Is it so bad?

bumpuser511563

I am wondering if DS's PDD-NOS is so bad that we now need a weighted blanket and weighted vest or even a special chair he likes so much. The OT is trying to find the right material to make this weighted blanket.

I am a bit worried and concerned. I mean now DS has therapy 5-6 days a week now with 4 therapists on top of the 15 minutes 2x a week speech from the preschool.

I am shocked he needs this much. Overwhelmed could describe myself now.

TIA for hearing me vent.

kcisthebombdotcom

FWIW my son is not on the spectrum but has sensory issues and was speech delayed. His weighted vest helped him tremendously.

To offer a different perspective I had a neurological disorder as a child (apraxia) and was born in a time where we didn't know as much as we know now. It presented a variety of challenges to me once I hit school age. I still struggle with sensory issues to this day. I wonder if I were born a little later if I would have had the same challenges with appropriate therapy at a young age.

With what we know now, early intervention leads to better long-term outcomes. I don't have nearly that much therapy in my schedule and I feel overwhelmed at times--so I can empathize with those emotions. Just know you're doing the right things and your child's therapist are trying to seek the best tools to help your child.

pastalady

I'm kind of in the same boat right now, wondering when it is enough. DD got into na great school for September, 5 days a week mornings from 8:30-11:30. She will be getting intensive therapy at school. A class of 10 has 2 SPLs and 2 OTs plus 2 teachers.

Then she got approved for additional services where we would have more therapies in the afternoons, so more OT and more speech. Plus a community aide to do extra activities like swimming, etc.

I am a SAHM. I was hoping to enjoy these last few years with my girl before school starts. Just going to the zoo, museums, etc. Now our days will be super staurated, with her away from me mostly.

I'm considering not taking all the services they have offered. Maybe just a few extra speech a week. I feel confident she will be getting great help at school (it is a special school for kids on the spectrum) and I want some time with her!

Go with your gut. Early intervention is key but you know your kid better than anyone! My DH always says follow the money. With these extra services, the agency we use will get $125,000 a year for my kid (that's not including the school). So yeah, they want us to use it.

bumpuser511563

I am going to go through it all for DS's sake.

I was thinking of having DS join soccer awhile back and stopped because I work full time and would feel myself spreading myself thin with practices during the work week and games on the weekend. It is a nice idea though.

bumpuser511563

Mondays and Wednesdays - Speech 3:00 -5:00. (This was actually a SLP that worked with DS when he was in EI, she has asked to work with him because she is earning her masters. She has to put in 2 hrs. per week).

Tuesdays and Saturdays or Sundays - ABA Tuesdays 3:30 - 5:00, Saturdays/Sundays 3:00 - 4:00 (She is studying for her masters to be an ABA therapist she needs to put in 2 hrs.per week)

Thursdays or Fridays - OT 4:00-5:00 (1 hour per week)

Saturdays - behavioral for 1 hour every 2 weeks

Preschool - DS goes mornings 4x a week

                 Tuesdays and Thursdays 15 minutes each of Speech. One session

                 is individual and the other session is group speech.

The both masters students are free. OT and behavioral are covered by insurance (it is free). Preschool is free. It has been my own doing to get this much for DS because of the biting issues.

kcisthebombdotcom

I would probably cut the 2 hours of speech on M/W. That is seriously insane. You can compromise and maybe do 30-60 minutes and she could get another child or two to meet the 2 hour a week requirement. I can't even fathom a three year old attending for speech for that long (or heck, even a much older child). My three year old has an amazing attention span for his age and he would attend for no more than 45 minutes. The SLP at my elementary school will not even consider long sessions at that age--they do multiple thirty minute sessions a week for threes.