Interactive Metronome

[Renee in FL]

For those who have done this, can you explain how it worked for your child?

My 9yo was given the baseline test for IM and scored 336. This is very high according to the OT. I asked about protocol and she said it used to be very strict - 1 hour 3 times a week. She said it has been loosened up some, so it isn't so strict. How often does/did your child do it and for how long?

She also said that usually it was for 15 sessions. Did your child do 15 sessions? More/less?

She agreed to hold off until school gets out. At that point we will have OT 3 times a week (there isn't enough open slots for 3 times a week right now.) I'm also pushing for 1 hour sessions (allowed under the Plan of Care, but right now he is only getting 30 minutes.)

I have looked on the website and it shows that it is effective for language processing issues and ADD issues, among others. Why did your child receive the therapy and how much did it help?

[MariannNOVA]

:lurk5:

I am going to search and find out some info on my own, but I would love to read about the experiences of others.

Twins were supposed to go for the CogMed appointment but I cancelled. I would like to look into alternatives prior to going that route and spending the $.

[LizzyBee]

When I called an OT in Raleigh who does IM, I think she said the typical schedule is 3 hour-long sessions per week for 10-12 weeks. They don't do the IM for the entire hour; they do IM, go to the sensory gym, do IM, do some coordination exercises, etc. This makes IM more tolerable and it helps the brain learn how to use the information for practical skills.

Then she met my dd. :D Her initial scores were over 1,000 and her ADHD makes her extremely distractible. OT knew dd couldn't begin to handle 3 weekly sessions. So she's been doing it once a week for almost a year. We saw a huge jump in her abilities in Nov and again in February. In Nov, reading started clicking for her. We are still using Barton and currently plan to use it all the way to module 10. IOW, IM isn't a cure. But I think the combination of therapy and Barton was exactly what my dd needed. In February, she was playing Upward Basketball, and honestly she wasn't a very good player. Then, as if someone flipped a switch, she started stealing the ball, dribbling the ball accurately, and making shots, all in one week. It was really incredible to watch. Also, dd tried riding her bike last summer without training wheels and couldn't. This spring, dh got her a bicycle without training wheels, and she immediately got on it and rode it with no problems.

Dd's IM score last week was 43. :hurray:

[Renee in FL]

Congrats to your daughter! That is wonderful!

The OT plans to do at least 15 sessions, I think. My ds did *not* like it at all and it is going to be hard for her to keep him engaged in it.

I'll be interested to see how it plays out for my 7yo as well (he has't had his baseline yet, but I am figuring it to be higher than his brother's.)

[LizzyBee]

Congrats to your daughter! That is wonderful!

The OT plans to do at least 15 sessions, I think. My ds did *not* like it at all and it is going to be hard for her to keep him engaged in it.

I'll be interested to see how it plays out for my 7yo as well (he has't had his baseline yet, but I am figuring it to be higher than his brother's.)

DD doesn't like it either, although now that she's gotten better at it, she does get excited about her scores. I once heard her arguing with her OT because she'd already done a short IM session with the SLP and didn't want to do another one with the OT. I had to have a discussion with her about how sometimes, the thing we need isn't necessarily what we enjoy. She'd rather play in the sensory gym for the entire session. :D

I just re-read your op and realized you asked why we are doing IM. My 8 yo has dyslexia, ADHD, APD, and SPD. I wanted to try IM primarily for the dyslexia.

[Tokyomarie]

Any other BTDT experiences with Interactive Metronome? I'm considering it for my son.