Advice on handwriting/OT issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks! I had outside testing done, so I don't know yet what the school thinks. I am just trying to figure things out!

Call the place back where you did the testing and ask questions to clarify results.

[Anonymous]

I agree with all the previous posts. It's very hard to qualify for OT in school- many children that need OT in school go to out-patient services for assistance. You may want to double check with your insurance comp to see if they will at least cover an OT evaluation. OT's do work on activities of daily living- that is correct- and handwriting is considered an ADL. While many insurance companies do not cover handwriting (they assume this can be covered in school-lol) if you have an evaluation done the OT may be able to find other things to work on (example :muscle weakness) that may be covered.

Generally- kids with poor handwriting have weak hand and arm muscles. It's great he likes to play with legos. Encourage him to do other things like using tweezers, clothespins, puddy for his hands and push-ups, wheelbarrow walks and monkey bars for arm strengthening.

Handwriting without tears is a great program. You can use your son's smarts to help him remember what direction letters go (example bed helps kids remember the b and d.) You can make up stories or other games to help with letters and numbers.

There are also a few pediatric OT clinics that address handwriting. Check out Myania Moses http://www.myaniamoses.com/blast-off-to-printing/

[Anonymous]

I would do Handwriting Without Tears with proper strokes. Also get an easel and make sure he is doing plenty with large sweeping up and down arm movements from the shoulder. Handwriting starts from the shoulder, not the hand. Until you get a private OT do the HWOT workbooks. They are really inexpensive and great. We did a lot of the Kumon Prechool workbooks for cutting, drawing, arts and crafts, folding, etc. They are awesome and you can order or get at bookstores. Amazon has them. Even if they say for age 2, get them and use them. They are fun and the graphics are wonderful. Wheelbarrow walks and other core and shoulder strengthening exercises are good. Do not bother with shcool OT. Do you really want your child pulled out of class to do what you can do at home? They will do the minimum. NOt worth it. A lot of kids who are accelerated like your son also can be behind in social-emotional areas. make sure you are teaching emotional awareness of self and others, reading faces and gestures, and perspective-taking as well. For fine motor to develop you need to continually emphasize gross-motor. Lots of playground time, gymnastics, stuff like that. Gross motor is the foundation of fine motor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks! I had outside testing done, so I don't know yet what the school thinks. I am just trying to figure things out!

Call the place back where you did the testing and ask questions to clarify results.

Thanks. The results of the test, I understand. what I don't understand is, what the school will decide to do as a basis of the test results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep at the school. Ask for another meeting with the language arts teacher ther.

You should look into a hand writing tutor or ot but don't tell the school. Double check with your insurance b/c pt is usually after an injury. OT is for activities of daily living.

No. PT does gross motor skills. OT does fine motor skills. There are a lot of people who get PT that have not had an injury.

[Anonymous]

I found many OT-related items at this teacher store, ABC's & 123's up in Rockville. Stuff like pencil grips, therapy putty and giant tweezers to strengthen the fingers. They also had handwriting practice books I told my OT about it, too. Fun place

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if Susan Tieche takes insurance? Particularly BCBS?

[Anonymous]

The problem with handwriting is that schools have severely cut back teaching good handwriting practices throughout the years. A lot of kids have barely legible handwriting and few know cursive. You are battling a losing battle fighting for public OT services. Even if you win, those services will be minimal and not comprehensive enough to rewire bad practices that have been ingrained up to this point.

Paying for private OT services will be cheaper than fighting the school system and much more beneficial than what they can provide. You may also get support via a report for accommodations such as use of a computer for written responses via a 504 plan. 504 Plans are for equal access - not educational impact. Only an IEP requires an educational impact but you need that for public OT services.

[Anonymous]

We do have school OT. kid has mild low tone. We are at a DC charter.

Private pediatric OTs are hard to come by and many don't take insurance. It's crazy making!

[Anonymous]

Pediatric Development Center in Derwood (Rockville) and Silver Spring take Aetna and BC/BS for OT.