Make The Grade OT

From a mother of a child with fine motor difficulties:

“Carrie was instrumental in helping the classroom teacher make the modifications to compensate for his fine motor delays. Several times when he had difficulties it was Carrie’s excellent problem solving skills and team work that came up with a plan that really worked. Carrie encouraged me to attend Andy’s individual sessions with my son, offering me an opportunity to observe, ask questions and learn techniques to help my little boy. Carrie’s devotion to children is apparent in which she interacts children and their parents.”

From a former supervisor:

“Carrie has an exceptional knowledge in the field, and is always ready to help others”

From a special education teacher and mother of a junior high student with sensory processing difficulties:

“Tim has made great progress in school due to our new understanding that his disability plays in his attention at school. Now he is able to self monitor himself as to when his body is going into low and how he can get back to a normal level of attention. He is gaining so much more out of his classes because of this. Carrie was also able to assist me by attending IEP meetings in order to help his teachers better understand Tim as well….Carrie is very knowledgeable. She has many wonderful resources that she shares with you. I have enjoyed reading them… Our whole family has gotten to know her and highly respect her knowledge and gift for helping children like Tim.”

Note from Carrie: Before Occupational Therapy interventions, Tim had been diagnosed with a learning disability, but had only been making poor progress at school due to difficulties with sensory processing not previously seen or understood by Tim’s parents and teachers.

From a mother of a child with handwiting difficullties:

“Kyle is enjoying all of the fun exercises that we’ve woven into our day. He is very recptive to all of the large motor and fine motor activities and I can see lots of progress…Thanks again for all of your help. I feel like Kyle is much more alert (his eyes sparkle more!) and happy and his thumb even bends! Thanks for working with Kyle.”

From a junior high student with sensory processing difficulties:

“I just wanted to drop you a little note. Thank you so much for all of your kindness to me, you’ve really helped me and I just want you to know to know I am very grateful.”
Note from Carrie: This junior high student had not qualified for any services in the educational setting and was academically performing well. However she was bothered by sensory processing difficulties which impacted her ability to sit comfortably in a chair and to tolerate changing sensory stimuli. Her mother sought help from me for private O.T. services.

From a teacher:

“I have had the pleasure of working with Carrie for three years. During that time I have been a teacher of a self-contained class for high need elementary students. When I started this position, I didn’t have an educational background with the high need population. Carrie was extremely valuable resource. She has made me aware of sensory and visual issues for my students and has provided valuable insights. She continually helps our team to see our students from a different and balanced perspective.

From a mother of a child with autism:

“I just wanted to let you know how well your tips have worked out for my son at his preschool; the first few times he was hyper and ee-ee- eeing and trying to leave. I tried joint compressions, lots of tight hugs, even brought in the trampoline (he jumps a lot thru-out the day at home)– nothing seemed to be working all that well. Then the beanbag I ordered finally came and I set up the beanbag corner with books like you suggested and we go there every half hour or so, and I smush him in the beanbag and sing to him, couple that with a chewy piece of candy here and there for mouth work (Starburst) and it has just worked like a charm, he is totally regulated and focused, no more eee-eee’s and now I actually have trouble getting him to leave when it’s time to go, so I just wanted to say that was the best advice EVER and thanks again!”

A story from Carrie

When working a school environment, I tend to provide a lot of sensory supports in my Occupational Therapy sessions, because schools are typically lacking in this area. One day I was working with a child that had been placed in a Serious Behavior Disorder Classroom. I let him sit in a bean bag to do his work, there was music on and I was was serving him lemonade with a tiny stir straw to sip from. He looked up at me and exclaimed, “You’re treating me like a prince!! No one has ever treated me like a prince before. I don’t feel like being angry any more!” We all tend to love the people that help us with our own regulation or doing these acts of kindness. (-:

Handwriting Before Therapy	Handwriting After Therapy
Handwriting done by a sixth grader. Others had planned on giving up on his cursive and transitioning him to using a computer that year for all of his written communication due to the illegibility of his work.	As you can see with his substantial improvement, Ryan is now thrilled with his handwriting skill!!