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Our daughter received Occupational Therapy from Rita Patterson from November 1988 through April 1992.  She was diagnosed with a Neurological Dysfunction known as Tactile Defensiveness.  We were recommended to Rita through Anne Arundel Co. Childfind after they observed our daughter in a Nursery School Classroom setting.

Our daughter was 4 years old at the time and displayed a lot of discomfort with various kinds of touch.  She also was very shy and withdrawn.  Within weeks of starting therapy, we observed significant improvement in her self-esteem and also in the area of Tactile Defensiveness.  The T.D. improved continuously for the first two years or so.  After that, the improvement in T.D. was slow, but her self esteem soared.  The greatest benefit to the therapy is that, to the child, it seems like so much fun.  They totally enjoy it!  They do not realize the specific planning that goes into each session for each individual child.

Therapy was also very beneficial to us as her parents.  We were able to learn about ways we could help our daughter in every day life.  We brushed her with surgical brush for years, made available to her every kind of activity that Rita recommended, I.E., swinging, jumping in the balls at fast food restaurants, swimming, and a number of other inventive ideas.  We found it very helpful to have an O.T. to help with specific problems that arose in school.  Rita was always great at giving the teachers and us wonderful ideas on coping with T.D. problems.

We are thankful that we were educated in the area of O.T. for our daughter's dysfunction.  We know that she will always have T.D., but she has learned a number of splinter skills already at the young age of 8.  We are stopping therapy now after almost 4 years, since we are most confident that our daughter will only improve with her experience of life's new challenges.  She thinks she is wonderful now and we know it.

We would be more than glad to share our experience with any parent who is considering O.T. as an option for their child.

Sincerely,

Marlene Laue

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