
	NEW! *Wondering if your child would benefit from occuaptional therapy intervention?* Please read this article... click here. FREE SEMINAR COMING Tuesday, March 16, 2010 7 - 8:00 p.m. at CTI Our next FREE seminar is coming! You are cordially invited to attend a free informational night to learn more about typical and atypical development in children ages 0-3. Videos and discussions illustrating what typical and atypical development look like will help you become a keener observer! This presentation will be valuable to those who have or work with children ages 0-3. This presentation is appropriate for parents, grandparents, teachers, caregivers, physicians, health care professionals - ANYONE who wants to learn more! R.S.V.P. by 3/12/10 click here


	New Article! Is Autism really increasing or is it Sensory Processing Disorder? click here.


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FAQ's

What is Early Intervention?

These are services for children ages birth to five who show developmental delays or who have been diagnosed with a specific disability that causes delays in their development. The goal in early intervention is to provide services to young children using a family-centered, whole-child approach. This means that we look at all areas of development and address the needs of the child within the context of the family.

What is CTI's philosophy on parent education?

Our goal is to provide parents/caregivers training based on the specific needs of their child. Our philosophy is that parents/caregivers are their child’s first and most important teachers. Our staff will provide you with the support, information, and resources you need to take on the role as primary teacher for your child.

How will my child benefit from receiving services at CTI?

In addition to the direct services provided to your child, your child will benefit from the knowledge you gain from the trainings provided by CTI. You will have the knowledge, support, and resources to make learning and growth happen within your child in his/her natural learning environments (e.g., home, park, community, etc.)

What services are available for my child under the age of 5?

• Screenings

• Psychoeducational Assessments

• Occupational Therapy Assessments

• Parent Workshops and Trainings

• Resource Library

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy is a profession that utilizes science and the arts to address the “occupation” of daily living.

An occupational therapist (OT) assists people in acquiring “skills for the job of living” necessary to live meaningful and satisfying lives. An OT uses meaningful and purposeful activity to elicit an adaptive response, thus minimizing dysfunction, increasing independence, improving daily function and creating a greater quality of life.

An OT helps individuals by improving functional skills. These skills include, but are not limited to: self feeding, dressing, grooming, toileting, bathing, playing, working, meal preparation, caring for pets, caring for children, grocery shopping, maintaining safety, driving, etc.

What is the educational background of an Occupational Therapist (OT)? What type of licensing must an Occupational Therapist receive?

The educational background of Occupational Therapists includes extensive coursework in anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, neurology, pediatrics, geriatrics, psychology, and activity analysis.

An OT receives a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a doctorate in occupational therapy. They are required to pass multiple fieldwork internships, pass a national registration exam, and in most states (including California) they must maintain a license in Occupational Therapy. Continuing education is a requirement for both registration and licensure.

What is the difference between an occupational therapist (OT) and physical therapist (PT)?

Both occupational therapists and physical therapists receive similar training. However, in school, an OT receives more training in activity analysis, psychology, child development, hand skill interventions, oral interventions, and sensory integration interventions. A PT receives more training in gross motor development, posture, therapeutic exercises, and manual techniques.

Once a therapist has graduated from school, there are infinite amounts of opportunity for continuing education in a variety of areas and specialties. Occupational therapists and physical therapists can and often do, take many of the same courses.

Is there special training that is required for a sensory integration specialist? Is SI certification necessary (Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests, or S.I.P.T. certified)?

Occupational Therapists who specialize in sensory integration assessment and intervention must already have a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree in their field.

In order to become SI certified, a therapist must take four, five-day courses covering sensory integration theory, assessment techniques, interpretation of test results, and intervention/treatment. There are qualified therapists that are not SI certified, but who have had a direct mentoring relationship with an SI certified therapist. It is ideal to be both assessed and treated by a therapist who has this type of background and who has experience both in evaluation and treatment of sensory integration difficulties. CTI provides occupational therapists who have the S.I.P.T. certification as well as therapists who have been mentored by S.I.P.T. certified therapists.

What is the difference between school-based therapy and clinically-based therapy?

In a clinic, the goal is to provide therapy that addresses all aspects (occupations) of a child’s life (for example, playing, eating, sleeping, etc.). It also includes functioning within the home, within the community, and within school. In a school setting, all intervention must be related to school functioning and goals that are developed by an IEP (Individual Education Plan) team.

Why do parents receive different service recommendations and goals from a clinically-based and school-based occupational therapist?

Under IDEA, occupational therapy is considered a related service, meaning that it is provided to enhance a student’s ability to adapt and function in an educational program.

