School OT assessment results, IEP tomorrow to discuss

[waverly]

DS had his 3 year re-evaluation for his IEP and the meeting is tomorrow.  He also has hearing loss.  It looks like they are dropping the speech, which is fine-ish.  And do not want to do OT there, which I guessed they would try to get out of it, and that I would have to do private.  Can someone help with the OT test results?


This is the BEERY BMI Test

"Subtest, Raw Score, Standard Score, Interpretation

Visual-Motor Integration, 22, 100, Average

Visual Perception, 18, 81, Below Average

Motor Coordination, 19, 86, Below Average" 


"DTVP-2 was performed the following day to provide a more in-depth look of fine motor coordination and visual-perceptual abilities.
DS scored in the “Average” range for visual-motor integration, “Below Average” range for visual perception, and “Below Average” range for motor co- ordination as measured on the Beery-VMI. Possible confounding factors that may have influenced DS's scores include sustained attention, motivation, and attention to de- tail. Therefore, the DTVP-2 was administered as a more in-depth analysis of visual-motor and visual-perceptual skills. DS scored within the “Average - Above Average” category on all subtests of the DTVP-2 indicating age- appropriate abilities in visual-motor and visual perceptual abilities." 


So even though they did additional testing to address the 2 below Averages on the first test, I should still address the issues in the Below Average from the first test, correct?  He is seeing the eye doctor on June 9, and it is possible he might need glasses.  But if he did they would be for far away, not up close, anyway. 



These are the 2 below average with more description:

"Visual Perception: This subtest assesses visual discrimination. Visual discrimination is the ability to recognize details in visual images. It allows people to identify the size, shape or form, color and position of objects and printed material. Visual discrimination skills also enable people to identify likenesses and differences between specific images. In this subtest, DS is asked to identify an exact match from an increasing number of similar forms in 30 stimuli items. DS scored in the “Below Average” category for this subtest. Most of DS’s incorrect choices were due to inaccurately gauging the size of the forms. In other words, DS was able to identify a similar match in terms of shape, directionality, and position but tended to choose a slightly larger/smaller version. These results may be due to visual fatigue experienced by DS towards the end of the subtest or decreased attention as demands increased. Further, DS skipped over 2 test items which prematurely resulted in a test ceiling preventing him from receiving credit for test items he answered correctly towards the end of the subtest. DS may have difficulty perceiving, scanning and organizing visual information as print becomes smaller or more cluttered. It may be beneficial to present DS important information in smaller segments with larger print to ensure he is accurately perceiving and scanning all information provided.


Motor Coordination: This assessment provides information regarding the development of the motor coordination of DS’s arms and hands. The subtest requires DS to trace within increasingly thinner lines to produce different shapes or geometric designs. This subtest is administered last in order to assess a child’s fine-motor fatigue as well. DS scored in the “Below Average” category for this subtest. As geometric designs became smaller and more complex, DS had difficulties staying within the lines and tracing all aspects of the shapes." 

[origami]

I'm not sure if those 2 tests are similar enough to be used interchangeably. To me that's what they're implying - that there's nothing to see here b/c the 2nd test was fine. But I wouldn't trust that without verifying it first. In my district they don't do OT for anyone unless the child first qualifies under some other category -- like speech. Not sure if that's an issue for you too.

[waverly]

They don’t like to do OT in our district. Yup very much nothing to see here. To do OT we would need a 504 to go with our IEP. It is not uncommon from these boards that school districts really don’t want to do it at all. I expected nothing less.

We discussed it in the IEP, and they pushed hard that it was purely a motivational thing because one day he tests badly and the next he is fine. Given how well he responded to therapy, his long hatred of writing, and the fact I had to reteach him how to do all his letters in 2nd grade because they didn’t do any instruction beyond K, I am still a bit doubtful to be honest that it is solely a motivational problem.

If it wasn’t only a motivation problem then why did we work on handwriting all year? Why did he improve when the OT did small group instruction (4 weeks)?

Thoughts on if I should pursue private therapy? I called our old therapy place but they moved, so I would have to do a search all over again, find times, drive etc.

[origami]

I feel you on how annoying it is to schedule OT (or anything) at a new place. But yah I would recommend it because our OT places always did their own assessments and it was nice to get a 2nd opinion from ppl who actually wanted to provide services. That said I also felt like I had to stay on top of my kids’ OT, ask for progress reports regularly, etc so they wouldn’t be in OT forever and ever, unnecessarily. If your child’s assessment there showed average results too then I’d skip it and just ask for a list of general home exercises.