Question regarding Sensory Integration Dysfunction

[HIU8]

This is a question for those of you with a DC with SID...

Is your DC in a public or private school setting? How/why did you choose that particular setting? Is your DC getting services privately or through your state/county--as part of school or separate?

[set81616]

Most schools cannot treat SI during therapy due to funding. You may get lucky and have the school therapist believe in SI and "throw it in". If you go for your own therapist look for someone that is has extra training like brushing or therapeutic listening. http://www.vitallinks.net/ gives you everyone who has been certified for listening. To get services in school the child needs to have a need for therapy due to deficits in the classroom. Many SI kids have difficulty with handwriting so this can get them in but just what seems to the teachers to be behavioral stuff wont get treated.
Schools rally depend on how severe your kids SI is and how much the teacher will work for you. Many private schools are just as colorful and just as behavioral as public. Get your therapist to write out helpful suggestions like giving transitions, movement breaks (if your school takes away recess as punishment for behavior suggest that your child be allowed to walk around rim of playground or do jumping jacks in place just to get movement in but not the fun free play). Hope this helps.
Shannon

[mytwosons]

He was in both - public preschool for mornings and private M,W,F afternoons.

We saw a private OT, who I credit (along with biomed) getting my son past this. The public school OT was just too overworked to adequately address his sensory needs.

[HIU8]

How long did your DS do OT? I was told it would be 12-18 months 2x a week. Our OT does therapeutic listening along with everything else (DS was tested and I was told he was about 2 yrs behind in motor development--which I could definitely notice). Our public school system will not give services without a diagnosis like Autism or something (DS has a diagnosis of SID only--cognitively he tested above average), and that would place DS in special Ed classes apart from the rest of the school. The OT and child psychologist (who we saw who directed us to the OT) are putting together a listing of private schools they feel DS would do well in. I feel DS needs a small classroom with more personal attention (which is what I think they are going to tell me, but I don't know yet....)

[hardysmom]

2 of my 3 kids have been treated. DS#1 received private OT, DD received both EI and private therapy.

There are pros and cons to private/public. Neither is perfect. Mostly, it depends on the quality of individual therapists/teachers which, in the public settings, depends on luck.

My short answer is that (unless you have a GREAT public school) I would try do private through kindergarten, then re-assess. If you get a good EI therapist, fantastic. If not, go private. Because of fine motor delays (never mentioning SI) we had great on-going coverage through Aetna for private therapy.

In private school, you do have smaller classes, but teachers are not mandated to modify your child's environment. Many private school teachers (particularly in preK/K) don't have special training to recognize and/or appropriately redirect kids with this sort of special need. I have found that in private school, there is a lot of lip-service to individual instruction, but it almost becomes a do-it-yourself thing so far as educating teachers. YOU have to really be a advocate, teach them how to avoid trouble, show them how to soothe/redirect your child in a meltdown, etc

The private-school trade-off is that classes are smaller, and more importantly to kids with SI, they tend to be more consistent/predictable. Once a teacher "buys-in" to the sensory diet and/or sees that your child INDEED responds differently than other kids, they have the flexibility and autonomy in the classroom to find great solutions to input issues.

On the other hand, in public school, there is an established process for modifications. Generally, there are also aids in classrooms to assist the teacher. Also, you can often get services on-site. And the free thing is nice. The downside, assuming you have a good/supportive teacher, isn't so much the class size but the fact that the child requires a label in order to access services. "Quirky" doesn't cut it.

That said, many kids with SI will qualify for OT/PT not on the basis of a sensory disorder, but because they tend to lag behind in fine and/or gross motor skills. For us, this was enough to qualify for OT and some modifications without going into the whole sensory thing.

Currently, both of my SI kids are in in private school, but I think my older son (now 7) could function in a "regular" good public school classroom, assuming he had a sensitive teacher.

That said, 3 years ago DS#1 was bad enough that he was mis-diagnosed with classic autism. At 4, his fine motor tested at 18mo. When overwhelmed or in a new situation, he would either meltdown or shutdown. Thankfully, we'd already been in OT for over a year at that point and his therapist and our pediatrician disputed the diagnoses.