The primary goal of occupational therapy in the school setting is to offer students a service that will improve their ability to adapt, thus enhancing their potential for learning. These services must directly affect student’s ability to learn and benefit from the educational program. There is a continuum of services (direct - individual or group, consultative, and collaborative) that are typically offered within a school environment due to a myriad of factors.

In a clinical setting, occupational therapists are not limited to addressing educational concerns. In a clinical setting, occupational therapists look at all areas of functioning (please refer to first FAQ for a description of Occupational Therapy.)

In addition, clinics have the benefit of time, space, and equipment that typically are not available to occupational therapists in school-based settings. Clinical and school-based occupational therapists can, and often do, collaborate to facilitate carry over from one setting to another. In addition, each therapist will have the opportunity to know the child in a different environment. All children, but especially those who have sensory integration difficulties or other diagnoses, behave and perform differently in different environments. Collaboration can help therapists, teachers, parents, and other professionals gain a better and more holistic perspective of the child in order to optimally intervene to improve functioning in all environments.

What is the proper diagnostic label for problems with sensory integration?

The terms sensory processing disorder (SPD) and dysfunction in sensory integration (DSI) are both used. The term sensory processing disorder is typically utilized by researchers while the term sensory integration dysfunction is typically utilized by clinicians.

How do I know if my child has Sensory Integration (SI) problems?

If there are difficulties in several of the areas listed below or if there are major functional problems in one area, a referral for an occupational therapy evaluation may be necessary.

1. Has difficulty regulating his/her sleep/wake cycle – settling for sleep, staying asleep, or waking without irritability.

2. Was unusually fussy, easily startled, or difficult to console as an infant.

3. Was slow to achieve motor milestones, such as rolling over, creeping, sitting, standing, or walking

4. Is oversensitive to sensory stimulation – overreacts to movement, sights, sounds, touch, taste, or odors

5. Strongly dislikes and protests baths, hair washing, haircutting, or nail cutting

6. Uses inappropriate amounts of force when handling objects, coloring, writing, or interacting with friends, sibling, or animals

7. Leans on people, slumps when sitting, tires/fatigues easily, has poor muscle tone

8. Falls frequently, bumps into furniture or people, is clumsy, or has difficulty judging position of his/her body in relation to space

9. Avoids playground activities, sports, and/or physical education class

10. Avoids new motor activities; experiences difficulty learning new motor activities; becomes frustrated when attempting to follow the instructions or to sequence the steps of an activity

11. Does not seek out or enjoy age-appropriate motor activities such as swinging, climbing, jumping, assembling puzzles, coloring, cutting, drawing, or writing

12. Prefers to spend time/play with adults or younger children than with same-age peers

For further questions about whether you child may benefit from occupational therapy intervention due to sensory integration dysfunction, please contact our offices at 760.944.7870.

What causes sensory integration problems?

Research has not identified a definitive cause. It is believed that there are a variety of causes, such as prematurity, birth trauma, genetics, exposure to toxins, etc.

Can sensory integration dysfunction be cured?

Occupational therapy, utilizing a sensory integration treatment approach, can help to minimize sensory integration dysfunction. Biological research has shown (and is continuing to show) that SI intervention can greatly minimize dysfunction with daily life activities. Research is demonstrating that the nervous system can be changed, and the ability to process sensation can be improved.

Will sensory processing issues go away as my child grows?

These issues can appear to be minimized as a child grows into adulthood due to the greater flexibility that most adults have in choosing their daily activities. However, it has not been found that the underlying SI issues go away. In addition to children receiving SI intervention, adults can also receive SI intervention and many report making great gains with resultant increased life satisfaction.

How often should my child have therapy and for how long?

After a thorough evaluation, the OT will create treatment goals and a treatment plan. The exact length of therapy varies from child to child. However, it is common for a child to need 50-80 sessions of therapy. In some cases, therapy is recommended two to three days per week, which can shorten the number of months of therapy. In addition, newer interventions, such as the Therapeutic Listening® Program and the Interactive Metronome™ can help to reduce the length of therapy.

How is sensory integration dysfunction related to other diagnoses such as autism, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, etc.? If a child has another diagnosis, can they still benefit from SI therapy?

Sensory integration difficulties can occur in isolation or in conjunction with many other diagnoses. Children who have received other diagnoses will likely receive a variety of services (such as speech and language therapy, tutoring, ABA, etc.). They also may take medications. SI intervention is an appropriate intervention for any child who, in addition to any other difficulties or diagnoses, has problems with sensory processing that is impacting their daily functional performance.

