SierraNevada Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Can anyone direct me to good info on sensory processing? Who diagnosed your child? What lead you to seek help? What benefit so you get from OT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 This is the book you want. http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=out-of-sync-child&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=1695617991&ref=pd_sl_4282bopon3_ee An OT diagnosed my child, and after years of OT he had really significant changes and improvements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SierraNevada Posted March 28, 2014 Author Share Posted March 28, 2014 Did you get a referal to the OT from your Ped? Did your Ped suggest it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Did you get a referal to the OT from your Ped? Did your Ped suggest it? Nope. He went from ECI to the public school for evaluation. At that time, I had no idea I would be homeschooling - that came later. :) The public school evaluated him and diagnosed him with global delays. The OT who worked with him happened to have an expertise and interest in SPD. She worked with him from ages 3-6 and 9-12. I never even discussed it with the pediatrician, though the ped did know he was receiving ST, OT and PT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoseInABook Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Yep, you do want that book. I went to the ped and asked for a referral to an OT. The OT diagnosed and started therapy. We've seen three different OTs in 2.5 years, just starting with the third. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Another recommendation for Out of Sync Child. We requested a referral for evaluation through our ped as well, with a great OT in town. We researched OTs who are versed in SPD before we started and are pleased with the process. Our three non-babies have different sensory issues, but we are treating our youngest son because his issues cause disruptions, for him and for our family. He wants to engage but can't; his thinking is SO RIGID; he has difficulty transitioning between activities, especially if they are new; he has difficulty transitioning after a nap; he has a hard time using his body with other children. By "hard time" or "difficulty," I mean that he screams the most deafening, ear-ringing screams, for minutes on end, becomes hysterical, kicks and thrashes. It's above and beyond having temper tantrums. He has other red-flags as well (hand flapping, swinging for hours and hours and hours at a time, able to be in icy-cold ocean water or hot hot bath water without complaint, takes big falls and bumps without any reaction, obsessed with rubbing certain moles on my body), but the above issues are the ones that prompted us to seek help for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SierraNevada Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Why I am asking is that I am not really sure he has SPD. A preliminary IQ eval suggested he might have it. Having only one kid and no previous experience with other children, I'm lost. He is intense, so that colors my perceptions a lot. He dislikes noisy places and runs off with hands over ears. And he is super sentitive about clothing tags, seems, etc. He gravitates to soft things- petting them in a type of trance. How this might alter his mood-- I'm not sure. Are his bouts of anger and irrationality related to sensory issues or is he just an explosive type of kid because that is his personality? I'm worried that I'd I go straight to a PT/OT they would have us do therapy, because, face it, that is their job. They would not consider other reasons for behavior until they try their approach on him. Is his behavior affecting his and his families quality of life-- absolutely. It is the frequent tantrum and meltdowns and anger. But I have no idea if it is SPD caused or just his innate personality. Where do I start? What doctor would be knowledgable enough about all possibilities to give us a fair starting point without putting us in trial OT that might do nothing but cost a pretty penny? I think he does have some indication of SPD, I just have no idea if that is the cause of his trying behaviors. Where do I turn?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Why I am asking is that I am not really sure he has SPD. A preliminary IQ eval suggested he might have it. Having only one kid and no previous experience with other children, I'm lost. He is intense, so that colors my perceptions a lot. He dislikes noisy places and runs off with hands over ears. And he is super sentitive about clothing tags, seems, etc. He gravitates to soft things- petting them in a type of trance. How this might alter his mood-- I'm not sure. Are his bouts of anger and irrationality related to sensory issues or is he just an explosive type of kid because that is his personality? I'm worried that I'd I go straight to a PT/OT they would have us do therapy, because, face it, that is their job. They would not consider other reasons for behavior until they try their approach on him. Is his behavior affecting his and his families quality of life-- absolutely. It is the frequent tantrum and meltdowns and anger. But I have no idea if it is SPD caused or just his innate personality. Where do I start? What doctor would be knowledgable enough about all possibilities to give us a fair starting point without putting us in trial OT that might do nothing but cost a pretty penny? I think he does have some indication of SPD, I just have no idea if that is the cause of his trying behaviors. Where do I turn?? I haven't been through the process, but the OT should do an assessment, not