Over the years, we have had a few teachers who were understanding and willing to make appropriate modifications, but some refused to believe that my DCs were not just being dramatic/spoiled, trying to get attention, etc.

Some expressed that modifications would not be fair to others. I found this to be more prevalent in "good" private schools than in public schools.

The good news, which I always pass along, it that with early treatment, they will learn coping mechanisms and the ability to self-soothe.

In fact, some tricks kids learn to minimize the effects of SI will eventually put them AHEAD of their peers. The skill set developed to navigate a hostile sensory environment (recognizing triggers, looking for solutions, verbalizing issues w/o melt-down) are extremely mature approaches relative to the typical elementary school kid.

While DS would have had issues in a big, crazy preschool classroom, at this point (2nd grade) you wouldn't know he ever had a problem unless I told you. To the naked eye, he seems perfectly normal. His fine motor is still somewhat delayed, but to the uninformed observer, he falls more into the "boys develop later" camp than the "needs services" camp. In every single thing besides fine motor, he is way ahead.

If you looked closely, you might notice that he only wears seamless socks, refuses to wear "button shirts," and doesn't have a lot of variety in his diet. None of these things make him stand out. Everyday, he gets a copy of the teachers daily schedule so he knows what will happen throughout the day. At 7, he can read it himself. He always has something in his pocket with which he can fiddle.

At any rate, know that it does get better and that what may seem necessary right now may change. My younger DD is in the thick of it right now. Having been here before, I know that she'll be OK.



Stephanie
Hardy 7
Blythe & Charlotte 5

[mytwosons]

How long did your DS do OT? I was told it would be 12-18 months 2x a week. Our OT does therapeutic listening along with everything else (DS was tested and I was told he was about 2 yrs behind in motor development--which I could definitely notice).

We did OT 1x/week, for less than a year. We also did therapeutic listening as part of that. We listened to the CDs at home 2x/day and also did fine motor work at home. We did brushing and joint compressions every two hours to start and then gradually extended that time when he was in school, then extended it at home, and then he didn't need it at all. IIRC, his fine motor took a huge leap the first three months we did OT - to the point of he was caught up. By the time we stopped, he was actually slightly advanced in fine motor.

Our insurance didn't cover anything, but if yours does, I would definitely take advantage of 2x/week.

[cuca_]

My DD has sensory issues, ADHD and language based learning disabilities. We tried public school and had a horrible experience. She just started a private school that specializes in kids with these sorts of issues and so far (1 week) it's made an incredible difference. We have gotten positive feedback from the teachers, DD loves it and I think because it is a very, very small classroom, her sensory issues do not interfere as much. Right now we are doing private OT and she starts hippotherapy next weekend.

In our experience the public school did not know how to deal with DDs issues appropriately. She was in an integrated classroom, but the teacher had unusually high expectations and complain about DDs issues from day 1 (despite the fact that these issues should not have come as a surprise as they were clearly included in her IEP). I feel like we wasted most of the year in public school. The school psychologist tried to label her as having oppositional defiant disorder, a label that all the professionals who work with her refuted (dev. ped., neuropsychologist, st, ot). They refused to see how the lack of a sensory diet, the academic difficulties resulting from her lds were affecting her behavior. They started complaining about her inability to sit still (without fiddling) for long periods of time, being easily distracted, etc... on the second day of school. Also, they did not modify the academic program appropriately (more visual, etc...), but that is probably an issue that relates more to her LDs.

The best thing we have done is to have DD evaluated by a neuropsychologist. It was costly, but a very thorough evaluation (several days of testing for DD and meetings with DH and I, and gave us a clearer picture of DDs weaknesses and strenghts. The neuropsychologist was also able to recommend school programs that she felt were appropriate for DD and help us come up with a therapy plan.

