Sensory Integration Dysfunction

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Sensory Integration Dysfunction
8
Fri, 03-31-2006 - 9:28pm

Hi all,

I have a few questions regarding Asperger's and Sensory Integration Dysfunction...
My son Matt is being evaluated at school for his upcoming IEP. Matt has huge sensory issues along with being an Aspie (although typically the go hand in hand)....which brings me to my first question..I filled out a short sensory profile for the OT at school because I wanted Matt to be evaluated in his weak areas so when they wrote the IEP his goals would be to strengthen those areas and reinforce the positive ones...ok, the OT sent me a note that said that no specific sensory testing would be done on Matt because of his diagnosis of Asperger's. Has any one heard of Asperger's as a reason NOT to do an in depth Sensory eval? He was diagnosed with sensory integration dysfunction.
And..have any of you had sensory issues written into IEP's for you own purpose (meaning the school system didn't specifically address it?

I would appreciate any input anyone can offer. This is my first public school full evaluation with Matt and I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing. Should I assume that they will test him in all areas that they think he's deficient in since he's been in Spec Ed for a year now...or should I ask them to test him in the areas where I know he's deficient?

Thanks again....

Carol

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 03-31-2006 - 10:19pm

Confused, are you wanting them to do a full SIPT evaluation? Or do you want them to do a long sensory profile. Pretty much the only evals for SI that I know of are the sensory profiles (short and long) and the SIPT. Now for an initial eval a long sensory profile at least should be done so you can see where his biggest sensory needs are, but having a SIPT (Sensory Integration Praxis Test) can be harder to get. It is very expensive and not all OT's are SIPT certified. It can be hard to find someone to give it. It is also very long and tough on the child so unless absolutely neccessary, typically a sensory profile and observation will be done on the child for an evaluation.

That said, IDEA says that a child must be evaluated in all areas of suspected disability. That gets tricky on SI because some districts don't believe it even exists. It still can be a gray area.

The most important thing is what is going to be done to address the SI and all his needs. If the district has alot of background info on his SI needs and are going to address them anyway due to his AS diagnosis and you are happy about how they are going to address the needs, then I don't think more evaluations would need to be done. However, if they are not going to address it adequately I think you have a good argument to insist they do at least a long profile and some observations of him in class.

Sensory objectives written in are tough (coming from my current work in OT). Typically they are written as time on task. It is a hard thing to write objectively. However, you can have it added into special factors, as direct services, and even in the notes. In particular I believe you can have a sensory diet written in special factors but I would have to look that up. That is where you put any modifications a child will need.

I think I would definitely make sure a sensory diet was written in there as well as OT services under what we call DIS services.

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Sat, 04-01-2006 - 4:34pm

Renee,

Thank you for the info...

Is a Long Sensory Profile extremely difficult on the child? Is is something that the School System can do?

They told me that the only other testing that could be done on the child, they would recommend it not be done, they said it was very tough on the children and it wears them out quickly. I would assume that would be the SIPT test...that one just sounds painful..LOL

Obviously I would not want to put Matthew through any kinding of testing that would cause him ALOT of discomfort.
This was his outcome of the Short Sensory Profile- 7 categories
4 Deficient (on low scale in 3 of 4)
2 Probable (on the high scale towards deficient)
1 Typical (on the low scale)

Now, to me, this raises some concerns for me. I have still yet to hear back from the OT on her take on this.

I know I shouldn't, but, I'm beginning to lose faith in this OT. Not just because of this whole sensory thing..but she works on hand dominance with him (he's lefty...she's working on having him write, cut, and use his RIGHT hand). Matt's the type of kid where if he doesn't "get" it, he loses confidence and has a hard time focusing...imagine how he must have felt using the "wrong" hand...

I don't want to become a nuerotic mother. I just want to make sure Matt gets what he needs. And if the school can't provide it then I'll find someone who can...I just need to find which direction I'm going.

God I love Matt but he's a complicated little kid. I think I know what's up with him, then the next day it's something new. He's a wonder...

Thanks again so much...the support here is wonderful!

Carol

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 04-01-2006 - 10:08pm

The long sensory profile is just like the short one but more detailed. A short one is good for screening purposes and updates but a long one may tell you more specifics.

The SIPT is the test they are talking about. It isn't painful for a child but it is challenging and time consuming.

Mike has severe SI needs. 2 years ago the school requested it be done because they were paying for private OT clinical therapy for him. Typically the test should take about 4 hours to complete. We did one week sessions at an hour each. 3 sessions into it Mike didn't even have 1/4 of it done. It was very challenging for him and he spent most of the 3 sessions melting down or refusing to comply. When he did he became very frustrated. I asked that we discontinue at that time. The OT doing the test called the school and said he had severe sensory needs and were not even able to complete the test.

I watched most of it with Mike as I couldn't leave the room. They needed my support. None of it was painful that I saw. He had to do things like copy hard drawings, copy complex motor movements. They did some work on swings and such to see what his tolerance was. We mostly got through some of the sit down work but Like I said I saw maybe 1/4 of the test.

