appointments coming up/ nervous

How did it go? I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier (we've been on vacation).
I hope this professional was able to clearly assess and communicate that with you.

As far as OT tomorrow try not to worry. First most OT's are very good at working with kids who aren't real motivated. And she needs to see your daughter as she is (including resistance if that happens). My son (who is mildly PDD-NOS and probably ADD though not hyperactive and I'm not sure how that runs in with his spectrum stuff) is a kiddo who basically had no desire to do anything just to please someone else and he actually does well with his OT and most other therapists. They (therapists) just know how to do things I think! In my experiences she will ask you questions to determine areas of concern and then she will play with her to further pinpoint what might be weaknesses and strengths. In other words I don't think you need to worry about figuring it out because the OT will do all that for you. I hope it goes well!

I just wanted to add that I hope all goes well too. If you don't like who you see, ask to see another doc. That's what I've done. I think that can make a huge difference. I was anticipating an appointment with a Dev Ped for almost two months and I was so excited to get some answers and work with a knowledgeable professional. I was sorely disappointed! We asked to see someone else but now we have to wait until the middle of August. It's okay though because I really didn't think we were a good match for the first one we saw.

I also understand how you feel about the *waiting* for appointments part. I always get nervous too. In fact we have another appointment tomorrow that I'm not looking forward to. I'm really tired of appointments!!!

Anyway, again best wishes for some good meetings, evals, and news!

Aw, Jess.

Do you want me to go with you next week? If your dh can't make it, I'd be glad to be there for moral support.

We actually addressed the issue w/ other docs & schools thinking Dr. Harkins diagnoses *everyone* for asperger's. It's just not true. I've done the research on ds, that's what I'm pretty sure he has, and if Dr. Harkins sees something else I KNOW she'll tell me. I think the individuals w/ asperger's have that diagnosis because parents seek her out. I know I did. I KNOW she knows what she's talking about.

She's not what I expected, but she is very nice, very down to earth, and the appointment was quiet and even though it was about an hour or so, it went by quickly. Rachel was with us, so the Dr was able to see how Max interacts w/ her and it went well.

He's spinning at the moment - I'm trying to ask him if he enjoyed it there. He says he enjoyed talking with Dr. Harkins and playing with her toys.

I could have written your post a year ago. I felt so silly for wanting ds to be assessed for sensory processing disorder by an OT because his issues were so 'mild'. He was just 'off', but only to me. He wasn't so weird that our ped or other people even noticed.

But I went ahead and did it because my gut told me that something wasn't right. And because he is sooo similar in many ways to my brother, who always had unspecified learning difficulties in school - and now I'm sure it's because he couldn't focus because he was too sensitive to all the things going on. He couldn't filter out anything. He was also very late in motor planning (late to ride a bike, not well coordinated at all) - a tall, gawky, sensitive klutz. And then there's my husband, who never goes without socks, who can't wear wool or use wool blankets, who won't eat ANY vegetables because of the taste...

Anyway, the OT was GREAT. She didn't think we were nuts for having him assessed. She found that in some areas (fine motor) he was a bit delayed, but not as much as I thought. But she found other areas (bilateral coordination, motor planning, vestibular sensitivities) where he was considerably behind. I had never noticed that he wouldn't put his head down below his shoulders - so somersaults, bear walking, etc. were out. (OK, maybe I should have had a clue when I tried to wash his hair in the sink and he FREAKED out when I asked him to lean forward, but I thought that was the water . He couldn't balance to save his life. At last I understood why he was terrified of going crooked on the swings.

The vestibular stuff also explained why he was so terrified of loud noises and so afraid of the dark- our OT explained that he couldn't identify/locate his body very well in space and so the loud noises felt 'on top' of him. He compensates by using his vision, and so being in the dark leaves him without ANY sensory input to figure out where he is. At least now I know why we have to leave the hall light on all night. (Night lights won't do it.)

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Oh how true here -- I'm actually not sure I'd like to homeschool, but I know it's a moot point because I cannot get ds to cooperate. I am amazed at how the OT can get our son to cooperate in ways that I could NEVER do. Ds has absolutely ZERO desire to complete tasks just to please an adult, and yet he does for our OT. Whatever she does, she places things at a level where it's just within reach of his comfort zone. Ds has a very keen sense of what he can/cannot do, and won't attempt things that he thinks he can't. I wonder if this is related to SPD or just a personality thing?

If the OT is any good, s/he'll give you a Sensory Profile to fill out (we did a long form and then a Short Sensory Profile to indicate areas of probably/definite difference) and then a battery of tests for fine motor, coordination, balance, etc. Our initial appt took about 1 1/2 hrs.

We haven't had him assessed by a developmental ped for Asperger's. I go through periods where I'm CONVINCED he's on the spectrum and then periods where I'm convinced he's not. I'm in one of the latter now, so I'm going to wait and see how he does in 1st grade when we change schools. (And I just found out that one of his K classmates has Asperger's and when I mentioned T's sensory stuff and my worries about Asperger's to his mom, she looked at me and said, "OK, I'm not a doctor, but no way does your son have Asperger's." I'm going to talk more to her about that at some time.)

All of this is a very long way to say - you are right to have her assessed if this is causing you worry. Where ever she ends up being (on/off the spectrum), you'll understand better what you can do to meet her needs.

Okay, that OT assessment was a total waste of time. Sheesh. It was a disaster. She had no frigging idea what she was doing. None! We stayed in the small room with the table the whole time. She had Anna play with pegs and build with small blocks and some other fine motor stuff, draw, cut with scissors. She had me fill out a sensory profile (short one). She had Anna try to throw and catch a bean bag and kick a ball. That was it. Anna totally got mad and refused to do anything, which is not untypical. But the OT was NOT good with her or at getting her to cooperate.