Because DD has issues other than SPD, our experience is a bit different. I was amazed at how uninformed/unconcerned the teachers and even the school OT were about SPD in the public school system, especially because DD went to preschool through CPSE and it was a whole different experience.

Good luck with your decision. By the way, DD did therapeutic listening while in preschool, and it was great, I think it really made a difference.

[egoldber]

I would post about this on DCUM if you haven't to get feedback on privates in our area.

The complaint I hear about the privates in our area is they tend to be highly driven. And they expect parents to provide lots of intensive therapy and support outside of school. The class sizes may be a little smaller, but in general they have lower ratios, not necessarily smaller classes, when the issue for many kids is the number of bodies in the classrooom.

In general I think the publics are very open to accommodations that they do not have to PAY for. And I agree that they are more used to making accommodations because they have to deal with the mandated accommodations.

Sarah has mild sensory issues, but not SPD. Her main issues have been handwriting and dealing with the noise of the classroom. I think that requesting a teacher who is sensitive and who runs a quiet class (the difference in noise level between different classrooms can be pretty amazing) can make a huge difference. She is also pretty behind in fine motor, but not enough to qualify for services (because that gap needs to be QUITE large to qualify) and it really has not affected her classroom experience much. She is still well within the range for kids in her grade. I was pretty comforted when I saw the range of handwriting ability in kids in her class. If anything, I would be somewhat concerned that the handwriting and fine motor expectations would be higher in most privates.

[HIU8]

DS is about 2 yrs behind in motor development (fine and gross) and motor planning. He is almost 5, so he is functioning at the level of basically a 3 yr old. The OT expressed concerns about labeling him in MOCO just to get services. She feels there are some privates that would be better suited. I'm waiting to hear. I know the public school in my neighborhood has 4 classes of 20 kids each this year. I know nothing about the teachers though.

[ladysoapmaker]

My DD#2 isn't in school yet and actually we are just starting the evaluation process for her. Though if she does end up being DIS I will insist on using our local school for preschool. I am in awe of those teachers and I know they will do a good job. (after watching them with our other 3 in integrated classes, no more then 12 kids and there are at least 1 aide and if need be more, and several parents have express deep satisfaction.)

I was diagnose with DIS when I was 7 or 8. At that time all my OT was through private therapist. I was at a private school and even if I needed help during school for redirection, I don't think my school would have been able to do that. THey were very much of the "we have no kids with those issues." ie there was no one with LDs, or ADD or anything like that. I wasn't diagnosed with my LD until age 15 and at a public high school.

I would recommend talking with the admin and teachers at both places and see if you can observe some classes.

Good Luck.
Jen

[jse107]

DS was treated for moderate sensory modulation dysfunction this past year. We went private, because the puclic schools in our county don't cover OT services for sensory needs(Montgomery County, MD). He went 1x/week and we did brushing and sensory exercises everyday at home. It made a HUGE difference for him! Insurance didn't cover it--so we paid OOP about $115 a session. Ugh. It was so worth it though.

[HIU8]

We are also in MOCO, currently in private therapy. They will work with DS's preschool though and I think I'm going to go and have them observe. I'm speaking with the preschool teacher tomorrow morning. We were not going to involve the school except that it became apparent when we were given the objectives for the year that we would have to (they sign their own name in every morning--ALL the kids in the class can write their names--some messier than others, but DS can barely do the first 2 letters of his name. We are working with him at home, but he yells that he is not interested and won't try...so now the OT is working strongly on that as well as gross motor issues and motor planning. I think the listening therapy starts this week also.

Insurance doesn't cover sensory issues, but DS's have a lot to do with motor development, so we are attempting to get things covered. As of today, everything has been OOP at $115 a session 2x a week.

[niccig]

We're in Los Angeles. A friend's DS has SID. They've been doing private OT for a while, and they were advised to choose a private school with smaller class size and more hands-on learning. Their son started today at a private Montessori. They met with the teacher last week, so the teacher could spend time with him and discuss how to handle certain issues. I know the meeting made his parents feel better, but it still remains to be seen if the school can accommodate his needs. They say they can, and have before. But I think that for both public and private schools, it's going to depend on the individual school. You'll need to visit and talk to the admin/teachers/other parents to get a feel for where you think DS will be best suited.

