I will share our OT journey. Take from it whatever might help you.
I first noticed DD's hand-eye and fine motor issues at 18 months but could not get her pediatrician to refer for an eval until she was 5 years old and ready to start kindergarten. Did OT privately for a couple of years while we tried to get services in school. Private OT had to focus on school related things - ie holding a pencil, forming letters, etc rather than life skills because she could not do K level work otherwise. Once our district evaluated, the summer after K, we were awarded "consult" with OT. We pushed and she qualified for actual services a few months into 1st grade. She started with 30 minutes per week OT services working on handwriting. I requested work on keyboarding but school OT insisted it was "not developmentally appropriate to introduce keyboarding prior to 5th grade." District's director of special services intervened and authorized AT eval late in 1st grade. No time to get it done before the end of year and service not available over the summer so was supposed to be done first week of 2nd grade.
All he!! broke loose at IEP meeting at end of 1st grade with horrible principal trying to do anything and everything she could to make it impossible for DD to remain at local public and district was in total disarray as all top administrator positions were vacated. In the process no one did the paperwork to get AT eval done. 2nd grade started with district realizing they had created a huge problem for themselves and getting DD services became a top priority. Even so it took most of 2nd grade to get AT eval completed. 25 or so page report - very detailed, very specific. OT was wrong - DD was in desperate need of keyboarding instruction along with handwriting work. Services started the last weeks of 2nd grade but OT was reluctant...
3rd grade started OOD at spec Ed school. I argued that DD was entitled to compensatory services to make up for the lack of appropriate OT/AT services the previous year. District couldn't defend their actions and agreed - 3 1/2 hours of OT per week, split between handwriting and AT. Nearing the end of 5th grade now and the 3 1/2 hours per week if OT is still in place. In 4th grade they switched to cursive to see if that helped as some dysgraphic kids find it easier. OT will likely be reduced for next year as OT feels DD has made as much progress as she can with handwriting and is now functioning independently on AT front.
So no - I would not agree to dropping OT. I would insist on a valid AT eval. If they won't do it I would request IEE.