And she never did any large motor or real sensory stuff, despite my reiterating over and over that her issues were sensory and large motor based. I mean, I was all for having her fine motor skills assessed; I think she should be cutting and drawing/ writing better than she is now, but I really don't think that's a big deal. I taught preschool and worked in Montessori schools pre-children, and we do a LOT of fine motor activities. The OT said she thought Anna was fine and didn't need any therapy but that we could try for a few sessions to make me happy. She suggested a home consultant to work with the "behavioral" issues. One who does ABA. She thinks it is all just Anna behaving badly to get her way.

When questioned about her credentials, she said, "Well, all of us OT's have had some training in SI and some OTs here have years of experience and I can ask them...." ARG! I know Anna's issues are subtle and not classic; the Out of Sync Child has lots of great ideas but doesn't really describe her. She is not a sensory seeker or avoider, except in certain things. I have seen lots of improvement from her gymnastics class. I think she really needs a lot of large motor work....gymnastics, swimming, playground, etc, and I'd love to have her in some more classes with great equipment. Unfortunately, we're also totally broke right now. I'm just so frustrated and am not sure where to go now. I've heard good things about Warm Springs hospital for SI but I'm not sure that they are on our insurance and I can't get them to call me back. Sigh. :

Plus, the OT was not sensitive to the fact she took a poloroid of Anna and one of Catherine. Catherine got to keep hers, but the OT wanted to keep the Anna one for her files. Of course, Anna got upset. Grrr....

I guess there is the possibility that she doesn't have any issues and is just a brat and controlling and I am a terrible mother. I don't THINK that is it, but I guess I have to keep that in mind.

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Thanks. I have seen her credentials, and it sounds like she is good enough that I can't imagine she would have a blanket dx for everyone. It sounds like she rocked for you guys. And I agree, it makes sense that people would seek out a dx who thought their kids had it. And Max does seem "spectrumy." I've never thought of Anna that way, but lately I'm wondering if she might be on the edge of it. Of course, she is three and as she says, "I want to do what *I* want to do!"

I think we'll be fine. It's not the going that scares me, but what she says. But thanks for the offer to go with us.

You totally took the right kitten by the way. Runt is a punk and does not like to use the litter box. And then the other cat gets offended by the smell of his pee/ poop (even after we clean it up) and pees there in retaliation.... Arg. I'm ready to kick him out on the street. Ungrateful little turd. And he won't let anyone touch him. He really seems semi feral. I think all that being beaten up in his formative weeks by siblings much bigger than him took a toll.

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I wish we had been able to hang out a little more. I'd have been able to really watch Anna a little more. She might be on the edge of it, like you said. She definitely doesn't seem as spectrumy as Max is. (Good word. I like that!)

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No problem. And I'm here if you change your mind. I'll PM you my new #. And we're literally a mile from her office, straight down the road, so if you felt like hanging out afterward (or not - I can totally see it going either way) you'd be welcome.

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: What a little jerk! LOL! We had a period where both of our kittens were peeing in my CLOSET, but once I cleaned it up (switched rooms w/ kids and at the time it was covered in toys) and relocated their litter box it was fine. Apparently they didn't like peeing in my bathroom. The kids bathroom (in the box) and my closet, however, were great. Who knew?

I'm sorry that the assessment was a waste of time. If it'll help, this is what our ds was assessed with:

A long sensory questionnaire (sorry, don't have the name).
The Short Sensory Profile
Beery-Buktenica Development Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI)
Bruininka-Orseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT 2)
Peabody Developmental Motor Scales Second Edition
Clinical Observation of Motor and Postural Skills (COMPS)
We've had 2 assessments (every 6 months) with those, and then this last time she added: SCAN-C a screening tool for auditory processing issues. (The SCAN-C wouldn't be appropriate for your daughter - she's too young).

I agree with LauraLoo - tell them your concerns - that you didn't get someone who was experienced with SI at all and that she wasn't good at working with your daughter, so she didn't get a sense of what's going on. Ask for a copy of the report to see what she was assessed with. her response to your question about the credentials sends up huge red flags for me. Most good professionals know their strengths and weaknesses and will willingly admit them.

Our OT is incredibly knowledgeable - she trains other OTs. If you want, you can PM with your location, I can ask our OT if there's someone near you that she recommends.

Well, we met with Dr. Harkins! (the developmental pediatrician) She was wonderful! I really liked her a lot. I had not realized that it was a series of appointments, so we don't have a dx yet, but she said she is almost certain that Anna is not on the spectrum, although she wants to do the ADOS and watch a 20 minute video of her playign with a same aged peer to make sure. She thinks Anna has significant sensory issues and likely has ADD. She suggested having her vision checked for tracking and convergence issues. She told me that kiddos with difficulties with language early on often have problems with reading, although I think so many pre reading skills are coming together for Anna that I doubt that will be a problem. But, I was a reading specialist in a former life, so if that is a problem, I feel very equipped to deal with that.

I feel much relieved. I liked her a lot. Anna totally refused to draw for her, but oh well. (She wanted to write a story instead.) We go back for a developmental screening, the ADOS (what should I expect at that?), and then the parent consultation for the results. So we shall see.

She said she thinks Anna would really benefit from going to preschool a couple or three times a week, which I really agree with. I'm not sure that we can afford it, but it would be superb for her. Gymnastics has been soooo awesome for her. I hope she can recommend a really good OT for sensory integration.