I can check into it though. I am currently working for an OT who is a good friend. She is SIPT certified. In fact she was teh one the district was paying private clinical OT to for Mike.

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Sat, 04-01-2006 - 10:34pm

Renee,

If you can ask your friend if the school OT is able conduct a Long Sensory Profile that would be great. I would rather have that done than the SIPT if at all possible at this point. I just want to make sure Matt is evaluated to the extent the Public schools can do so that we can get an IEP written that incorporates these sensory issues as goals or however it needs to be written in to have them addressed and worked on.

Thanks again
Carol

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 04-01-2006 - 11:18pm

A school OT can give the long sensory profile. No specific certification is needed for that, only for the SIPT. That I know.

You would have to ask if the OT is SIPT certified to know if she can do that. The long sensory profile would only be sending home a questionaire to you and having the teacher fill out one then scoring it.

If they did the short one they may say that is enough if they are planning on addressing his SI needs. So you may have to justify why you want the long one so be prepared for that. Make sure you ask how they are going to address his sensory needs as well.

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Sun, 04-02-2006 - 7:47pm

Thank you again Renee. You input has been very enlightening.
I requested from the school department that they provide me with the types of evaluations that they are doing, what types of tests, durations of evals, and schedules of when evals are to take place.
I know every SI child has different areas of trouble. Does your OT help you with specific goals for your IEPs from the OT at the school? Or is your school OT on the ball? I am beginning to lose faith in our OT. Should I start to try and put together goals for Matt in areas he is weak in, or should I wait to see if our OT is going to write specific goals for Matt? I'm just afraid I'm going to get to this meeting and be disappointed in what I get. I know I'm jumping the gun here, but I like to be prepared.
She just doesn't strike me as a pro-active kind of person.

Carol

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 04-02-2006 - 9:09pm

The OT is mostly useless, he gets any sensory from me and from his SDC teacher and aide.

I am completely burned out by the OT issues at the school. This is a 6+ year long ordeal of which they have actually been on the ball and given help 1 year (outside clinical OT) of which with constant meetings and arguments. That was the year that Mike was chewing the bottoms of his shoes, melting down constantly, spinning on the floor during groups, stimming on little girls hair and freaking them out, etc etc etc. Just a little sensory.

The first OT we worked (SIPT certified) with I have decided takes pride in how many children she can deny services. When she first saw him she agreed he had moderate to severe SID but OT wasn't a stand alone service so he didn't qualify for OT (her words). Her current favorites are "that isn't a sensory issue, it is a behavioral one" and "it isn't affecting thier education". We got those for Dave. A kid who still won't wear underwear and was melting down at school. He was also previously diagnosed with SID but she refused services.

The current OT was the one who did Mike's last evaluation 3 years ago. Originally she was good and the one who said his needs went beyond what they could provide in district and supported me when I requested outside clinical OT.

Then within a year, OT number 1 corrupted her and now...."That isn't sensory it is behavioral" and "it isn't affecting his education" and "he looks good to me in school".

She has supposidly started a SI clinic somewhere within district but since Mike isn't melting down daily and I didn't accept thier HFA classroom placement for him, it hasn't been offered to him. He gets OT consult 1x/month.

I have just gotten to the point of doing most of it myself at home and talking to the teacher about stuff there. He was doing really well at school so it wasn't as neccessary, but currently he is getting alot more stimmy and overstimulated at school again so I will likely ask them to implement his sensory diet at school again and start making a fuss about clinical again.

I have fought them in the past and can fight to get services but actually often I have bigger fist to fry and am just fed up with them. Plus when I do fight for it, it doesn't feel like what I get is worth the fight (except the clinical). I actually had to meet every 6 weeks to keep the clinical as the district would only approve to pay for it 6 weeks at a time. Then they would have trouble setting a meeting date and Mike would miss weeks of clinical while waiting, or they wanted a new evaluation, etc. After a year of it when our OT didn't show up for the last meeting and he was doing better in school I finally said screw it and gave up.

BTW, I was the first to ever get private clinical paid for in district and they started the OT sensory lab BECAUSE of me doing that. So I do fight just sometimes it isn't worth it.

Can you tell you hit a sore spot? All 4 of my kids have sensory issues. 3 have full SID and significantly so. Mike is the only one to get OT currently for it and it is 1x a month consult where I get a little note that says it looks like Mike is doing fine.

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-03-2006 - 9:29am

WOW! my son's school OT sounds like yours......I don't know who this woman actually works with.....she denies services for everyone. At a recent meeting to hear the results of my son's MFE......I requested an OT eval and OT services......the school psychologist actually had the nerve to say that my son did not need OT because his handwriting was fine. Luckily I had my son's therapist and pediatrician with me at this meeting.....the ped went into a 15 minute speech about AS kids sensory issues and needs (I wanted to hug her).....after she finished speaking, the school psychologist said that he would have my son evaluated by the OT the very next day and have her set up a sensory diet and allow him to have sensory breaks once every hour for about 5 minutes each.......long cry from "his handwriting is fine".

Anyway - the OT still denied services but they did set up a diet and he does have sensory breaks worked into his daily schedule. I am seeking OT services outside of school.

Interesting.....
Christie