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Hi. We live in Atlanta and recently enrolled in our 5 year old in an OT program that I just love. (While I have not gotten the formal evaluation write-up, they indicated that she could benefit greatly from Sensory Processing therapy).
Now we will likely be moving within a few months, and I would like to find a program or therapist in NJ so that we can carry on the therapy once we relocate.
Can anyone recommend an Occupational Therapist or Program that provides sensory processing therapy? I don't mind driving a bit of a distance, if the OT is really excellent but would like to keep the driving time to 45 minutes or less each way.
I know this is a very specific question, but if anyone has any insight, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
Last edited by Lilycharm; 05-28-2010 at 10:38 PM..
Where in NJ are you moving? We were fortunate to have an excellent team in our school district.
My husband will be working out of Saddle River, so we are looking at nearby towns such as Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Ridgewood, Glen Rock, and Wyckoff.
I will be going on my first visit to the area this Tuesday to check it out, look at houses, and visit a few schools... although many seem unwilling to let people relocating to the area visit the school until AFTER they buy a home.
You should be able to visit schools prior to buying. I know we did when we moved to ATL. our daughter also has sensory issues and received OT within the school district and I also worked with her at home. I'm familiar with Ridgewood, but not the other towns. Ridgewood has a very nice dowtown area.
Brookdaleresident: I totally agree that we SHOULD be able to visit schools. We also currently live in Atlanta, and when we were thinking about moving locally, not one school balked at my wanting to visit.
However, I have not found the same to be true in NJ. When I have called to ask if I could visit the school since we are relocating, the office staff says that their policy is to only give tours to families that already have already placed a contract on a home or have a rental agreement. Very frustrating to say the least, and not very helpful.
We are going to place called Kiddos Clubhouse in Alpharetta and I have been very pleased. I didn't even know there was such a thing as Sensory Processing Dysfunction until recently... I just thought she was driving me crazy. But now that I have discovered that help is possible I don't want to miss a beat when we move.
If your child has SI issues, she can get OT in school, but it will not, nor is it meant to, replace outpatient OT. School OT is provided to help the child succeed in school only, is usually provided only once a week for 30 minutes, and most schools do NOT have the equipment needed if a child needs true SI treatment. So yes, get it through school but if she needs a lot of help, you might still want to get outpatient. I am not familiar with north Jersey, but if there is a children's hospital or big rehab hospital they can help you (for instance down here Bacharach Rehab Hospital has a very well-equipped SI treatment room and well established program).
I know of a family who's 3 year old son has many physical issues (he cannot walk yet, has trouble eating, is not talking, etc) from a rare syndrome. They live in Fair Lawn. Fair Lawn school system has been paying for an OT to come out to the home twice a week. She goes to the Cerebral Palsy Center once or maybe twice a week. This is at no cost to her. She went to her zoned elementary school and meet with the school team (pyschiatrist, speach pathologist, social worker, etc). She gave them proof of her son's diagnosis and she was easily approved for all these services.
Another family I know who also lives in Fair Lawn, has a son with some issues. I don't know what his diagnosis is, but I suspect Aspergers. He has the sensory issues and behavioral issues. They paid for the OT and special school that cost the school system $45,000 a year. I think Fair Lawn now has their own school to accomodate special issues like his. They are now paying for his special high school. The parents did not have to pay anything.
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But now that I have discovered that help is possible I don't want to miss a beat when we move.
