Addendum to yesterday's entry- looking for advice

Today I went to rehab center #1, and spoke with Stella about how a particular child was doing after I introduced a technique called "brushing" to him and his mother last week. Stella said the mother had reported yesterday that the child did not like the brushing (although the child did appear to like it when he was in control of the brush doing it on himself) last week during his therapy session. The 6 (I think) year old child recieves therapy for mild mental retardation, hyperactivity, and behavioral difficulties. When I walked in the room last week the mother was in tears, and Stella was talking with her. It was the first time I had seen a parent cry since I have been here. I wished so badly that I could talk to her directlly in English instead of going through an interpreter. Sometimes it's really hard not to know the fullness of what is being said, since there is always some that gets lost in the interpreting process both ways. Stella told me today that the mother is basically at the end of her rope, both her and Stella feel like they have tried everything, and nothing is working for this kid. He continues to display uncontrollable behavior and demand his own way in everything, he appears to be sensitive to touch, and displays behaviors that look to me like he has some sensory processing problems. He jumps around when he walks, bounces in his chair, hits walls, and today he hit a window, broke through it and cut his arm pretty badly. When he went to the doctor he wouldn't even let the doctor touch his arm to look at it. The mother feels helpless and desparate, and I can see why. She gave up on the brushing after several attempts, because the father demanded she stop because the boy doesn't like it. The father thinks there is nothing wrong with this boy and even plans to have him start regular school in the fall. But the father works all day and doesn't see what goes on at home. The mother is at home in a village 24/7 with this child. She is completely drained. She's had the kid looked at by doctors and counselors, Stella the psychologist, the special ed teachers- nobody has any answers. I just feel so much for this family and I know it's at risk of being torn apart by the situation. I want to help. I've read in the book "The sensory sensitive child," by about a mother in a similar situation in America, who tried everything, and then finally her son was found to have sensory processing difficulties by an OT trained in sensory integration therapy, who was able to help. If anything, this mother needs respite because all her energy is spent dealing with this kid who she has no control over. She is embaressed to take him into public, and I doubt she would even dream of putting him in sports- which if chosen wisely could be a good outlet for him. There are no OTs in Turkey, and they don't know about sensory processing except for what I explained to a few of the teachers at the center during two 45 min lunch times.

So my plan is to have the mother fill out a sensory questionairre or maybe the Sensory Profile. Next week I'll sit in on a couple of therapy sessions with him and hopefully have him do a few things I ask him to do with an interpreter. I'll see how he reacts to different sensations. I'll ask Stella about his cognitive abilities. I'll ask about his daily schedule at home. About what he can do and can't do. I'll try to do a formal OT evaluation on him, through Stella, as if he were my student/patient in the United States. Over here it's easy to forget that although I don't have a lot of experience, I did get my OT license. It's just hard when I have no other OT here to consult with. I'll send an email to my class too, and some other OTs, but if you're reading this and have some ideas for ways to help this child or his family, I would love your input- as parents, professionals, people with all sorts of different life experience different from mine. Maybe we can help this kid and his family. Thanks!!

Kim

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