Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. I'm mum to a newly diagnosed 16 year old daughter. She is "high functioning" and I guess that's why only in the last couple of years have there been any problems stemming from what now turns out to be her autism.
On her assessment results, the pyschologist notes that our daughter seems to have some sensory integration/processing difficulties, and recommends a specialist assessment from an OT. It turns out that this assessment will cost £200. I wondered whether anyone could help us understand what it will offer so we can decide whether or not to have it?
Our daughter is very articulate, and says that she often feels as if she is "not touching enough" - she does things like stretching out her fingers, and "trying to touch interesting things" to increase her tactile stimulation and has often said she would like a weighted blanket.
She is also sensitive to noise, though mostly this is only when she's already feeling anxious. She talks about noise cancelling headphones, but I think that what she actually wants is ear defenders, since she doesn't want to listen to music- just to "block out" noise from outside.
When she is stressed she likes pressure against her ears and eyes, and says that she finds hats to be calming because they press on her head.
We could *buy* a weighted blanket, noise cancelling headphones and a hat for little more than the cost of the assessment; but we're unsure about whether the assessment would reveal more than what our daughter is able to tell us about how she can be helped.
Is anyone able to explain what the assessment would involve?
Thanks!
Sarah.
Thank-you, Moonraker. That's really interesting (and it's so nice to hear that other people have been/are where we are!).
My understanding is that the statementing system is to be replaced next year by something called an Education, Health and Care Plan; which will last until a young person is twenty-something (25, I think). This is something I would really value for my daughter as she hopes to go to university and it would cover all of that period for her. However, they are still finalising the details and so it doesn't seem ready to start. I guess I need to make myself up to speed on that system now!
I'll have words with the psychologist next week, but I did *beg* the OT service when I spoke to them the other day, and they were not moved- they said the NHS does not provide sensory assessments (I get the feeling this is fairly new concept in relation to ASD?), and if I want one it has to be paid for. She suggested applying for charity funding, saying that's what a lot of people do. It's not that we *can't* afford it though- it's just that if we're going to spend such a lot of money we wanted to be sure it had value. I slightly suspect that the assessment is *mostly* a method of selling their "intervention packages" which start at £300 for 2 months...