Hello,

Our son has an "educational diagnosis" of Autism -- we're exploring the possibility that it may be SPD. I've checked with our insurance and we do not need a referral as long as it's a participating provider. Right now, I just have a list of names -- do I just cold call and ask if they screen children for sensory issues? I don't even really know what to ask!

Thanks for any suggestions,
Susan

SPD is a common comorbid to ASDs anyways, so even if he does have SPD, he still might also be autistic.

I'm currently an autistic adult who's looking for an OT for sensory work. What my doctor is having me do is call them if I am able to (she'll call eventually, but if I call it goes much quicker), and once one of the three of us looking for someone who'll take me on as a patient, then my doctor will put the referral through for me.

Cold calling works to get that information. The phrase that seems to work best is "sensory integration occupational therapy"

Thanks for the lingo suggestion! Since we don't need a referral or recommendation from our doctor, I guess I'll just start calling from the list of providers.