A Letter To Our Occupational Therapist

hehehe You go girl! I understand exactly what your feeling. Tristan doesn't qualify for very much services. So when they do finally show up he doesn't really remember them. So he will not cooperate at all. Apparently this is his fault. Has something to do with his lack of social skills or something HA! Your doing wonderful Parker!!

To play devil's advocate, does he mean that he's not choosing a favorite hand and will choose instead to play with the puzzle left or right handed instead of reaching across midline. My now 4yo has dyspraxia and she still needs to be reminded to use her dominant right hand when writing, because when she fatigues she uses the left. Her school OT sounds about as useful as yours–maybe they're one in the same!

Ugh, I hate pretentious and out-of-the-loop therapists. Thankfully we've only had one of those and she didn't last long. Kids just KNOW when they're not being treated right by people who are supposed to be helping them. Parker is doing fabulous!!! Just a shame that stupid OT won't take the time to find out.

Heather,

Parker does have a dominant hand….his right. His OT wants him to cross midline taking turns with both hands.

But he is to point and choose objects using his right hand and pointer finger.

Which, btw, he most certainly can do as well.

Kids are always tricky come evaluation time. Even never shows off very well either.

It can be difficult for therapists sometimes when a child is demonstrating a skill at home, but the stars don't align in the therapy office and the therapist doesn't see the child doing the skill him/herself. That being said, it sounds like this OT is not really making an effort to align said stars and give Parker opportunities to show what he can do. Mayhap it is time for a new OT?

Print it out and mail it!

We have always been so fortunate to have qualified, loving and entertaining therapists. It makes a world of difference.

Oh, I hate it when I am in a situation like this! It is such a blessing when you have good therapists, and you can really feel the difference when you don't.

Ooo er! Well, on a positive note, I know from personal experience that an OT's qualifications, experience etc. don't count for much [not to put them down in any way] but I think they would agree [I hope] that sometimes there is chemistry and it works like magic, and other times…..
Best wishes

When Myah was first diagnosed, I thought our therapists knew more about my child than I did…because some of them made me feel that way. Well, as time has gone by, I've realized I know EXACTLY what my child can and can not do, no matter what her therapist says, and Myah knows it too!
(Sorry, not a slam against most therapists because we have had wonderful ones as well, and I wouldn't know what I would do without them!)

OOOh, we've definitely had situations like this in the past! Doesn't it just make ya wanna smack your therapists sometimes? LOL

I have run into that too often, 'they' can't engage/teach my son and it is always because of a lack in my son's ability, not their own lack of teaching skills. Never mind he CAN do it, and does, just not with them. GRRRRR!

Oh my have I been there with several of my son's providers!

Sad how there are some days you want kids to not do so well to qualify for more days of OT/PT. At the same time it irks you when your kid will not show something that they have done at home and it shows up on an IEP.

Luckily we have basically had OT's or PT's that have engaged our son. Most of the time he was just stubborn and selected not to show them something.

Good luck!

That's fantastic! Or maybe his lack of displaying these things on queue is more related to his independence!

Good job, Parker; that's hard work!
And way to go, Mama, teaching him how and catching it on film!