Proprioception

[aanj]

Son is 13 and years ago saw an OT for fine motor who stated he had issues with proprioception. He has ADHD.

Anyway, the hasn't had the OT for a while. He does swimming and martial arts.

 

The OT did give us exercises a long time ago. I don't think it helped. Maybe we just weren't that consistent.

 

Things he does-he hunches his head over the table of computer always. Never sits up straight. He also LEANS his head on things all the time.

He fidgets like crazy. Chews things a lot.

He falls and trips on something every day. When pouring drinks he spills all the time. He is generally hugely clumsy.

 

 

Should we get another OT to work with him on this? Will it help long term?

It seemed to me that the exercises helped for that day, not a permanent solution.

 

ETA He manages without meds, does very well in school. He is a sweet boy, Just very clumsy.

[PeterPan]

Just so you know, my dd was like that and clumsy, and it turned out she had VISION problems on top of everything else. Take him to a good developmental optometrist and get him checked. Kids who are low tone (which sounds like he is) often end up having developmental vision problems as well. He may not have true depth perception. COVD is where you find them. Do some checking to make sure you get a good one, because they vary. A good one can be VERY good.

 

The slouching is his low tone. OT isn't the only way to work on tone and proprioception. I'm back doing Curves finally, and the machine work definitely helps with proprioception. So think about alternate, real-life ways to get the same effect. He's old enough to go to the YMCA and have someone teach him how to use the machines. Or get someone to teach him to use weights. Guys love to lift weights and beef up. There's strength and tone. For toning, you do more reps. You may have noticed the OT having him do longer sets of the exercises. It's really not rocket science though. Check into some real life things that he'll enjoy doing and keep up with. And as for the fidgeting, well he may be bored. He may need to do something physical earlier in the day to help him burn some of that and focus.

[geodob]

Aanj, proprioception is an internal spacial awareness of our body, limbs and head.

Where the brain forms a spacial map of where everything is.

To observe it, you could simply 'close your eyes'.

Then with a fingertip, touch your nose, ear, eye and knee.

Also with your eyes closed, bring the fingertips of both hands together.

 

Where might consider how you knew where your nose, eye, ear, etc were, as you went to touch them?

It was your mental spacial map/ proprioception that located where your fingertip and other parts were, as you guided your finger to them.

 

But with proprioception difficulties, their is a difficulty with forming this spacial map.

So that one has to guess where these 'parts' are, in trying to touch them?

 

Though the key to developing proprioception, simply involves doing some activities such as the above mentioned, with the 'eyes closed'.

Also to practice walking around in an open space, with the eyes closed.

Where this gradually develops a more precise mental spacial map and proprioception.

 

Though proprioception is also important for posture, where we have a mental spacial map of 'sitting up straight'.

But without this spacial map as a reference, we just slump.

[Tiramisu]

Since he's 13, you may want to consider a full neuropsych eval if you haven't had one. It will pick up visual weaknesses, visual-motor weaknesses, and fine motor issues. I'm recommending this particularly if he's college bound. In addition to improving the weaknesses through OT, the neuropsych report will be necessary in getting any necessary accommodations in the future for things like notetaking or extra time on tests. I have a clumsy one, and the NP eval opened my eyes to issues I didn't know were worth paying attention to with regards to academics. I didn't realize that falling up the stairs and banging into things translated into trouble with notetaking and speed issues in school work.