kmkd
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Post by kmkd on Apr 6, 2018 16:05:15 GMT -6
I’m a PT not an OT but I imagine it very much depends on what fine motor activities in particular he needs help with.
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kmkd
Amethyst
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Post by kmkd on Apr 6, 2018 16:08:52 GMT -6
I’m sure you’ve thought of this but can he get OT at school?
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kmkd
Amethyst
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Post by kmkd on Apr 6, 2018 16:22:19 GMT -6
No, he can’t get it af school unfortunately :-(. It’s fine motor skills related to school things so likely doing puzzles/blocks or writing but his handwriting looks great so I am not sure that’s it. You can tell me to go to hell but why not? I’m gathering they are the ones recommending it. Of course it may be different in GA but in NY the school district is obligated to provide services if they’re needed, even if the child is in private school - especially if it’s school related skills. If they are the ones recommending it, then they should be telling you what to work on. I realize this sounds snotty but that’s not at all what I mean. Im happy to help however I can. But unless you know what he needs work on, it’s hard to recommend activities. You know? |
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Post by PandaWatch on Apr 6, 2018 16:33:42 GMT -6
No, he can’t get it af school unfortunately :-(. It’s fine motor skills related to school things so likely doing puzzles/blocks or writing but his handwriting looks great so I am not sure that’s it. You can tell me to go to hell but why not? I’m gathering they are the ones recommending it. Of course it may be different in GA but in NY the school district is obligated to provide services if they’re needed, even if the child is in private school - especially if it’s school related skills. If they are the ones recommending it, then they should be telling you what to work on. I realize this sounds snotty but that’s not at all what I mean. Im happy to help however I can. But unless you know what he needs work on, it’s hard to recommend activities. You know? It is the same in MA — my nephew goes to catholic school, but gets his services from the public school that he is in-boundary for. Also, DS just got asssesed for speech (so not the exact same, I know) in MD and the therapist said even though he is in a private pre-K, we could apply for services through the county school district. |
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Post by PandaWatch on Apr 6, 2018 16:36:37 GMT -6
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Post by misskilljoy on Apr 6, 2018 16:40:40 GMT -6
+1 to needing to know what specific things he's lagging in to make appropriate suggestions for those things. You can take a look at this site (recommended by my school's OT) and see if any of this stands out to you as something that could help, though. Things you know he could use more practice in, like lacing and buttoning - tons of activities here for those. www.theottoolbox.com/p/fine-motor-skills.html?m=1 |
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kmkd
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Post by kmkd on Apr 6, 2018 16:42:45 GMT -6
I’m on the Georgia DOE website trying to figure it out but it’s hard to navigate from my phone. You’re probably better off just asking someone 😉 But I know that here, the child “belongs” to their home district even if they are in private school. So it’s at least worth inquiring about. It would save you the insurance hassle. You may still have to take him somewhere but it would be covered through the school.
This is, of course, with the caveat that he qualifies for services. If you take him outpatient for an OT eval they will very likely (IME) find something to work on. If you have him evaluated through the school, they will do standardized testing and he will either qualify or not.
None of this is actually helpful to your original question. LOL.
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Jesslfar
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Post by Jesslfar on Apr 6, 2018 16:53:01 GMT -6
Some of the easiest things you probably have already:
Dropping money into a piggy bank
Ripping paper
Playdough.
Writing with a short pencil (like a golf pencil)
Squirt toys.
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Post by petrichor on Apr 6, 2018 17:08:46 GMT -6
In our public Ohio school, even students who qualify for OT can only get it from the district if they also have another need. So, for example, a child could have an IEP for OT and speech services but not OT alone. I'm not sure what the rationale is, but it's a thing and may also be the case where you live.
ETA: I just read further and it's a federal thing. Students can only receive OT services in the school setting if they are identified with a disability and the OT is necessary to meet their educational goals.
I haven't read all of the above suggestions, but the first few things that came to mind:
Working with modeling clay (it's stiffer than play-doh)
Picking up small items with tweezers
Pokey pin
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kmkd
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Post by kmkd on Apr 6, 2018 17:33:43 GMT -6
petrichor Interesting. I had wondered about that but didn’t know. I guess because any time I’ve worked in a school setting (which isn’t my primary setting at all) it was special ed, so all students had that, even if only one therapy. That would make sense. @jboogie I apologize if I sent you on the wrong track! I’ve only ever done temp coverage in schools so I’m not as knowledgeable of the systems.
