Excel Child is a thriving Private Clinic set up in 2011 to help a growing number of children with multiple diagnoses such as ADHD, Pathological Avoidance Syndrome, Tourette’s, Autism, Dyspraxia and general Sensory Processing problems. A referral form will be sent which includes questions regarding the child’s early development. Once this is filled in an appointment date is set.
Assessment
The initial assessment depends on the presenting issues and age of the child. For children within main stream school aged 4 years and over the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test, Sensory and Structured Clinical Observations are used. This can take up to three hours in duration, parents should bring a small snack for the child and be dressed in shorts and T-shirt. For younger children and children with learning disabilities other tests such as the Movement ABC and Visual Motor Integration and Clinical Observations are used. After the assessment appointment the raw results are collated, scored and entered onto a computer. Contact is made with the child’s school and further information is collated about their level of ability and their sensory response to a typical day in the classroom. For Tribunal assessments a school visit is carried out which includes a classroom observation and feedback with the teacher/head. The results are then interpreted and written up into a detailed report with recommendations for the level of intervention including home, school and direct treatment at the clinic. The parent or referring agent receives a bespoke report detailing the outcome of assessment. A feedback appointment is given to parents so the report can be read, questions asked and discussed. Sensory Integration (SI) is a term used to describe the registration and processing of sensation through touch, movement, body position, vision, smell, taste and sound. The brain organises and interprets sensory information and this process is called Sensory Integration. This provides a foundation on which behaviours and learning are built upon. If this foundation is unstable and has gaps the resultant behaviours and learning are affected.
Sensory Integration develops in the course of typical childhood activities but for some children (as many of 5-10%) Sensory Integration does not develop as well as it should, this is known as Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). When sensation is dis-organised, a child could develop difficulties with learning, movement and behaviour. A child may be over sensitive to noise, touch or movement and they may seek movement or appear to be ‘on the go’ all the time. Children with SPD require specialist intervention to enable their sensory systems to develop and mature so the child can be more independent in life.
