3 Year old with SPD

We did! Earlier the better - as it's much easier to wrangle through these things early. Our pediatrician at Kaiser was very supportive and we did both a SLP therapist for the feeding-related issues around textures, tastes, etc. and an OT to work through too bright, too loud, too etc. They also helped us get infinitely better sleep which improved our ability to cope with stimulus during the day. We still have stick-on blackout shades behind the blackout curtains and a noise machine in the bedroom at 6, and we notice a total difference in sleep + behavior when we don't have them on travel. Unfortunately Kaiser has become a lot more strict now and will do an eval and if it doesn't impact their ability to dress, feed and clothe themselves, or do core tasks like walking, they no longer approve OT, which has been very disappointing. Your mileage may vary based on how hard your pediatrician is willing to fight for you. 

We bit the bullet and now pay out-of-network (which is what most OT providers outside KP are) and go to OakBloom OT in downtown Oakland. The whole team is really great, and they schedule 1:1 parent sessions on zoom to complement the weekly work with kids, and send detailed reports and home practice suggestions, and we've continued to make a lot of progress that really helps in school, sports and more. It's expensive, and KP won't reimburse, but we've heard some other providers like BCBS and Anthem do reimburse some, and you can use HSA and FSA dollars too.

At 3.5 years old my son was diagnosed with HF ASD and SPD - although SPD at the time was not an official medical diagnosis so not sure now, but that was in 2014.

Since he had a medical diagnosis of ASD he was able to get OT covered by my insurance. He went to CPMC Kalmanovitz Child Development Center in SF and saw Sydney Lew, OT. He went from 2018-2023 and although wasn’t formally exited out he was told that he met all his goals. First, she did an evaluation and then he went weekly for an hour. There might be a waitlist so I would contact them to get on the list asap. 

Sydney Lew is amazing!!! She has been so awesome and we absolutely love her. She is so kind, patient, compassionate, flexible, and understanding. My son was lucky to have her the entire time he was there and OT was essential for his struggle with SPD. He has learned what his body needs and how to regulate it so he feels good, happy, and grounded. 

OT has been such an important and one of the best therapies for him. We’re so thankful for Sydney! Email me if you have any questions.

You might consider finding a developmental pediatrician who takes your insurance to do an evaluation.  It may save you money as an MD is more likely to be covered by your health insurance, and a developmental pediatrician has the ability to look at your daughter more broadly.  I do academic evaluations for school-age children and sometimes find there is more to look at than the presenting concern:  a parent's concern about dyslexia may also have echoes in spelling and math that need to be explored to get the fulll picture of what is getting in the child's way and what is needed to address those struggles.  Similarly, a developmental pediatrician is able to follow where the assessment process leads; an OT is unable to assess outside their specialty, and so may say, "My assessment doesn't show an SPD, but I do see the behaviors that concern you...I can refer you to a different speciality to explore what else might help us understand what your daughter is experiencing."  Good assessments follow a child's responses where they lead more than assess for a specific label.  Good for you for seeking understanding and a solution early-on!