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cmb
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Post by cmb on Apr 6, 2018 17:40:06 GMT -6
This school thing is interesting. We live in a different county from where the school will be so I wonder if that will make this harder. Now I have a weekend project. The schools should be able to make it work. We have an IEP through our home district, but his daycare, where he receives his therapies, is in a different district and county. |
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hawkward
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Post by hawkward on Apr 6, 2018 17:41:00 GMT -6
In addition to others' suggestions, simple sewing, like embroidering a picture he draws onto fabric is a good one. Target has kid-friendly sewing/craft kits with the art supplies. DS1 did a lot of those when we were working to recover his fine motor skills after meningitis.
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crunch
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Post by crunch on Apr 6, 2018 17:47:41 GMT -6
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Post by beesquared on Apr 6, 2018 19:17:19 GMT -6
@jboogie, I'm not sure how old your son is, but my son is four and receives weekly OT services through our insurance. He does not qualify for services at the school level because his he is not low enough although it effects him at school.
For fine motor, we stick beads into a ball of therapy putty (a stiffer silly putty) and have him pull them out. We have a button, zipper, clasp, etc stuffed bear that we practice on. He has a squeeze ball in a net to increase his hand strength. As a treat, we sort a bag of m&ms by color into small jars- he gets to eat one color when he is done.
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kitchen
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Post by kitchen on Apr 6, 2018 19:30:14 GMT -6
Your local (residence) district is responsible for everything guaranteed to your child by IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, federal law), so special education services in this case. Some districts won't have their staff travel, so they'd be able to require that you go to a district site to be evaluated and receive any direct service that's recommended at a district site.
If they tell you before evaluating that your kid doesn't qualify because they're in private school ask them to show you in writing why that means they don't have to evaluate and/or aren't eligible. Often actually getting the eval is the hurdle.
Practically speaking, school districts can make things really really effing hard, so it might not be worth the effort. It's probably worth at least sending a letter requesting the eval.
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sahara
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Post by sahara on Apr 7, 2018 7:23:32 GMT -6
DD just finished 10 sessions of OT. A lot of it focused on developing hand strength.
A few activities I didn’t see mentioned:
Operation game using tweezers
Hole punch
Finding items buried in putty
Pushing in Lite Brite pegs
Pop beads
Drawing shapes in shaving cream on a mirror
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armpants
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Post by armpants on Apr 7, 2018 19:58:07 GMT -6
@jboogie my DS receives services through Ga. He's younger than your son, so the process might be a little different as we started in and are about to transition out of Babies Can't Wait.
To get him enrolled the first step was just a phone call with a few questions. Then I had a meeting with a case manager. At that time we completed a developmental questionnaire (Ages and Stages) where he had to have either a significant delay in one category, or delayed in at least two.
Since it was determined that he did have delays we set up an in home evaulation. This was worth it to us as even if you don't qualify here for services (he didn't the first time) the therapists gave suggestions of how we could work with him ourselves as well.
We actually have our transition meeting to move to the program under the school system on the 17th. If you'd like I can tell you more after that meeting.
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Post by tapdancer on Apr 7, 2018 21:45:32 GMT -6
Another fun fine motor strengthening activity is a spray bottle. Have them water the plants or spray the sidewalk. You could even write things in chalk to give them specific targets. A lot of what they work on is strengthening the muscles.
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klondike
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Post by klondike on Apr 7, 2018 23:19:58 GMT -6
I don't have experience, but saw this at a friend's home for her son's therapy. Putting toothpicks & shortened pipe cleaners into the holes of a spice or sprinkle jar. I thought it was neat how it was self contained. Dump out, drop in the holes, snap on the back on lid when done.
eta: It might work with beads too.
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Post by mananana on Apr 8, 2018 10:59:26 GMT -6
You got lots of great suggestions. I’m not an OT, but have worked with students with OT needs.
Forgive me if I missed this one already being shared, but clipping (and removing) plastic clothes pins around the edge of a container is another good one. You can have him do it with both dominant and non-dominant hand and different finger combinations (put them all on & remove them all with thumb and index finger, then thumb and middle finger, and so on).
Also, it depends on the child, but often building larger muscle strength helps fine motor as well. Things like monkey bars can help with stamina and stability for fine motor.
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