Occupational therapy - sensory stuff

[mackmama]

What happens at an occupational therapy evaluation? If a child has some mild sensory issues (touch, noise) but no other issues, what would be involved with OT treatment?

[hillview]

For DS2 at the time age 6 they did these tests:
· VMI: Beery Developmental Test of Visual Perception and Motor coordination.

· Sensory Profile School Companion
· Sensory Profile Caregiver Questionnaire
· BOT 2 Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Edition: Robert H. Bruiniks/ Brett D. Bruiniks (Subtests: fine manual control, manual coordination, body coordination)
· Clinical observations and informal tests of printing, sensory motor, motor planning, core strength, bilateral integration, and fine motor functioning
· Caregiver interview for self care items
· Classroom teacher questionnaire

His treatment ranged from sitting on a bouncy ball while doing tasks to handwriting

[Pbl427]

For my DS - they spent the assessment time exposing him to various things to determine what he was comfortable with and what he was resistant to. I also answered a questionnaire that asked questions involving each of the senses. My son has mild tactile sensory issues. The majority of what they work on during sessions are exposure to some of the sensory items he is hesitant with as well as a focus on motor planning/body awareness. The motor planning component helps with compensation skills for the tactile sensory concerns as well as any weaknesses that result for limited use. (For example, DS refused to touch clay, sand etc as a very young child and was delayed in fine motor because of lack of use. He had already overcome this when he started OT, but that is an example). The motor planning component seems to help him break down a task he may be hesitant to try which provides a coping mechanism and enables him to break down the experience and make it less overwhelming. Hope that makes some sense.

[mackmama]

For my DS - they spent the assessment time exposing him to various things to determine what he was comfortable with and what he was resistant to. I also answered a questionnaire that asked questions involving each of the senses. My son has mild tactile sensory issues. The majority of what they work on during sessions are exposure to some of the sensory items he is hesitant with as well as a focus on motor planning/body awareness. The motor planning component helps with compensation skills for the tactile sensory concerns as well as any weaknesses that result for limited use. (For example, DS refused to touch clay, sand etc as a very young child and was delayed in fine motor because of lack of use. He had already overcome this when he started OT, but that is an example). The motor planning component seems to help him break down a task he may be hesitant to try which provides a coping mechanism and enables him to break down the experience and make it less overwhelming. Hope that makes some sense.

This was hugely helpful - thank you. Did you find the OT to be helpful? If you are comfortable sharing, is your child neurotypical?