Re: Too old for therapy???

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your response Suzanne, This is individual therapy. I don't think it could be anything in the building itself because he receives speech and OT in two difference places, but we are seeing the same behaviours. He is very verbal and will say "I don't want to go; I'm going to be bad there". He will have fits on the way in the car. I guess will we wait and see if he will get him comfortable again and keep working at it. Thanks again, Debbie SBShaft@... wrote: Hi, Debbie -- I'm not sure if anyone else had any ideas for you yet, but is he in individual or group therapy? If it's group, is there anyone that might have been bothering him there? Perhaps even if he's in individual therapy there is someone giving him a rough time there -- maybe a kid he just sees in the hallway or something. Is there anything different about the building in which his therapy sessions are held -- redecoration, new paint, new lighting, etc.? It may seem trivial, but perhaps something like that is bothering him. Other than that, is there anything else going on that might be stressing him out -- perhaps a move, anxiety about the coming school year, problems with neighborhood children, illness, change in medication -- anything like that?

If so, one of those might actually be the problem. Sometimes kids just go through stages where they feel the need to control something -- anything. My oldest does that. Maybe your son has chosen whether or not to go to therapy as his power struggle. I think that in the meantime, trying to show him that therapy is a fun place is good. Maybe you didn't get much in the way of speech but perhaps you will once he feels comfortable again. I realize it may be difficult or impossible to find out directly from him if there's anything at therapy that is bothering him, or anything else he's anxious about, but you could try and see what happens, depending on how verbal he is. If you don't think that would get you anywhere, perhaps ask the therapists to observe him, and ask the other folks who work there if they have noticed anything. --Suzanne