just start therapy. They should be able to tell you what symptom he has or doesn't have for SPD, and then recommend a course of action. It's like going to the doctor for a test to see if you have an infection, and then getting treated IF you do. The doctor shouldn't treat if you aren't sick. If the information you learn when you see the OT doesn't have you convinced, ask around, sit on the information, get a second opinion, run the results by the pediatrician, etc. and then decide if you want to do therapy. Does that make sense? Hang in there! It's hard to decide these things and feel confident about them when it's not something everyone deals with or talks about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 How this might alter his mood-- I'm not sure. Are his bouts of anger and irrationality related to sensory issues or is he just an explosive type of kid because that is his personality? I have an intense boy that is almost identical to the first example of the out of sync child book. When I avoid/reduce his sensory triggers, I get a much happier child. That was how I figured that his main behavior issues was sensory. I let him sit on his bed or carpet to read, he needs a seat cushion for his study chair. When he is hungry, he can't do anything until he is fed, he can't help feeling upset. I have sensory hyper issues as well so I avoid certain food textures, clothes, clutter and noises. I get sensory overload. I was never formally diagnose, my public school teachers were all very accommodating. Our OT would only be covered by insurance if we go through our pediatrician for a referral. His pediatrician is well aware that he is sensory and it is in his case notes. My hubby and I are still thinking whether we want to get a formal diagnosis from the OT since he is on the "mild" side and he has learn to accommodate with age. The other problem my family have with OT is that I don't drive so going to OT would be a hassle unless there is no way out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Another recommendation for The Out of Sync Child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 To be honest ---- I am sure there are some OTs who would be very OT-centric or take your money. But I think a lot more OTs would have some discussions with you and hint to you if they think there are other avenues for you with your son's behavior. To be honest I think the OT my son saw would be that way. She has worked with a lot of kids, she is aware of times when a child she sees benefits from seeing another professional or having another kind of thing addressed. Also ---- your insurance isn't going to pay unless the eval the OT does shows the child needs OT by their standards. And then for an OT to LIE ------ honestly I think that is rare. It would be insurance fraud, I think.... locally at least, there is not an excess of OTs, they are more like ---- wanting their time used by the kids and adults that need them. I don't think that is the same situation as someone who is self-pay and maybe knows ---- insurance won't cover it, maybe b/c it is just not covered, maybe b/c insurance thinks it is not severe enough to cover ---- and chooses to pay. I think when insurance is paying ----- that is just not the same situation. But I do think, if you have a bad feeling about the OT you see, see another one instead, or ask around ahead of time, things like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 We've worked with a few different OTs and SLPs, and I've never felt like I've been pushed into needless therapy or treatment. We thought for sure our son would need speech therapy (hearing issues make him difficult to understand), but she pointed out that hr was well within normal ranges and not needing treatment, and if we waited until he started reading he would be better able to articulate. She was right, and we never did need therapy. You can ask around for locally-recommended OTs if you're concerned. Our OT for our youngest son has been great in helping me identify his triggers and helping me maintain a friendly environment for him. Her assessment was really eye-opening for me, because even though we knew many of his triggers, she helped us to put more pieces of the puzzle together. At a minimum, an assessment would help you understand where your child is and how better to help him. I had a hard time discerning what was just my son's emotional temperature and something else. It turns out that he runs a little emotional, but a good deal of his emotion came from the SPD revving his engine up too high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geodob Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 You wrote that:'he is super sensitive about clothing tags, seems, etc,'. Which is an indication of 'tactile hypersensitivity'. Which has a wide variation from mild to severe. Where it is also termed as 'Tactile Defensiveness'. As it triggers an automatic 'fight or flight response'. Therapies can used to reduce tactile sensitivity. Where the most common one used, is the 'Brushing Technique'. OT's can help with this, if they have done additional post-graduate training in Sensory Integration Disorders. So you need to confirm that an OT has training to identify the level of severity and the effect, as it has variations. Though you could also ask any OT, if they have experience with addressing 'Tactile Defensiveness'? Then ask them to explain what it is, and how they would evaluate and then address it? Here's a link to an article about it: http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Tactile_Defensiveness.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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