Motor Dyspraxia

Hi Stacy,

My story is the other way around.

The school OT evaluated my son for Motor Dyspraxia but determined that his was not bad enough that it interfered with his school work. She strongly suggested he see an outside OT though. My son is now seeing an outside OT for SID, apraxia, and fine motor skills.

I know this isn’t much help….

Barb

Barb,

But it does help knowing someon else is in the boat as us!! I started too with asking the school OT to look and she said she saw fine motor problems but not enough to require aid and she lead us to the OT we are seeing now. This OT thinks there may be enough to require him to have help at school or I guess at least it will be in his record so If/ when problems come up at school it is noted.

How often does your child go to OT?

~Stacy

: )

He goes once a week. The insurance has approved his visits for five months with an auto renewal of another five.

How about you?

Barb

Right now we go once a week then when summer break starts we will go twice a week. I requested and IEP meeting with the school , still waiting on a reply from them.

As far as insurance we know it says it covers OT. Our OT said she was gong to call to report how long she would like to work with him. My DH is also going to call to double check if/what the time frame is.

We are real newbies at this as he was just evaluated two weeks ago, next monday will be his second OT visit.

One thing that has helped over last year in a big way was Karate. It not only helps with muscle tone/development big and small but self esteem too.

We are in Alabama, not the best schools so I am not sure what to expect from the schools about this. I worked with my nephew (Autistic) back when I lived in Michigan, so the LD world isn’t a completle stranger, just this area of it.

Where are you?

~Stacy

We are in Minnesota.

My son (now 12) was in Taekwondo when he was younger. He enjoyed it (but not as much as his older brother). It did seem to help some.

Your sign on name seems familiar. Do you also post on Schwablearning.org?

Barb : )

Nope, haven’t seen that site yet, but will check it out!!

TDK has mostly helped with his large motor, but it has been an overall blessing to our son and us. He is graduating tonight from Cub to Jr.

~Stacy

OH! How wonderful for him! : )

(Don’t let anyone know : 0 but I studied for six years and had just passed my second degree black belt testing before “real life” started getting too busy and I had to drop out. Most of those six years were a combination of jr classes with my boys and one or two adult classes a week. I ended up leading our little ones group—the tigers. I loved it. YOU should ask if you can start the jr classes! teehee)

Barb

WOW! I almost did start with a couple friends ( they did it!) but decided in the long run its not for me. I do the “workout at the gym” thing 3 days a week instead. My Son’s Instructor is a 4th degree and is the 2004 ITA world champion.

May I ask how long it took for you to get a final diagnosis for your son? like I said I am new at this and the OT said our Ped would have the offically make the diagnosis, she said she was going to put Dyspraxia/SI in her report.

Also I am worried as he does function well in school and gets good grades. I have been told by the school OT, that he won’t fit in the schools LD programs as he “can hold is own” for now. But personally she can see where he needs help. If/When the ped gives a diagnosis does this mean the school has to “see” it?

I guess I am just wondering where I am headed with this.

Thanks
~Stacy

He can get a 504 plan with other health impaired but not an IEP if his condition doesn’t affect him educationally. My son got a very thorough evaluation from a OT and the school basically told me it was a medical problem and thus not their problem. Now my son was already classified as LD but I was hoping for some more OT services but no go.

If it impacts his handwriting, that is educaitonal.

Beth

I agree with Beth. They have to acknowlege that he has…whatever…but they don’t have to do anything about it. They get involved only if it leads to an educational need.

Examples of educational accomidations or modifications are longer time to finish assignments, ability to do work in a different format, access to a computer….but they probably won’t do anything. : (

My son was ID’ed as LD first so he was already on a IEP. He was also recieveing speech services and the speech patholigist was the one pushing the school OT.

As for a time line. The school OT tested him during the middle of 5th grade and send us to the ped to get a dx and a referal to an OT. The ped said that he trusted the school OT and dx’ed David on the spot and wrote the referal. It took the insurance company like six weeks to preappr his visits to the OT. The school again tested him at the beginning of 6th grade as a different, harder test would be used at that time. He still didn’t quailify for services via the school although after six months the PhyEd teacher contacted them and told them that it wasn’t working. David is now in adapted PhyEd for a while but that has more to do with his SID than anything else. He can’t handle the load noise of the big gym class.

Who knows what is next.

Barb

Hi All,
I’d just like to back up the use of Karate, Tae Kwondo, Yoga, Tai Chi and other similiar types of exercises.
Crucially they develop Kinesthetic, Proprioceptive and visual and vestibular balance. As well as left/right brain connectivity./ coordination.
In turn, this also develops Visual/Spatial skills and overall body awareness and control.
Also simple exercises like tossing a small object/ball from one hand to the other and back. Can be helpful. As can simply balancing on one foot.

It is truly a sad situation, that schools need to wait until a learning problem is clearly obvious, before showing any concern!
It seems that they’ve never heard of Prevention?
Geoff.

It does affect his writing skills ( he is at about a 3-4 year old level) I will push with all my might at school for what ever he can get. although I do not see a big problem anymore after talking to some people at the school yesterday. All they want is an official diagnosis and they will work with him (so I was told) Also his IEP meeting is set up for Thursday morning.

I understand he isn’t as delayed as some kids and that he is young (5.9) but I can see the delay and so can the Specialists, so I want all the Early intervention I can get before it gets out of hand.

He did get his Cub black stripe belt last night, so he is now a Jr. TKD Student. This morning he said he was scared that he couldn’t be a Jr and keep up with big kids, of coarse I was positive and told him he could.

~Stacy

I’m glad your school seems amendable.

AND congrats to your child on his promotion to Jr!

Barb

We saw a big jump with Interactive Metronome in handwriting. In third grade my son had been incapable of writing a paragraph. We were moving towards assistive technology (had done some experimenting at school with writing programs). We did IM after third grade. In the fall, his special ed teacher and I were shocked to see that he wrote a five paragraph essay for his fourth grade teacher. Writing wise it needed a lot of work but it was clear that he had absorbed some of the instruction but was limited by motor output.

He took our state exams for writing in the spring without any assistive technology and more than passed.

Six is too young for IM but you might put it on the back burner of things to consider in the future. I thought my son at age 9 was at very good age for it. He might have been able to do it at 8 but not earlier.

Beth

The OT put in her report he does need help with Handwriting, she also thinks he may need some speech but isn’t sure if the School could offer the type he needs so we are going to see the speech thearpist where his OT is first. We are starting to use the Handwriting w/o tears program for now. Thanks for your support ladies!

~Stacy