FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:
Q: How do I know if my child needs OT services?
A: 
Occupational Therapy is particularly helpful for children with developmental delays and those more formally diagnosed who experience difficulties with motor skills. If your child is having difficulty mastering functional tasks specific to his or her age, then they would likely benefit from individualized therapy services. Depending on the age of the child, the functional tasks may include coloring, cutting with scissors, forming numbers and letters, eating with utensils, managing buttons, tying shoelaces and other self-care tasks.
Q: If I choose to hire OT Fundamentals how does the
process
begin...is my child first evaluated or can services begin without
testing?
A: When requesting
services from OT Fundamentals, the first step
would involve an intake interview with the parent/guardian and anyone
with whom the parent feels would be a relevant contact
(preschool/daycare provider). If an OT screening or evaluation
has been conducted within the past six months then this information
would be
helpful and may be all we need to get started. Although, in many
cases additional information, either informal or with more formal
standardized tools, may be necessary. The first step would be to
call or email and ask any questions that you might have. There is
never a charge for phone calls or email correspondence between OT
Fundamentals and parent... never.
Q: Does the hourly rate per session include all materials?
A: Yes, when applicable, materials will be purchased and provided
for your child and will be included in the established
rate-per-session, which will be discussed following the intake
interview. If additional equipment or tools are required or
suggested for home use, parents will be provided with the names of
recommended vendors from which to purchase (many of these vendors are
listed in the parent links section of this website).
Q: Are there additional fees for evaluations and/or standardized testing?
A: This answer will depend on the needs of the child, and whether or
not parents wish to have a full written report, as is often the case if
the information will be shared with the child's pediatrician, school or
other professional(s).
Unlike many traditional test settings, hospitals and outpatient
clinics, the testing will not be charged at a rate higher or different
than hourly sessions, parents will simply pay for the amount of time
spent testing and a flat fee for the report if/when requested.
Q: My child already receives school based OT services...how would private therapy be different and why would it be beneficial?
A: It is helpful to keep in mind that everything the therapist does
with students in the school setting must be educationally relevant.
Private OT services can be an adjunct to your child's school based
therapy or it can provide more intensive services in terms of frequency
and duration, if deemed necessary. For example, if your child
receives services “1X30” a week in his/her school setting
but you would like the progress to be more rapid, then often times
working directly in the home setting, with parents present, allows for
better carryover. Private therapy could be 2-3 sessions per week
for one month to provide a more intensive focus on skill attainment and
goals that you have for your child's development.
Q: My child was evaluated in the school setting and did not
“qualify” how would he/she “qualify” for
private OT services?
A: The focus of school based therapy services is on removing
barriers from students' ability to learn and helping students develop
skills, which increase their independence in the school
environment. Your child was likely tested with standardized tools
and may be functioning within the “norm” for his/her age
range. Often times the student may test within a normal range but
have difficulty applying their skills within the busy classroom setting
for a number of unanswered reasons. Therefore, developing skills
beyond an “average” level may be necessary for some
students and is often up to parents to provide (i.e. similar to
tutoring in an academic subject).
Q: Does my child need to have a formal diagnosis to receive OT services?
A: NO, your child does not require a clinical diagnosis of any kind to
receive services. We do not diagnose. If specific terminology is used in conversations with
parents/ caregivers, such as “sensory processing” or other
technical terms, it does not mean that we are diagnosing your
child. It is likely that we are using this as a frame of
reference from which to work and direct therapy based on reported
and/or observed behaviors, symptoms or areas of concern.
Q: Is there communication between my child's private therapist and his/her school?
A: This can be arranged and a signed consent form will be
completed. There is no additional charge for consultation with
medical or academic professionals on behalf of your child, unless a
request is made to attend an IEP meeting, and again the regular hourly
rate would apply.
Q: Will we need to have special equipment or space available in our home for therapy sessions?
A: It is always helpful to have a space available that is consistent so
your child can rely on some sort of routine when the therapist arrives,
especially important for children who have difficulty with
transitions. The space can be large or small and the activities
will be developed around the space available. If a
“play” space with carpeted floor and minimal furniture is
available that would be ideal. As well as having a desk/table or
other work surface to use. Also, a wall chalkboard or white board
is always a wonderful tool used for many therapeutic activities.
Q: My child received Birth-to-Three or Early Intervention
Services through a local agency and we really liked having the therapy
provided in the home setting...will services through OT Fundamentals be
provided in a similar way?
A: The services will be similar in that they will typically occur at
the home setting unless another setting is deemed more appropriate by
parent/therapist (i.e. with permission granted from preschool or
daycare, playground with parent present, etc.). You, as the
parent, will be more in charge of determining how often therapy
sessions will take place (versus the state or local agency) and will
also help to create specific goals that you would like your child to
achieve, which do not have to be specifically school related.