Amazing Progress in OT

I wrote back in August about taking A in for an occupational therapy (OT) evaluation at Children's Hospital. Although she had been discharged from OT the year before (she had been seen primarily for eating, and once she figured that out we were discharged) I had concerns about her writing skills. Or, rather, her lack of writing skills. She couldn't copy a circle or a line, color anything other than a scribble, and had no scissor skills. Her other fine motor skills were good; it was the writing I was concerned about. At age 4, these were skills I felt she needed. After all, next year she would theoretically be going to kindergarten (although I am holding her back a year and enrolling her in pre-K) and kindergarteners need to be able to write. To do that, they first need basic skills such as drawing lines and circles.

After having the evaluation in August, it took some time to actually get scheduled with a therapist. Our schedule is very tight, and I needed to wait until a slot opened that I could actually get to. Once school started in September, I also asked for an OT evaluation through our school district. (We also get speech therapy and physical therapy in both locations. It's nice to have good private insurance and an amazing school district. We're very lucky). Last week we had the IEP with the school OT, and services will start the week after Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, we've now had 4 sessions with the OT at Children's Hospital. I have seen such an improvement in the past month; it has been unreal. Last week in OT she connected some dots with a (decent) straight line; drew some nice circles; and completed a half drawn square. One month ago she couldn't do any of that. Seriously.

Today I when I picked A up from preschool, she had a Thanksgiving card for me. It was the usual preschool card, with her handprint made into a turkey.

However, this one had her name on it.

She had written 3 letters of her name.

Without help. Or copying. Or tracing.

The only prompt the teacher gave was "write your name".

And she did.

We haven't even PRACTICED writing letters yet. Only shapes.

Yes, I think occupational therapy is going to be WONDERFUL!