The one with the newer OT & Eval.. [Part Two]

IT. WENT. FABULOUS.

I really had a good feeling about this, and I was right!!

She had her kit of 'standardized' testing, she had the sensory profile - which she went over with me bit by bit. She observed, asked questions, explained why something was good or concerning. She wasn't afraid of using the 'bigger words' with me, always stopping to explain.

A big difference between her and the other OT's we have tried to work with, is her expertise and experience with Autism. OT's work with SO many different types of issues, that it is hard to find the right fit. From our hour together, it seems that she is very on top of her game.

....and she found stuff no-one else has too. He is 'low tone'. I am certain this will take some time to process exactly to what degree & I don't fully understand it, but she saw quite a few things that fit:

1. He props constantly

2. His shoulders are 'shrugged' all the time

3. He lays on his back with 'frog legs'

4. His thumb flexes WAY futher than it should

5. He has a weak grip/grasp

6. Hunched/Rounded back

7. Couldn't even do ONE partial sit up - he was asked to place a puzzle piece at knee level (lying down) and all he had to do was lift a tiny bit to do it - but he had to roll to his side.

There is so much to work on, it is almost overwhelming. But I am just glad that we are getting the help he needs still early on.

Next week, she's going to continue more observation & talk through my list of concerns after she sorts through all that she 'tested' and observed today. She wants to see him a few more times and get a good chance to get to know him better before completing her review. I thought that was a wonderful idea.

She was so apologetic that we didn't get a useful/competant evaluation the first time around, and was also fairly surprised that no-one had addressed quite a few issues with me.

When I get the full report, I'll be sure to go into greater detail... but the evauation today cites difficulties in the areas of:

Vestibular

Proprioceptive

Motor Planning

Bilateral Coordination/Crossing Midline

Tactile (several things never addressed before, though I was surprised)

Fine Motor/Grasp (other than writing; again surprised)

There are quite a few things that I enjoy about standardized testing! :-) It is always a great thing to see your child EXCEL! She said that he set her record for the YEAR for a 3 year old: writing, using a 2nd grade level tripod grasp, and stacking blocks (12 tall). He also gave her the 'tour' (if you will) of his cognitive processing.... She asked him to 'write his name'. So he wrote 'N A M E'. She got a good kick out of that! Then, learned to rephrase. That's my boy!

Even better: I got the call that the 'Out of Sync Child on video' is ready for me at the Library. I requested it via:Interlibrary Loan a while back & now I can watch it and process things even better.

Hey - our team is FINALLY complete!!! We now have competent Speech, Developmental, Occupational, Service Coordinator, and Preschool Coordinator.

And it only took us 11 months and 12 days.