You said DS has to write his name at preschool - this is pre-K? I find that surprising that on the first day of pre-K they're supposed to know how to write their name. Our old preschool was play-based and they didn't start teaching writing until the pre-K year. They said most children don't have the fine motor skills until then. DS has shown no interest in writing, he's 4.5 yo. I checked with his new school, as we swapped him for pre-K as he can stay at the new school through elementary. His pre-K teacher said that some in the class will already know how to write and others don't, and that is fine as they work with them individually at whatever is their developmental level. It is a developmental school though, they put the work at each child's level. It also has a small class size and good ratio. In pre-K, it's 16 kids and 2 full time teachers. In K through 6, it's 24 children and 2 full-time teachers. DS doesn't have any LD or SID,but we choose this school as we prefer the developmental philosophy, hands-on learning, less emphasis on testing etc. We did not go for the prep school type of private when there's more focus on academic achievement - it seemed too stressful for us, especially for 5 year olds.

I'm sure you have many different schools in your area, I would check out all the public and all the private. Many will start tours, information evenings etc in the next few months.

[egoldber]

You said DS has to write his name at preschool - this is pre-K? I find that surprising that on the first day of pre-K they're supposed to know how to write their name.

I agree. This is not developmentally appropriate. In Sarah's 4 year old pre-school class, this was a skill they worked on over the course of the year.

[HIU8]

I thought it was odd myself. They are "working on it" by having the kids do it daily before class starts. I noticed that DS was the only one not really able to write his name. I have a meeting with the ps teacher tomorrow before the class starts to talk with her about stuff.

Plus, I posted on DCUM for help navigating MOCO and to talk me through my confusion of public vs private in MOCO when it comes to DS's issues.

[egoldber]

They are "working on it" by having the kids do it daily before class starts.

That is what they did in Sarah's classroom as well. At the beginning of the year she could only make an S. By the end of the year, she was writing her name.

I hope DCUM is helpful. They can get a little :dizzy: over there.... But I have seen several similar posts there recently. Wasn't sure of one of them was you or not. :)

[HIU8]

I just posted about 15 minutes ago. I had not posted before, but I'm beginning to get confused and want to make sure DH and I make the best decision for DS. So, I am taking the OT's information/Opinion, this board and DCUM into account, and also asking my neighbors about their experiences with the neighborhood school. I don't even know if in MOCO you can switch elem schools unless you live in the neighborhood (you used to not be able to do that).

[egoldber]

I would consider scheduling a meeting with the principal to discuss what the OT has to say and see what he/she says. They may have a lot of experience and be very accommodating. Or not.

The concern I would have with privates, in our area especially, is that they would have higher fine motor expectations and have less experience with a wide variety of students at various skill levels. There are some privates who "specialize" a bit in kids with various issues, but they often tend to cater to kids with pretty severe issues. It's hard when you have a kid with enough issues for it to be a concern, but not so much that it qualifies them for a lot of help and services. It leaves you in a bit of a limbo. :(

Even though he may not get services, you could ask the school about a 504 plan and for various accommodations. As I said, when the accommodations don't actually COST the school any money (like an aid or therapy), then they are often willing to work with you. After all they want your kid to be successful.

[HIU8]

Thanks, I will look at a 504 plan and what type of accommodations they would offer.

I know one private that caters to DS's issues along with a host of others that I would consider significantly more severe--not sure I want DS in that environment (ie--the type of message it will give him about himself and his self esteem). DS is sort of in the middle, you are right. I so far have very little experience with this. Tomorrow will be my first meeting with the preschool teacher. We will probably take it higher to the behavioral therapist (yes they have one) and to the education coordinator and to the director. I know DS's OT really wants to come observe and help DS be as successful as possible. I actually really like her and DS happens to LOVE OT (as in doesn't want to leave when the session is over).