Do all children with autism have sensory integration difficulties?

No, it is estimated that approximately 70% of children with autism experience sensory integration problems. SI therapy can help reduce the dysfunction that can occur due to the effects of autism.

Will my insurance cover SI intervention? Can my child’s school provide SI intervention?

Many insurance plans do provide coverage for occupational therapy using an SI approach. However, each insurance plan is different, making it necessary to talk with an insurance representative of your plan prior to initiating services.

There are some schools that can provide OT with a sensory integration emphasis. Typically, schools do not have the benefit of a SI-equipped gym, nor do they typically have enough personnel to provide the 1:1 therapy sessions that an SI approach requires. Many school-based therapists have varying degrees of SI knowledge but must typically use sensory diets within the school setting as opposed to SI treatment due to the above-mentioned limitations.

What is the difference between a sensory diet and SI treatment?

A sensory diet is a daily or weekly list of activities that a child can engage in during the day to help him or her maintain an optimal state of arousal. These activities can also provide greater body awareness prior to performing a skilled task. A sensory diet is developed by an SI trained therapist and can be used as an adjunct to SI treatment. A sensory diet can be implemented by parents, teachers or the children themselves. SI treatment must be implemented by an SI trained therapist and occurs within a clinical setting.

What is the Therapeutic Listening® Program?

Per Shelia Fricks, OTR/L, creator of the Therapeutic Listening® (TL) Program, TL is an expansion of sensory integration. “It is an auditory intervention that uses the organized sound patterns inherent in music to impact all levels of the nervous system. The emphasis of TL is on blending sound intervention strategies with vestibulo-proprioceptive, core development, and breath activities so as to sustain grounding and centering of the body and mind in space and time. Providing these postural, movement, and respiratory activities as part of the TL program is critical.”

For further information, please go to www.vitallinks.net and look under the “Parent Info” section.

What is a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP)?

A Licensed Educational Psychologist is highly trained in both psychology and education. They must complete a minimum of a Master’s-level degree program that includes a 1200-hour internship and emphasizes preparation in the following: data-based decision making, consultation and collaboration, effective instruction, child development, student diversity and development, school organization, prevention, intervention, mental health, learning styles, behavior, research, and program evaluation. A Licensed Educational Psychologist has worked in the school system as a School Psychologist for a minimum of three years and has passed a licensing exam prepared by the state of California.

What does a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP) do?

• Provide individualized assessments that help identify a child’s learning strengths and weaknesses.

• Work to find the best solution for each student and situation.

• Use different strategies to address student needs and to provide recommendations that parents can use at home or share with their child’s school.

• Work with students individually and in groups.

• Develop programs to train parents about learning strengths and weaknesses.

• Teach techniques to manage behavior at home and in the classroom.

• Work with students with disabilities and/or with special talents.

What is the purpose of a Psychoeducational Assessment for a child under the age of 5?

The goal of psychoeducational assessment for a child under the age of 5 is to diagnosis developmental delays and gain information about a child's current functioning levels in the areas of cognitive-intellectual skills, social-emotional adjustment, behavior, and pre-academic strengths and weaknesses.

What is the purpose of a Psychoeducational Assessment for a child over the age of 5?

The goal of psychoeducational assessment is to gain information that will help answer questions of concern about a student's behavior and/or school performance. Diagnostic assessment/testing determines current functioning levels in the areas of cognitive-intellectual skills, academic achievement, learning processes (or how the student learns best), and social-emotional adjustment.

What is included in a Psychoeducational Assessment?

A comprehensive psychoeducational assessment typically includes the following:

• Parent interview to gather background, developmental, social and medical information.

• Review of the student’s school records.

• Interview with the classroom teacher and others who work with the student.

• Approximately six hours of diagnostic testing over three sessions.

• May include a school visit to observe the student in the classroom.

What happens after the Psychoeducational Assessment?

Assessment results are interpreted to the parents and, if appropriate, to the student at a private conference with the family and/or the assessment team. At that time, suggestions may be made for follow-up activities (such as counseling, Learning Specialists, tutoring, social skills groups, etc.) and/or referrals to additional professionals (such as Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, etc.) All information is kept strictly confidential. However, copies of the assessment reports can be sent to schools and physicians with written permission from a parent.

Is a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP) able to counsel my child?

Yes, an LEP can provide psychological counseling to help resolve interpersonal or family problems that interfere with school performance. LEPs can work directly with children and their families to help resolve problems in adjustment and learning, enhance self-esteem and/or confidence as a learner, and provide training in social skills and anger management.