fine motor control and can it be improved?

[epath13]

Thanks, I appreciate any input or direction. My son began school early and was a recipient of services, such as physical therapy, since a toddler. That, however, has not improved the tremor. I remember sitting on the porch with him, taking kitchen tongs and picking up marbles or pennies with them and placing into a container for therapy. The medical professionals don't seem to have a reason why, it just is. My son has been tested twice for possible chromosome condition since we had another child with chromosome 18 difference. His results, however, return "normal." He has a number of what I refer to as ABC's (diagnostic labels) such as CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder.)

I hope you find answers you are looking for.
I actually have a question. You said your son has an auditory processing disorder. How did he become diagnosed and what type of therapy he's receiving?
a few specialists and I believe my son has Apraxia but also auditory processing (maybe it's not the same as you son has but something in that area). I believe if he gets official diagnosis he might be able to get more appropriate type of therapy but so far no specialist wanted to be responsible for diagnosis because they don't believe they can test him. It's still a work in progress for me to find the right specialist. When I was a kid a couldn't recognize some words and sentences, and it seemed to me that my son may have similar issue but more severe version of it. Plus it's hard for him to speak (he basically doesn't, not they way we do).

 

[tdhssp]

I hope you find answers you are looking for.
I actually have a question. You said your son has an auditory processing disorder. How did he become diagnosed and what type of therapy he's receiving?
a few specialists and I believe my son has Apraxia but also auditory processing (maybe it's not the same as you son has but something in that area). I believe if he gets official diagnosis he might be able to get more appropriate type of therapy but so far no specialist wanted to be responsible for diagnosis because they don't believe they can test him. It's still a work in progress for me to find the right specialist. When I was a kid a couldn't recognize some words and sentences, and it seemed to me that my son may have similar issue but more severe version of it. Plus it's hard for him to speak (he basically doesn't, not they way we do).

When my son was quite young, he was flagged in a routine health check-up because speech was not on par with age (since we had another child with severe issues, medical personnel were vigilant to watch and while it was apparent, his delays were not severe, they were still disconcerting because it seemed he possibly had some issues with comprehension.) So, he began school early where speech and physical therapy was readily available. At the time, pediatrician felt he was too young to receive a diagnostic label. By 3rd grade, some areas remained a struggle: It was difficult for him to "read" other people and form friendships. His speech improved, but he continued to have some difficulties with directions. i.e. "Go to the next room, bring back a ruler, pen and scissors." He would return with a ruler, pencil and say, "what did you ask for?" He would also repeat directions given to him, out-loud to himself (which he still does today; it's simply a way for him to recall information by reinforcing what he's heard.) At this time, he went to a rehabilitation hospital where there was an in-school program of several weeks; he would be taught, but also receive therapy and be monitored by a team of diverse specialists. Hearing, was checked, for example. While the physical aspect of hearing was not impaired it was the "how" of hearing... CAPD, for him, meant that it is difficult for the brain to filter out sounds. For instance, when people listen to a conversation, a television might be playing in the background, a noisy garbage truck outside, but typically, one can follow dialogue without confusion where he hears all the sounds at once to equal degree, making it tricky to decipher what words are important and sometimes missing meaning all together in the confusion. This diagnosis made so much sense! It was obvious that my son was good-natured and compliant; yet, if we put him into a situation where instructions were imperative - swimming lessons a good example - he'd fail and sometimes be perceived to be "not listening" or "doing his own thing". Once central auditory processing disorder was explained, it all made sense and we could help others understand that his teaching required a lot of repetition, rephrasing and redirection. He has been described as "Swiss-cheese like" in his learning where he has some strengths as well as weaknesses and he does not test well but adapts successfully to most situations. A person with CAPD can benefit from teachers wearing a personal head-set when talking because their voice is amplified making focus easier. It is good for many students, including those with ADHD (attention difficulties) which my son also had when younger (and has mainly grown out of.) If there is pediatric rehabilitation hospital in your area, your doctor should be able to make a referral. There, several specialists working as a team can best determine your child's needs based on observation and testing of strengths/weaknesses. Wait times to get into such screening places can be quite lengthy so try and get on a list for evaluation sooner rather than later if you can. In my son's case, the team of evaluators were divided in whether or not to give an official label of ASD and rested on "Aspergers-like" in development. Throughout his childhood, teachers would simply refer to his learning style as "Aspergers" as did our pediatrician. So, we all followed learning guides helpful for persons on the spectrum and these pretty much were applicable to how my son learned. There was a website, OASIS, that had a good list of strategies to give to teachers and I would print it off for various teachers to read at the beginning of each new elementary school year that seemed to help them understand. Now that my son is older, he - mostly - knows that it is important for him to speak up when he misses a request or ask the individual to please repeat the instruction. I hope some of that helps. I'll locate the webpage for you: http://www.aspergersyndrome.org/Articles/The-OASIS-Asperger-Syndrome-Guide-for-Teachers---L.aspx

 

[Kari Suttle]

While the physical aspect of hearing was not impaired it was the "how" of hearing... CAPD, for him, meant that it is difficult for the brain to filter out sounds. For instance, when people listen to a conversation, a television might be playing in the background, a noisy garbage truck outside, but typically, one can follow dialogue without confusion where he hears all the sounds at once to equal degree, making it tricky to decipher what words are important and sometimes missing meaning all together in the confusion.

