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Occupational Therapy

IsabellaIsabella Citizen
edited November 2020 in General ASD

Has anyone worked with OT for issues related to their neurodiversity?

A competent OT can help with Sensory Processing Disorders, Executive Function, Alexithymia, Interoception, motor skills, life skills, transitions, and self-care. They often work in conjunction with Speech-Language Pathology and / or your psychologist.

There are even Occupational Therapy Optometrists, or "Behavioural Optometrists" who work with issues such as photosensitivity and adaptive supports (e.g., coloured / Irlen lenses), tailored to your environmental needs.

I've been working on Sensory Integration Therapy and Proprioception. These are the first steps toward working on Executive Function strategies, because our bodies process physical stimuli before cognitive demands. I finished an OT program called Astronaut Training, which sounds funny but really helped with vestibular-visual issues.

I also recommend Trauma-Based Occupational Therapy. I'll post some links to PTSD OT Kim Barthel, who is an excellent resource for those of us with C-PTSD or PTSD.

Any experiences you can share regarding OT would be great.

(@Amity, is it possible to move the camp threads here?)

Comments

  • I used to get primitive sorts of OT as a child—they probably benefited me.

    This reminds me, sort of, of how rock music evolved, Back in the 1960s, it was just called “rock.” Nowadays, though, there are so many genres and sub genres which reflect how diverse and wide-ranging rock music has become.

    Just like therapy for autism and other neurological conditions. Therapy seems better at attending to the individual person these days. In the 1960s, there were very few autism-specific therapies.

    I hope you derive consummate benefit from all these therapies, and that your genius will blossom as a result.

  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor

    I think I had something similar to occupational therapy when I was in elementary school. I was only diagnosed with ADHD though.

    The lady who did that with me helped me learn to tie my shoes (multiple times as I forgot steps, oops), how to properly hold a pencil, how to neatly cut around outlines with scissors (still can't do that...), etc. She also had me do things like find little objects hidden in silly putty and get them out, to help with my fine motor skills, and follow a pencil with my eyes, since I have issues with those muscles and used to only turn my head to visually follow objects. That one used to frustrate me because I don't think it was explained to me that well and I couldn't do it for awhile, plus it hurt my eyes.

  • I've never had such help. Score quite high for Alexithymia, Not dxed but dyspraxia has been mentioned by several people 90%++ probability I have it, Interoception- difficulty registering I'm full after eating,prone to mild dehydration, never been able to take my pulse, EF-organising and planning, multi step tasks,probable dysgraphia as child .Writing now legible but crudely formed if I write slowly.

  • IsabellaIsabella Citizen
    edited November 2020

    Hi firemonkey!

    My OT is online and I've never met her in person. Even prior to Covid, getting myself to her location would have been so overwhelming that it would have defeated the purpose. I wonder if you might be able to find an online OT?

    I recommend Kelly Mahler and Dr Sarah Garfinkel as good starting points for Interoception if you're looking for information or videos.

    https://www.kelly-mahler.com/resources/videos/ted-talk-interoception/

    https://www.kelly-mahler.com/

    Kelly Mahler also has a series of YouTube videos about Interoception.

    I've been working on SPD for four months now. My OT thinks the sensory system needs to be regulated prior to focus on EF. I'll try to post for you after my sessions so you can see what we're learning.

    Thanks for posting. I'm glad to see you here.

  • Thanks for that Isabella. It's a fascinating subject. I have known from childhood my inability to check my heartbeat. Until coming across autism and interoception I had wondered why I couldn't . Like you I have aphantasia. In my case- inability to imagine-sights,smells,sounds,taste and touch.

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