Liam started private PT and OT about a month ago. Therapy sessions are hell. He screams, he cries. He basically works himself into hysterics. I have no idea what to do. Once he’s gone, there’s no way to calm him down until he’s back in the waiting room (because then he knows it’s time to go home).
At this point, private therapy is not worth it because the great majority of the time is spent calming him down.
Any advice?
P.S. He doesn’t act this way when we work with him at home. So it’s not because he’s working. Oh, and I never leave his sight when we’re at therapy so it’s not stranger related.
Could it be because it is a “strange” place? Do they have therapists that can come to you at home????
I wonder if he’d be better off if you weren’t right there? It sounds like standard separation anxiety to me! I had a bout of it with Sam this morning. She’s moved to a new room at daycare, and she’s not used to the new morning routine yet…this morning I had to leave her crying. I peeked in the room after I dropped Emily off, and she had calmed down. I think it’s worse when we’re right there.
Delphine does this too – it’s torture on a mom. Eventually she gets the hang of whatever they are working on and it is met with less protest.
I also find that she does a bit better when I’m not there – it might be worth a try.
I’ll third the suggestion to not be there. He knows you’re there, so he knows you’ll calm him down. Easier said than done, but you could leave him alone with the therapists for a few minutes and see how it goes.
Is there something he likes that they could do with him as a distraction? Give them a really fun toy, you sneak out, he gets distracted by playing, they can ease into the therapy?
I really have no clue. It sucks about the money wasted, though, and the stress, so I hope you figure it out.
Could it be the therapist? Kids are so intuitive and can pick up on the smallest of things we don’t.
My daughter worked better with one speech therapist than another when she was just beginning.
I accidentaly got here through Ravelry! 😀
Anyway, being an OT working in a revalidation centre I get confronted with this every now and then. Last year I had a kid who kept it going for 6 months. At first we tried with the mom around. But as she has a language problem (bilangual education) it wasn’t the best solution as mom kept translating. So we did the hard thing and pulled her away from mom.
Try it this way. It hurts, I’m sure. But he needs to learn to be independent (though I don’t know how old he is). And though it might look like there’s no use in the therapy right now, it’s just part of getting there. Talk it over with the therapists, see what they think.
Lots of fun with your son!
Oh, I really remember how that can make you feel miserable. Maybe the chemistry is not like it should be? Maybe you have a chance to find a different theraoist?
Evan has been doing this too, and with his PT whom I know for a fact he loves, AND she comes to our house. She finally asked me to step out of the room and after a few minutes he was fine. He just didn’t like the fact that I was right there but he had to do other stuff. Good luck with it all…I know how frustrating it is!
I have no idea, but let me know if you come to a solution. Seamonkey goes absolutely apeshit at the doctor’s office – must be the smell of the place or something…it’s so embarassing!