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Occupational Therapist (OT) mentioned functional communication
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<blockquote data-quote="buddy" data-source="post: 533857" data-attributes="member: 12886"><p>Hi, I wonder if that program Janet mentioned would have a referral to the next level (probably will say schools but???)...what is one more phone call right??? LOL</p><p></p><p>MWM, yes with insurance, because they are paying, there are guidelines/reasons they end services. you may meet the cap on spending and yes, another is not making progress over a certain amount of time. The question is though, were the goals and/or methods for working on them appropriate in the first place? I think one question with this therapist has been if his goals were a little off base to the problems and concerns, and also that his methods may not have been quite developmentally appropriate. I'd keep looking over time for an Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) who gets processing challenges etc....</p><p></p><p>As for the functional communication, I would ask the Occupational Therapist (OT) how she defines it. Typically we think of functional communication (and behaviors too) in terms of people who are fairly lower functioning. However there are different meanings for it and it can easily be reasoned that we all have functional communication and need to use it. I was considering V and actually think this Occupational Therapist (OT) could be on to something. Not that he is low functioning but if we define functional communication and those communication behaviors that are done to get wants, needs met (not formal/systematic communication with words or signs or pictures) such as looking toward things, pointing, walking away from what they dont want, crying when a transition happens, rocking when nervous etc.... for kids who dont have any formal communication we would start to shape those behaviors into predictable communication so the individual can learn control over their environment. The things like looking toward a choice, touching a person for help, looking down to refuse....would be trained as "functional communication". </p><p></p><p>So for one definition of functional communication you are training a client to use a predictable behavior that is socially appropriate and used across settings to replace inappropriate communicative behaviors (like tantrums, hitting, screams, etc) and for V that can be using words. Thinking of the videos you shared (so cute!) and what you have said are common concerns...this could be a way to view part of the problems. </p><p></p><p>Yes, this should be the Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)'s area but if we have to accept that there has not been a good match with an Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) the Occupational Therapist (OT) may have been around enough to realize that these kinds of skills are essential and have teamed up on enough kids with Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)'s to do a decent job. So learning recognize when he needs help and then to ask for help in an appropriate way (example, not saying this IS one of his needs), to express feelings in an appropriate way, etc. may be what she is thinking of???? I actually think in an ideal program the therapists do run eachothers goals so I position a child and use sensory tools in my sessions to make the child in a better place to communicate....and the Occupational Therapist (OT) and PT use the communication strategies I have been working on in their sessions. (one advantage of the schools is you dont have to worry about double billing so you can work at the same time and pulll it all together....usually can't do that in p rivate, unless you pay one of them privately).</p><p></p><p>Yes, what is missing here is that the Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) should be a nalyzing what those communicative goals should be and should be monitoring it but it will not hurt him to work on this if mom is monitoring and behaviors are not getting worse. Teaching non verbal communication could also be a part of this. (Quin has learned very directly what wide eyes means, or a frown, or a serious tone of voice, etc....)</p><p></p><p>Another def. of functional communication is learning things like how to follow signs in the community (rest rooms,bus, street signs, exit, etc... things you dont even need to read but people can learn the symbols.... I suspect that is not the definition she may be thinking of.</p><p></p><p>There are other specific functional communication programs and again, I dont think she would cross over into doing a formal communication program like that since that would clearly be crossing a boundary. </p><p></p><p>Occupational Therapist (OT)'s do work on underlying reasons for behaviors....usually sensory or motor things but communication is everywhere so she may have lots of opportunities to pair these things and realize that being able to communicate discomfort or sensory challenges are often closely related. I wonder if that is what she is thinking of. </p><p></p><p>Will be interesting to hear. For V, I agree you are at a point where any GOOD help is welcome. You are great at monitoring and nixing things if it seems not to be a help so (in my humble opinion...mommy to mommy here) just continue with that and see how it goes.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="buddy, post: 533857, member: 12886"] Hi, I wonder if that program Janet mentioned would have a referral to the next level (probably will say schools but???)...what is one more phone call right??? LOL MWM, yes with insurance, because they are paying, there are guidelines/reasons they end services. you may meet the cap on spending and yes, another is not making progress over a certain amount of time. The question is though, were the goals and/or methods for working on them appropriate in the first place? I think one question with this therapist has been if his goals were a little off base to the problems and concerns, and also that his methods may not have been quite developmentally appropriate. I'd keep looking over time for an Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) who gets processing challenges etc.... As for the functional communication, I would ask the Occupational Therapist (OT) how she defines it. Typically we think of functional communication (and behaviors too) in terms of people who are fairly lower functioning. However there are different meanings for it and it can easily be reasoned that we all have functional communication and need to use it. I was considering V and actually think this Occupational Therapist (OT) could be on to something. Not that he is low functioning but if we define functional communication and those communication behaviors that are done to get wants, needs met (not formal/systematic communication with words or signs or pictures) such as looking toward things, pointing, walking away from what they dont want, crying when a transition happens, rocking when nervous etc.... for kids who dont have any formal communication we would start to shape those behaviors into predictable communication so the individual can learn control over their environment. The things like looking toward a choice, touching a person for help, looking down to refuse....would be trained as "functional communication". So for one definition of functional communication you are training a client to use a predictable behavior that is socially appropriate and used across settings to replace inappropriate communicative behaviors (like tantrums, hitting, screams, etc) and for V that can be using words. Thinking of the videos you shared (so cute!) and what you have said are common concerns...this could be a way to view part of the problems. Yes, this should be the Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)'s area but if we have to accept that there has not been a good match with an Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) the Occupational Therapist (OT) may have been around enough to realize that these kinds of skills are essential and have teamed up on enough kids with Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)'s to do a decent job. So learning recognize when he needs help and then to ask for help in an appropriate way (example, not saying this IS one of his needs), to express feelings in an appropriate way, etc. may be what she is thinking of???? I actually think in an ideal program the therapists do run eachothers goals so I position a child and use sensory tools in my sessions to make the child in a better place to communicate....and the Occupational Therapist (OT) and PT use the communication strategies I have been working on in their sessions. (one advantage of the schools is you dont have to worry about double billing so you can work at the same time and pulll it all together....usually can't do that in p rivate, unless you pay one of them privately). Yes, what is missing here is that the Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) should be a nalyzing what those communicative goals should be and should be monitoring it but it will not hurt him to work on this if mom is monitoring and behaviors are not getting worse. Teaching non verbal communication could also be a part of this. (Quin has learned very directly what wide eyes means, or a frown, or a serious tone of voice, etc....) Another def. of functional communication is learning things like how to follow signs in the community (rest rooms,bus, street signs, exit, etc... things you dont even need to read but people can learn the symbols.... I suspect that is not the definition she may be thinking of. There are other specific functional communication programs and again, I dont think she would cross over into doing a formal communication program like that since that would clearly be crossing a boundary. Occupational Therapist (OT)'s do work on underlying reasons for behaviors....usually sensory or motor things but communication is everywhere so she may have lots of opportunities to pair these things and realize that being able to communicate discomfort or sensory challenges are often closely related. I wonder if that is what she is thinking of. Will be interesting to hear. For V, I agree you are at a point where any GOOD help is welcome. You are great at monitoring and nixing things if it seems not to be a help so (in my humble opinion...mommy to mommy here) just continue with that and see how it goes. [/QUOTE]
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