I know i'm going off the thread's intended subject a bit here, but does CAPD stand for Central Auditory Processing Disorder? And is it like, a real thing, as in its in the DSM and everything? Cause what you just described with your son fits me to a 't'. Unless i'm hyperfocusing on something or someone, i hear everything all at once equally. Like your son i tend to repeat back instructions be it at home or work. It helps me to remember all of what was said and to proccess it fully, whereas if i don't it'll sit in from of me in working memory but not move onto short term memory and 'go in ear and out the other' pretty much. Echoing it helps to process what was said as well as remember it. Like i said i also hear everything at once equally, without filtering. There's a term for it that i'm forgetting right now, but the brain has a process where its supposed to filter out constant, unimportant sounds like the dog barking next door - that's never worked for me either.

I'm not sure of the difference between CAPD and Sensory Integration Disorder though? or how 'legit' the two are - like i know to us they're legit but does the medical community see them as official disorders? I'm 23 so idk if i would seek diagnosis but its certainly something i'd love to look into on my own time. If i get the opportunity someday, when i can actually afford it and i'm out of the house, i'd love to get it checked out.

Sorry for the rant i just jumped the gun a little cause ive never read something that so perfectly described me. EDIT: I also hear things louder than others (like the volume on the tv, for instance) and live in the US.

 

[epath13]

Thank you for the information. My son (well, both of my kids) have Autism spectrum diagnosis and both of them receive therapy through school. My younger ' s school trying to adapt ABA as therapeutic and educational tool. (They've just purchased a new program and trying it out). I guess both of my kids receive pretty much the same type of therapy that would be appropriate for CAPD... the CAPD could be of the causes why both of my kids struggle with instructions etc. But somehow it seem with my younger son the situation seems to be a little different. Sometimes he would look at you and pays attention to what you say, looks at your lips and you can see he struggles perceiving every single word. If I talk slowly to him he may perceive every word. Plus if you repeat the same word over and over in some situations he knows exactly what's required from him or what it's all about. I was just wondering what CAPD was, but now I actually remember. I'm sure we talked about it when he was diagnosed (it was about 4 years ago). Later we talked more about possible Apraxia. The reasons why some specialists don't want to diagnose him are: 1) he doesn't seem to have any type of functional speech; 2) if you want him to repeat a sound he may not do it, or even try to do it. But it could be the CAPD as well of course. I did notice when I speak... well basically whisper something right in his ear he pays more attention. I'm going to check the link you've posted, thanks

 

[tdhssp]

I know i'm going off the thread's intended subject a bit here, but does CAPD stand for Central Auditory Processing Disorder? And is it like, a real thing, as in its in the DSM and everything? Cause what you just described with your son fits me to a 't'. Unless i'm hyperfocusing on something or someone, i hear everything all at once equally. Like your son i tend to repeat back instructions be it at home or work. It helps me to remember all of what was said and to proccess it fully, whereas if i don't it'll sit in from of me in working memory but not move onto short term memory and 'go in ear and out the other' pretty much. Echoing it helps to process what was said as well as remember it. Like i said i also hear everything at once equally, without filtering. There's a term for it that i'm forgetting right now, but the brain has a process where its supposed to filter out constant, unimportant sounds like the dog barking next door - that's never worked for me either.

I'm not sure of the difference between CAPD and Sensory Integration Disorder though? or how 'legit' the two are - like i know to us they're legit but does the medical community see them as official disorders? I'm 23 so idk if i would seek diagnosis but its certainly something i'd love to look into on my own time. If i get the opportunity someday, when i can actually afford it and i'm out of the house, i'd love to get it checked out.

Sorry for the rant i just jumped the gun a little cause ive never read something that so perfectly described me. EDIT: I also hear things louder than others (like the volume on the tv, for instance) and live in the US.

Here is a page that describes CAPD more concisely than I can do: Canadian Academy of Audiology - Heard, Understood

Central Auditory Processing Disorder is definitely a recognized medical condition. I'm not certain whether it is in the DSM or not because classifications change and I'm afraid that I haven't kept up. I believe "Aspergers" disappeared from the DSM(?) One's physician should be better equip, I imagine, to decipher what is current.

Best wishes with locating more concrete answers.