When your child is in school, his/her job is to learn. However, many children who have difficulty processing sensation accurately or who have a diagnosed sensory processing disorder cannot function optimally in school, which impedes their capacity to learn. For example, a child may be so hypersensitive to noise that he/she cannot focus with the rustling of papers, scratching of their neighbor’s pencil, or sounds from the hallway. Another child may have such difficulty tolerating proximity to others and standing on line that he/she pushes his/her classmates. When a child is so preoccupied with addressing his/her sensory needs, he/she is less focused for learning.

What role can my child’s OT play in school?

Arranging for your child’s therapist to make a school visit can provide invaluable information about what sensory challenges exist in the classroom. The ultimate goal of a school observation is to help the classroom teachers reduce the sensory challenges in school so that your child can focus on learning.

A school visit also helps to establish a collaborative relationship between the OT, the school OT, and the classroom teacher. Often a simple explanation of the underlying issues that are driving your child’s behavior from an occupational therapy perspective will deepen the teachers’ understanding of your child, enable him/her to view your child in a new and productive light, and help him/her facilitate your child’s ability to function optimally throughout the day. If your child is seen by many teachers/professionals, a multi-disciplinary, team approach is most effective and provides the highest degree of consistency for your child.

What happens during a school visit?

It is most informative to observe the child during his/her most challenging time of day, such as circle time, center time, free play, etc. Generally the OT will spend the majority of the time observing the physical environment, the interaction among the children, the structure of the class (including small group vs. large group activities, transitions between activities, specialties, etc.), the teacher’s approach, etc. Together with information gathered directly from the teacher or an administrator, the OT can formulate recommendations for modifications in the classroom and other venues in school, if warranted, and explore what additional supports available in school would be beneficial. In addition, a school observation is helpful for goal setting. Finding out the expectations of the child in that individual class deepen the OT’s understanding of the child and inform the therapeutic approach.

When is the best time to do a school visit?

A school visit can be informative prior to a formal occupational therapy evaluation, or during the course of treatment. A school visit before the initial evaluation in the office has the advantage of enabling the therapist to observe your child without being a potential distraction to him/her. However, a school visit can be scheduled any time it is deemed helpful to the therapeutic process. Once the child has been in therapy and the teachers have seen progress they are often willing to implement strategies – sensory diets or adaptations – that will further your child’s growth and open the door to further collaboration.

Blog written by: Aviva Goldwasser, MS, OTR/L