OT session getting cut short from 60 min. to 45 min

[Anonymous]

My DC current OT whom my child has been seeing for 3 times so far. The weekly session is supposed to be 60 min. but it's been consistently 45 min. After 45 min, our session discussion doesn't even last 5 min.

So how do I politely ask about a session time being cut 45 min or gently reminder the OT that it's supposed to be 60 min.? Also when I asked the OT how did my child do, she saids DC did well. So I'm not getting any details of how my DC is making a progress.

Is it okay to ask to be observe the session? What questions should I ask so that OT can provide more specific exercises they did? My DC is taking OT for midline crossing, motor planning, fine motor skills, and self regulation. The OT doesn't see any issues with self regulation unlike my DC's teacher nor motor skill issues.

[Anonymous]

Is your child zapped/attention done after that time? Maybe the instructor sees your child flagging and stops because your child is ready and it is better not to push. I would ask in a "what is the strategy" way, not a "not getting our full money's worth" way.

When I used to teach a sport many kids only had 40 minutes in them before they were too tired to focus on what they were doing any more so that is how long my lessons often were. But I did try to explain this up front....lessons were not 1 hour, they were task-oriented and usually 35 minutes up to one hour.

[Anonymous]

Are you being billed for 60 minutes or 45-50 minutes ?

Have you consoderes that she is spending the time doing charting from the session , documenting what she did and progress /observations, coding properly If there is insurance.

You can just ask like you would ask any other question . "OT, I noticed that we are billed for 60 minutes when you only spend 50 minutes with DC. "

Also , have you posted about this before? Do a forum search , this has been discussed before

[Anonymous]

I have found usually ST and OT use the "50 minute" hour and then we get 2 minutes of meeting time. That said, I would gently inquire how it works. You have every right to observe. You can also ask for more info about each session. IDK why STs give progress notes and OTs don't. Maybe it's because parent's might side eye them if they wrote: Swung in cocoon swing to work on blah blah, then played in barrel of beans for sesory blah, then worked on fine-motor skills using these techniques, then worked on vestibular input using scooter, then wrapped child in heavy blanket and then played with shaving cream.

[Anonymous]

Unless the OT is leaving 1:15 between patients, I don't see how they can be giving you 60 minute long sessions, and still getting notes written, parental questions answered, and time to set up for the next kid.

Are you sure that your OT isn't expecting a 50 minute hour? It's pretty much the expected length for ST/OT/PT and psychotherapy.

[Anonymous]

My son's OT sessions are 50 minutes, plus a few minutes to go over what they did and for me to ask any questions - my son goes to OT for issues similar to your son's. The change in my son by the 6 month mark was significant.

[Anonymous]

I think that is the norm, you are payng for 40-50 minutes, not 60.

[Anonymous]

This is the norm. The last few minutes are used to document progress for insurance company (write a SOAP note).

[Anonymous]

OP Here. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check with the OT.

This question goes to 18:29 poster. Can you tell me where your son's get OT and who is his OT? Do you think your son had significant improvement based on OT only or did you do some home practice as well?

[Anonymous]

Just ask. This happened to us with a music lesson and it turned out the teacher didn't know we were paying for 60!

[Anonymous]

How old is your child?

[Anonymous]

I'll guess if you ask it won't change anything.
You will get some blah, blah, blah about the time in takes to enter the room, get settled, review the file. It will be something. Along the way they have come to realize that they can do 45 and charge 60.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check with the OT.

This question goes to 18:29 poster. Can you tell me where your son's get OT and who is his OT? Do you think your son had significant improvement based on OT only or did you do some home practice as well?

I'm the PP - he goes to Exceptional Children's in Springfield and his former OT is no longer there (she went to another practice) and she worked with him for 18 months and I loved her. He also worked with Christine for a year (along with the former OT) and she was great, too. He hasn't worked with the new OT long enough to have an opinion, but she is very nice and my son likes her.

The improvement is definitely because of OT - I did some at home, but not a lot and not on a regular basis. He did go twice a week for about a year until we had to drop one because of his school schedule.