OT update

I took G for his OT appointment today. I did feel better as I left the appointment today. She really worked with him today. She put him on a big exercise ball and he hated it. She put him in a swing and he hated it. She has a little vegetable brush, that she brushes his entire body with, and he loves it, so she gave me one to bring home. She also laid him on his tummy, and rolled a ball applying pressure all over his body and he loved it. Still though I wasn't convinced that this wasn't something just all kids would like. Then we started in on the foods, he didn't do so good with them, he wouldn't eat them and got really mad that he was strapped in the chair. After trying to get him to eat for a little while and him getting really mad, she laid him on the floor again and did the ball again, and he immediately calmed down. It was amazing. I asked her if she thought he had SPD, or if he was just stubborn, she said all the signs point to a true SPD, but we can control it, and we will. She gave me an evaluation that she had done after our first and second meeting I will not write the whole thing out, but instead just the assessment/prognosis:
G demonstrates sensory processing dysfunction. For most children sensory processing develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. For G, the process of taking in sensory stimulation and organizing and interpreting the stimulation is disordered, resulting in problems learning, development, and behavior. Problems with feeding are due to defensiveness. Oral defensiveness is often associated with early experience of the child, negative stimulation such as G's significant history of reflux, as well as significant history of allergies which can also cause gastrointestinal issues and can result in learning aversive responses associated with food intake. G is also observed to have difficulty with overall organization which not only affects his ability to have normal responses to oral stimulation, but also affects his responses to visual, auditory, vestibular, and proprioceptive stimulation. It is felt that G seeks oral stimulation because he does not get this from his normal feeding. He is hypersensitive to food textures as a result of not getting stimulation from foods in the mouth. He has possibly learned negative responses to food that is felt to stem from initial and continuing problems with reflux. Although G can learn to be more accepting of textures in mouth to de-sensitise, it is felt that he will possibly continue to reject foods as long as he has continued negative response (reflux from food). Also with the amount of ongoing reflux noted, it is of concern that there is possible aggravation/inflammation occurring physically. I feel that he will make gains with occupational therapy to help him learn to process sensory stimulation from his environment, however I feel further medical intervention may be necessary for ongoing reflux issues. The prognosis is good for the following goals if complies with OT recommendations and is consistent with OT attendance and home exercise program.
Short Term Goals (3 months)
1. Parents to be independent in a home exercise program.
2. G will protrude his tongue to taste a variety of food textures to desensitize him to food.
3. G will tolerate basic oral motor exercises and oral desensitising objects (Nuk brush, vibrating infant toothbrush, etc.) on face, and in oral cavity.
4. Touch a variety if food textures with fingertips without aversion to de-sensitise G to food.
Long term goals(6 months) G will
1. Tolerate a variety of food textures within oral cavity for at least 5 seconds without spitting out.
2. Try 2-4 new foods per therapy session.
3. Demonstrate overall improved sensory processing evidenced by therapist's observation during therapy sessions and parental report on Sensory Processing questionnaire.
4. Self-feed at least 2 bites of meal using a spoon.

Additional observations:
G demonstrates increased sensory seeking behaviors. He was observed to have decreased focus to activities. He also had decreased tolerance to tactile stimulation, such as wanting hands to be wiped when they became messy. He had decreased tolerance to tactile stimulation, such as wanting hands wiped when they became messy. He had decreased tolerance to a brush and to rice play. When out of the chair he was constantly climbing for proprioceptive input, as was as observed to scoot his head on the floor which mom states occurs often at home.

So i guess i just need to come out of denial that he does have SPD. Now I just want to fix it. Well that is my update for today. Till next time remember to hug and kiss your family and tell them you love them, today is gone and tomorrow may never come.........................