Cost of OT through the school district

[Ruthla]

DS has recently been diagnosed with a handwriting delay, and after weeks of waiting for the OT to work with him, she finally saw him today. She sent him home with a list of exercises to do at home, all of which require therapy putty which they didn't provide. She also listed a few more items she'd like him to get; some clips to squeeze and a "tennis ball guy" to squeeze and manipulate small items in and out of the "mouth." She also gave me two websites where I can purchase these items; one for the putty and one for the other items. There are about 6 different varieties of putty and she didn't specify which one to get.

The problem is that this stuff isn't cheap. To get all these items, from two different websites and pay shipping twice will cost over $30. I don't have the money for this right now, and waiting to buy it means that DS waits to start therapy, which has already been delayed too long.

Is there any way to get the school to supply some of this equipment? Should I try to do this through the pediatrician/medical insurance? Is there any way I could make therapy equipment for him out of stuff we already have in the house? Anybody have a homemade putty recipe? Even if it's not as good as the professsional OT stuff, I'd like to get him started on the exercises as soon as possible.

[sadiesmommy]

Our OT recommended using Silly Putty that I purchase at the Dollar Store.

[CarrieMF]

theraputty you can buy in a physiotherapists office or you can use something like silly putty/playdough but it won't give as much of the therapy as theraputty will(especially the playdough unless you make your own & make it thicker than regular playdough). Theraputty has different thicknesses to help strengthen. You'd generally start with an easier one & work your way up to the harder ones so playdough may be a good place to start & work your way up to modelling clay.

small clips, if it's to help with a pincher type grip & strengthen the hands get clothes pins. You should be able to get really small ones at the dollar store or even in the office supply of a walmart or similar store.

The tennis ball dude will have to be purchased at a specialty store. You may be able to buy one of those small coin purses that you have to squeese to open & fill it with small things. It won't be quite the same but in the same general idea.

IF the school buys the stuff(they may) it will stay at school. The school's responsibility ends when the child leaves the school & while in theory it could be taken home/brought back in reality that doesn't happen.

[Treasuremapper]

What is the tennis ball dude?

[Ruthla]

Tennis ball guy

I think I'm just going to get the therapy putty, and skip the extra items (unless I can find something similar super cheap.) But I really don't want to spend $7.50 on shipping when the putty itself is only about $4 or $8, depending on how much I buy.

Does anybody know how I could find this stuff locally? Web searches for "therapy putty Long Island" or "therapy putty near(my town name)" haven't been fruitful at all.

[PikkuMyy]

If you have a place like The Learning Palace or Lakeshore, you might find it there.

[CarrieMF]

physical therapist offices will have it. You may be able to find it in the fitness section of stores.

[bbsc]

Or a big pharmacy. The local, non national chain pharmacy in my town carries it.

[Polliwog]

My son's private OT's office sells a lot of those kinds of things at their front desk. The prices seem comparable to online and would save you shipping costs, and time. We've got some of the Theraputty and it's definitely different from Silly Putty.

You might be able to get both items through Amazon.

[BonnieMommy]

The Green Theraputty is about the same consistency as Silly Putty.

[Kristine233]

A lot of stuff can be improvised, don't get stuck thinking you have to have the professional stuff or exactly as they recommend. Here are some good ideas: http://www.therapystreetforkids.com/...isolation.html
My sons OT also had us putting different textures under the paper and practice writing to and he really liked that as well.

[KatWrangler]

What about child size scissors to practice cutting?

Gabrielle had some hand strength issues. I know they worked with her on cutting with scissors.