Walk me through SPD for preschooler, please

[wellyes]

DD preschool teacher has again drawn me aside with some concerns about DD. She suggested I get her evaluated for SPD. The red flags include:
- always moving - dancing, spinning, 'floating' - like she can't find herself in space
- frequently invades other kids' space
- hard time connecting with other kids
- lots of toe walking (this I see at home too)
- hard time sitting still and standing in line
- inattentive to teachers, gets lost in her own head, some selective hearing issues (we have had her hearing tested)


The teacher suggested I start by making a pediatrician appointment and then said "the good news is, once she's evaluated, treatment won't cost you anything". I've done a little googling and it looks like treatment is OT. I've also ordered a couple of books. But - til I get them - can anyone who has been through this help me see what's ahead?

-- Does the OT help?
-- Did your child find the OT stressful or difficult?
-- Did you find OT tough to deal with in terms of bureaucracy?
-- Would DD have to attend the public preschool to get it? That would be fine, I just want to get a grasp of what's to come.
-- Any other advice?

I really want to help her feel comfortable in her own skin and make friends.

[larig]

Timely thread. I had the same talk with DS's preschool teachers about SPD on Monday. We already had scheduled an appointment with public school screening for Friday for DS's speech. Not to thread-jack, but just wanted to reach out. :hug:

[kara97210]

This is timely for me too. We have an EIP eval tomorrow for my almost 3 year old. No advice, I might know more tomorrow after our appointment, but just wanted to send support.

[HIU8]

I would suggest reading The Out of Sync Child as a starting point. It gives some very good/helpful information.

My DS has SPD. He is a sensory avoider. He is also behind in gross and fine motor skills (although he is basically up to age level now). He has been in OT for 2.5 years. It has been very helpful for him. We have seen huge improvements in his ability to deal with people and his surroundings. As part of OT we have also done therapuetic listening and that really helped him.

My DS loves the OT (it's like playtime for him).

In my experience, OT in school is for fine motor help only. You will most likely be looking at private OT, so I would check your insurance to see if they have a pre-auth requirement, how many sessions a year they allow, whether their is anyone in network (FWIW, in my area there are no OT's who participate with any insurance. The sessions are private pay and I submit to my insurance who reimburses me for an out of network service b/c my insurance allows 60 OT visits a year).

[octmom]

DS had some sensory issues in preschool and we took him to OT. The good news-- he liked OT! It was fun and he didn't mind going. I think it helped him at the time. IIRC, we went for 6 or 8 weeks.

Before he went to Kindergarten, we brought this up with his (public) school. We asked for the OT to observe him, but like a PP mentioned, our experience was that they only provided OT support for fine motor issues, which weren't a problem for him. We did provide lots of information from the OT to school re: a sensory diet and heavy work activities that might be helpful. (e.g., wiping down tables, carrying a stack of books) Unfortunately, neither DS's private preschool or public school made much use of these suggestions or of fidget items we provided. He had behavioral issues that might have been lessened if they had taken more of these suggestions when he was in preschool and K. He has outgrown some of it as he has gotten older, but he still has some trouble in his second-grade class of 25 kids that is kind of chaotic. (I was there for a special activity last week and I felt like I was in sensory overload, so I can only imagine how DS feels on a daily basis!)

The bad news: We had to pay out of pocket for OT. :( I understand that some folks are able to get their insurance companies to cover it, but it depends on how the OT office codes it and if there is a diagnosis that the insurance company accepts. Since SPD is not in the DSM, this can be a tough one. :(

Good luck! I hope your DD gets just the help she needs.

[octmom]

One more thing-- I don't know this person, but I follow her on Pinterest. She has a board filled with SPD resources. You may find some of them useful. http://pinterest.com/txterrisweeps/sensory-processing-disorder-spd/

[sariana]

My DS does not have an SPD diagnosis, but he did/does demonstrate some of the same behaviors. His diagnoses are Asperger's and ADHD, which share some characteristics.

-- Does the OT help?
Yes, but it was not a miracle cure by any means.

-- Did your child find the OT stressful or difficult?
No, he loved it!

-- Did you find OT tough to deal with in terms of bureaucracy?
We did not experience this, no. At first we went to a private facility that was paid directly by the school district. Eventually DS qualified for the special ed preschool, so then he got the OT as part of his school day.

-- Would DD have to attend the public preschool to get it? That would be fine, I just want to get a grasp of what's to come.
This probably depends on your state. DS did NOT have to attend the preschool (see above) when his only diagnoses were physical delays. (He originally got both OT and PT, first through the Regional Center and then through the school district once he turned 3.)

-- Any other advice?
You may want to familiarize yourself with the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, so that you are familiar with your/your DD's rights. Even the most accommodating district does not always act in the best interests of YOUR child. The more familiar you are with your rights, the better able you are to advocate for your DD. (And yes, "term dropping" does help. Knowing the language of the law will be an asset.)

I do want to give kudos to your DD's teacher for mentioning these things to you in such a specific way. My son's first preschool teacher noticed some problems, but she tended to focus on the discipline side and not so much on how to help him.