Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional use of hands - motor delays ... any ideas?

Totally agree with CDFox recommendations. I would add, though, that you should take him to a neurologist and get more info and a diagnosis so that you can get accommodations in school. Your son is going to need them, I promise. Also, with a diagnosis you can get, depending on your state, supplemental insurance (regardless of income just based on condition) that helps to pay for therapies and such. It is nice to have. But you need a neurologist Dx not just an OT. How I approach it is, we have the Dx from the neurologist of the condition, the OTs reports and evals show exactly how the condition affects DS in school and in life.

My son is similar but not as severe. He has had none of the speech or face issues, though. He has Benign Congenital Hypotonia and Hypermobility of joints affecting primarily his hands (although he has postural weakness and hypermobilitiy and hypotonia in other areaas well but his hands seem to be the most affected). The condition can cetainly, and often does, affect a child face muscles and mouth muscles but it just did not in my DS (kid is a motor mouth and has been since he was 6 months old). The hand thing is similar, though and has given me pause. For example, my son seems to forget to hold his book... He'll be reading holding his book open with both his hands... this deteriorates into holding with just one hand (not in a proper or effecient way), which then deteriorates to not holding the book anymore - if I am sitting with him I notice I have somehow taken over holding it for him (his hands hanging limply). Or he is some weird position holding the book open with his legs or feet, his hands lying limply at his sides, and he is wondering why he keeps losing his place, etc. I have to keep reminding him, "DS, hold your book with both of your hands!" It's like using both of his hands is simply not automatic. He has other similar symptoms as your son but I would say his just haven't been to the same degree.

My son gets OT and VT... We are starting a new 'progressive' out-of-the-box OT next month who is big into the "integration of the hemispheres" I am excited to start but it's expensive. He also gets OT through the school but I would say it is not nearly enough or as good as private. My DS rides a bike, which I think is good for it. He also inline skates and has started ice skating. CDfox, are these also good bilateral exercise do you think? He has started keyboarding for playing minecraft and I got him a special keyboard and make him use both hands - the left hand for the left side and the right for letters on the right. We noticed today he is getting quite good (but he wouldn't touch a keyboard before the VT).

HTH!