OT Report

I'm just going to copy what I wrote to Bette on this one....

I just spoke with Sophia's OT about her findings. They are very disturbing to me, specifically the severity of issues found.

This is what she said: S has severe motor planning issues. Her visual tracking is off. She doesn't attend to the task visually long enough. She is easily distracted both visually and auditorily.

She is both tactily and auditorily defensive. She has a hard time transitioning from a preferred task to a challenging task.

Her systems are not integrated, she is uncomfortable in her own body.

She doesn't bring hands together at midline, doesn't reach behind her back, and needs to turn her whole body to reach for an object or complete a task.

She is orally defensive and can't get her mouth, tongue or lips to do what she wants them to do.

Of course some of this we knew, but the extent of it is quite overwhelming. I am feeling terrible that she hasn't been in OT these past 2 years. The person we had wasn't any good and I just found this new person. She is far away and it is expensive, but we need something. Today she fed her a snack for 30 minutes. Although she got information from watching her, it is extremely frustrating that I drive 40 minutes and pay who knows how much for her to watch her eat for 30 minutes. At this rate, she will be in OT for years and never be ready for school. Sorry to project my frustration, but I wanted to give you this information to see if there is anything you might want to add to S's program. Today, I had to physically move her through the homolaterals. She is doing the tummy crawling for now, but complains that it hurts her knees and elbows. Please give me your thoughts on this and my other questions when you get back.

Now, more of my thoughts...I need someone to help me do the fetal patterns.
The one we are doing is a 2 step pattern, which takes some practice to get right. I'm pretty sure all of the direction, correction, and arguing and NOT how they are meant to be done. Today is a frustrating day to say the least. The OT report is so upsetting. If I had competent people around me, couldn't we have been working on this? The school didn't think we even needed OT, that's why I told them they could keep their help. I called the ped's office yesterday to get a referral for an audiogram for the listening program I am getting involved in. They asked if I thought she had a hearing problem. I explained that her hearing it too acute, that's why she needs this program. She seemed to get it and said she would tell the doctor. She called back today and said they could give her a hearing test. Hello? Do they need an intelligence test? I told them again what I needed and confirmed they couldn't supply it, so I wait another day or more. The place that is doing the program isn't the most cooperative. They act like I'm bothering them with my questions. They are willing to do the program without even talking to me to see if it's right for us. What????? So now I wait until Thursday and see if she can talk to me in a few hour window for which she cannot set up a time. Now I need to see if the school will consult with the OT. I hope tomorrow doesn't lead to more frustration or I'll need a straightjacket. I am grateful that the school wants S to be like the other kids, I do too, but she needs to be handled differently. She can only be helped if you accept her for who she is. Isn't that supposed to be the hardest for the parent and not others?