special education evaluations
Occupational Therapy (OT) Evaluation
WHAT – Assesses a child’s sensory integration and gross, fine, oral and visual motor skills using standardized assessments, a parent interview and clinical observations.
WHY – Identifies deficits that impact a child’s ability to care for him or herself, play and complete schoolwork, and makes recommendations for treatment. Goals may include working on skills like doing buttons, using scissors, or copying letters, improving motor planning and self-regulation, or increasing a child’s tolerance for different textures of clothing or food.
WHEN – Refer a child for an OT evaluation when there are concerns about the child’s fine motor or sensory development, including whenever there is a diagnosis of autism. A pediatrician will often recommend OT, and a doctor’s note is required for a student to begin receiving OT services in school. Poor scores on the Bender or Beery-Buktenica VMI, which often are administered during psycho-educational evaluations, also may indicate the need for a referral for OT. *
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