Unsure whether to seek OT help for dreamy 5yo boy

[Lenny]

Your GP does not sit with your son for a day trying to teach him. I'd trust your own heart and the teacher too. What's the worst that could happen? The OT says, hey, you know, I think he's doing ok, lets leave it a bit. Or you get the chance to help him earlier than later?

You aren't asking for him to be diagnosed, or placed on a spectrum, are you? You just want to see an OT.

You're the mum. You know your boys best.

[nothing2lose]

My DD is 'dreamy' and sounds like your son (except she has managed to do well with her schoolwork). Her lack of focus has always been an issue though and she was diagnosed with ADD in grade prep/1.
Now that puberty is on its way, her dreaminess is getting worse IMO.

I don't know anything about OT but have you had him tested for ADD??

[AnyDream]

Yes. Get the referral. I wish someone had paid more attention to DD1 because she's now 14 and still doesn't have a clue - except now the behaviour is 10 years more ingrained in her. The penny has now dropped and she's on a waiting list to be assessed for ADD/ASD, except at this age it's a ****load harder to get help for her.

Also - get him a thorough medical check up, including screening for sleep disorders, eyesight and hearing.

[feeb]

DS1 has been seeing a speech pathologist in blocks for 2 years and about 18 months ago she introduced an OT to our appts as DS1 can't concentrate he gets easily distracted and can't focus for long. We have seen improvements but still a long way to go. I am concerned about him starting school next year (will be 5 and 1/2) as he can count but doesn't know numbers if he sees them, he only knows a few letters by sight and can only write J and H (his and his brothers inital).

I am about to take him for another eye check, as he had 1 last year but lost concentration but she thought was ok. Has had a hearing test and was fine.

Good luck it is very frustrating trying to help children concentrate and I have bene guilty of getting annoyed and shouting.

[AlligatorsMum]

you dont need a referral but if you have one then you are able to claim back a certain amount of the costs from the consultations. i think its a certain number each year. Not alot but still something!

[AndiE]

Thanks for the replies ladies.

I know I don't need a referral, but via a mental health plan (I think it's called) I can get him 10 sessions with a decent Medicare rebate, which gets us considerably more back than our private cover. So that's why I'm going down the path of a referral.

Re: ADD. Interesting. I hadn't thought of that. And that's why I should have an OT assessment. He's not hyperactive, so I guess that rules out ADHD??????? But yes, I think I'll pursue this and go to a different GP for a referral.

[AnyDream]

No, there are three elements to ADHD - hyperactivity is only one of them. The other two are inattention and impulse control. I'm not saying that your situation is suggesting this, but it's one possibility to bear in mind. IMO the label is less useful than the help/additional strategies you might be able to get, so if you can fast forward straight to the additional strategies (via an OT or whereever else) without the label then that's a good outcome too.

[Seven Oaks]

Your GP does not sit with your son for a day trying to teach him. I'd trust your own heart and the teacher too. What's the worst that could happen? The OT says, hey, you know, I think he's doing ok, lets leave it a bit. Or you get the chance to help him earlier than later?

You aren't asking for him to be diagnosed, or placed on a spectrum, are you? You just want to see an OT.

You're the mum. You know your boys best.

Good advise there. Hope it all works out for you and DS