was confronted with a climbing wall?

When children go through the 'growth spurt' at around 12 to 14, they often have motor planning difficulties, as they adjust to a rapidly growing body and longer arms and legs.

So perhaps he might need a refresher to update his motor planning?

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Yes.

 

Ds had vision therapy last year. When he went for his f/u, the covd commented that ds had regressed a little but also said it was to be expected. Because they expected it to regress, the therapist said they trained his eyes to work above the level that they desired so that when he regressed, his eyes would still be within "normal".

 

My ds' handwriting improved greatly the year we focussed on handwriting. After I "solved" :rolleyes: that , I switched my teaching energy onto other things, expecting his handwriting would "stay fixed". It didn't. His handwriting is messy again. A professional I worked with who saw his writing suggested he has dysgraphia. I believe it--but I don't really want that diagnosis on his record :p. I'd rather he just learn to write neatly. So, once I work up the energy, I plan to devote extra time to handwriting remediation again. The next time, instead of settling for "good enough" I might try the vt's method of overtraining or perhaps take him to an OT that specializes in handwriting.

 

The good news is that when we work really, really hard on something, it improves. The bad news is that it often takes effort to maintain those aquired skills.

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.... Is his brain just firmly wired in a specific way? .... What would you do?

What would I do? I'd worry, just like you're worrying --but I'm not really suggesting that you should worry too much about this, just letting you know you have company because I worry all the time about my kids.

 

Is his brain firmly wired a specific way? Yes. Does that mean we can't change brain wiring? Not entirely. I find great hope in reading books about neuro-plasticity, but there's some type of limit on the re-wiring the brain. We just don't exactly know what all those limits are.

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Takes Geodob and Merry Gardens.

 

Geodob, that could well be the point. He did shoot up a bit and is still on the way. He's probably does a refresher.

 

Merry, writing it out, it occurred to me that his primary issue remains his CAPD. This relates to processing and sensory issues. Looks like it may not be 100% therapy-able. Continued effort is right. I got reminded of the chapter in The Dyslexic Advantage where this college kid revised math every summer with his mom to ensure retention. Vigilence is the the key. The flip side is that it's getting more manageable. I'm grateful :).

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Sensory also goes in cycles too, that can last days, weeks, or months. Is it possible you are just in a bad sensory cycle? I can always tell when ds is, and we start looking for OT strategies to apply. Sometimes they help, and sometimes he just needs to sleep or take a brain break.

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