OT out of pocket ADHD - worth it?

[Anonymous]

Kaiser won't pay for OT for anything beyond fine/gross motor because sensory integration isn't a DSM diagnosis and apparently there is a lack of research on effectiveness (per our ped). Child doesn't have major sensory issues across the board, but seeks a lot of movement/crashing/proprioceptive input and it came up in his Child Find assessment. We had an OT assessment a couple years ago we paid for out of pocket but when I asked how they would help the emotional regulation (which was the biggest issue), I found the response to be pretty lacking so we decided to try other things.

Since this has come up again, I was hoping to hear others experience - worth it to pay out of pocket? Did OT significantly help your ADHD child? Medication so far has been the most helpful thing FWIW but don't want to leave this on the table if it really would be helpful. We've paid for a lot out of pocket so far, I'm not opposed just want to make sure it is actually helpful.

[Anonymous]

How old is your child? For a child who is too young to get anything out of psychotherapy, I’d say possibly yes.

[Anonymous]

I think it really depends on your kid. We had to pay out of pocket for my oldest (now in his late teens). He has run-of-the-mill ADHD and anxiety. He started when he was about 5 and continued until he was about 7. It's sometimes hard to tell when a particular symptom is caused by ADHD, anxiety, motor planning issues, sensory integration, etc. - sometimes it's one, sometimes it's the other, sometimes it's a combination, sometimes it starts as one and changes to something else. Watching the sessions really helped me learn to identify what was going on and how to address it. It's also helped me learn what to do and how to modify it as the situation called for. (I can't believe some therapists don't allow parents to observe and I'd not go to one who didn't).

Our OT was also really, really helpful with emotional regulation challenges. She created a 'book' for DS based on How Does Your Engine Run. She used pictures that I provided of DS when he was in various emotional states. DS identified what he was feeling in the picture, they wrote a narrative together about it and how he could change/reinforce the feeling. It was a Mission: Control book. We used it a LOT. Even now as an older teen, we still use the term 'in control' and the techniques from the book.

We did not pay out of pocket for speech therapy. The SLP didn't think it was worth it since the delays were related to DS's attentional issues and not something therapy would address. Getting speech services through school would be more beneficial and directly address the biggest challenges. This is very different than my 2nd DS would has a language disorder and needed the therapy.

I know other people will have different experiences. It can also be difficult to tell what was worthwhile and what wasn't until much further down the road. What was worth it for one family may not have been worth it for another - and vice versa.

[Anonymous]

No. OT doesn’t do much for sensation seeking. Put the money into sports classes.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all, helpful thoughts I appreciate it. Child is 5 so yes psychotherapy isn’t going to do much (we’ve tried because you have to right?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it really depends on your kid. We had to pay out of pocket for my oldest (now in his late teens). He has run-of-the-mill ADHD and anxiety. He started when he was about 5 and continued until he was about 7. It's sometimes hard to tell when a particular symptom is caused by ADHD, anxiety, motor planning issues, sensory integration, etc. - sometimes it's one, sometimes it's the other, sometimes it's a combination, sometimes it starts as one and changes to something else. Watching the sessions really helped me learn to identify what was going on and how to address it. It's also helped me learn what to do and how to modify it as the situation called for. (I can't believe some therapists don't allow parents to observe and I'd not go to one who didn't).

Our OT was also really, really helpful with emotional regulation challenges. She created a 'book' for DS based on How Does Your Engine Run. She used pictures that I provided of DS when he was in various emotional states. DS identified what he was feeling in the picture, they wrote a narrative together about it and how he could change/reinforce the feeling. It was a Mission: Control book. We used it a LOT. Even now as an older teen, we still use the term 'in control' and the techniques from the book.

We did not pay out of pocket for speech therapy. The SLP didn't think it was worth it since the delays were related to DS's attentional issues and not something therapy would address. Getting speech services through school would be more beneficial and directly address the biggest challenges. This is very different than my 2nd DS would has a language disorder and needed the therapy.

I know other people will have different experiences. It can also be difficult to tell what was worthwhile and what wasn't until much further down the road. What was worth it for one family may not have been worth it for another - and vice versa.

Thanks for taking the time to share this, really helpful to see some examples of how it could be helpful. And also agree it’s hard to parse out what is the most helpful for sure sometimes. And sports may be a good avenue for us too.

[Anonymous]

Was not helpful for us. At that age, I think gymnastics, parkour or yoga. Individual sports that require some degree of mental concentration and core development. Sports would you are just running around we’re not great as they wound him up and he enjoyed crashing into people too much.

Save the money for therapy when he’s older.

[Anonymous]

Yes, OT is the only thing that has helped my daughter. I’m in several sensory parenting groups, and that seems to be a common refrain, so I’m surprised that several people here are saying that it didn’t help.

[Anonymous]

Also saw no improvement. Swimming was really helpful for hyperactivity and other issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. OT doesn’t do much for sensation seeking. Put the money into sports classes.

This.

[Anonymous]

Get an OT to train the parents for signs of over under stimulation, but after that most kids can be managed in a sports class, open swim, or other chosen physical activity.

[Anonymous]

NO.

[Anonymous]

Change insurance plans though it’s hard to find ITs that take insurance but there are some. Otherwise there may be activities that may address issues.

[Anonymous]

Our child has ADHD and did OT at age 8, wish we had done it sooner. It helped with sensory issues a moderate amount (DC does now not throw a tantrum when they hear a loud sound), but also helped with emotional regulation. We paid out of pocket (insurance initially paid, then decided DC no longer qualified). It’s cheaper than seeing a therapist, which was what we had done earlier for emotional regulation problems.

That was actually what helped most with emotional regulation was parent coaching (from a child therapist) and then medication (at age 6). So the OT was revisiting this issue and working on the sticky issues/moments. It was mostly creating a plan with my child, talking it through, and then sending it home to practice.

What I will say was a huge benefit of OT is that my child LOVED their OT. So they were excited to go, happily did the session, and really tried to work on the problem areas to please their OT. DC is usually compliant with therapies, but this has been the only one so far that they never wanted to miss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, OT is the only thing that has helped my daughter. I’m in several sensory parenting groups, and that seems to be a common refrain, so I’m surprised that several people here are saying that it didn’t help.

because one hour a week of OT isn’t actually going to do anything for sensory seeking. there’s a lot of woo in OT. OT worked for us for actual concrete issues like handwriting and fine motor. OT is supposed to aid the patient in doing specific tasks for daily life (that’s the “occupational” part) not change their nervous system.