Would You Fix a Car Without Looking Under the Bonnet? Why I Won’t Recommend a Programme Before I’ve Met Your Child
No one learns to repair a complex modern car engine by reading a manual—you take it to a garage. The mechanic plugs it in, runs specific, assured tests, and then recommends a solution. Similarly, a Sensory Integration Assessment ensures a thorough, professional, evidence-based evaluation. I wouldn’t be happy if someone asked me to fill in a form about a weird engine noise before recommending a fix—or worse, if someone trained to repair washing machines (not car engines!) tried to fix my car!
Today is Sunday. It’s been a full-on week, and I’ve had little time to spare. But as I caught up on phone calls and emails, one message struck a chord—and I felt compelled to write this blog. I’d been asked to assess a young man via phone call, to “determine his dyspraxia and sensory needs” so his parents could request a special cerebellar rehabilitation programme in his EHCP. This programme, which claims to “treat dyslexia and difficulties at school,” is currently being promoted on social media.
My response was? “I’m sorry, but I cannot assess your son with a pre-determined outcome or recommend any programme without a proper, thorough assessment. Here’s why—because this is what I do, and this is how I do it.” The parents are not happy.
I am an independent professional. The assessment determines the recommendations—not the other way around. What I suggest is based on the data I gather, the evidence base, and my clinical expertise. Nothing is pre-planned or copied and pasted.
I’ll begin by asking for both your views and your son’s. I might ask you to complete some screening tools—not to diagnose, but to help us decide whether my approach is the right one for your family at this point in time. Then, I’ll work directly with your son.
I will be hands-on. I will watch him play, interact, use the equipment, and respond to challenges. Until I’ve seen that, I don’t really know him – how he ticks, what motivates him, how to support him when he struggles, and how to help him celebrate his achievements.
I will gather information from relevant others—his teachers, his Paediatrician—and if something is missing, I’ll say so and advise how we might find it. I’ll use a combination of standardised and observational assessments—tools designed to help me see, in detail, what’s going on in his mind, body, and brain. These assessments help me understand how his sensory systems work together—or don’t—and why. Some allow us to compare his performance to others his age. Some help us track change over time. And all of them help us uncover his unique strengths.
Throughout, I’ll keep watching, listening, and making sense of the data. I use neuroscience and up-to-date research to help me connect the dots—to understand how your son’s difficulties affect his everyday life at home, school, and in his relationships.
Then I will write a report. It won’t be generic. It will be his report. It will be your plan, developed with you, not handed down to you.
I’ll propose recommendations that make his everyday life easier. I won’t promise a miracle cure—but I will share the research that supports what I’m suggesting, and together, we’ll build a plan based on what motivates him, what matters to him, and what works in your real-life context.
I’ll write with clarity and honesty. There will be no surprises. The report will include specific, individualised strategies adjusted to suit his current mood, motivation, and situation. Above all, it will focus on supporting his functional skills so he can be as independent, capable, and connected as possible.
Then, we’ll agree on goals—ones that matter, ones that make sense. We’ll also consult with others—teachers, key workers, and family—so everyone can get on board.
It might sound like a lot. But often, it doesn’t take more than four appointments—though for more complex situations, or older children and young people with trauma, low mood, or poor self-esteem, it may take longer. But that’s okay. The time is worth it.
Why? Because a plan that’s built from genuine understanding, that taps into motivation and lived experience, and that’s co-produced with the young person and their family… that’s a plan that works.
None of us wants random work done on our car, do we? If your car started backfiring and someone diagnosed it over the phone based on a form you filled in—then sent you an engine part to fit yourself, with vague instructions—what would you do?
Would you trust yourself to fix it with no mechanical knowledge? And more importantly – would it be fixed properly?
I am a healthcare professional. I have spent years studying the body and the brain and how they connect to enable us to participate in everyday life. I was trained at university to understand development, activity, and psychology. I’ve passed exams, undertaken postgraduate training, and continued to learn—attending conferences, engaging with research, and consulting with world experts on complex cases.
This is not a hobby. This is a science-informed, evidence-based profession. So please, don’t ask me to assess your child over the phone or via a tick-box tool. Don’t ask me to validate something you read online, especially if it promises guaranteed results without knowing your child, lacks transparency, or charges large sums upfront for private treatment.
Because just like you wouldn’t risk your car with a washing machine repair technician… I won’t risk your child’s well-being by skipping the assessment process.
