21-year-old young person, refusing college, depressed.

This young man had Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI) when he was 8 years old (16 sessions) and made significant, measured progress with being able to remain in mainstream school, regulate, reduced anger, reduced sensory sensitivities, overall being more organised and much happier. This young person then attended a specialist high school and transferred to a college where he was attending a SEN course. However, after a while he began disengaging with everything in life, it felt he was at a standstill, he had stopped attending college, was experiencing low mood/depressed, he walked with his head down, he was largely not leaving the house to engage in activities, and was not speaking (selective mutism) to anyone outside the family home, he did not have an engaged or outward-facing presentation. At that earlier point, day-to-day life had narrowed: leaving the house felt too hard for him, opportunities for learning and social contact stopped, and even communicating his needs could be difficult. He had 12 sessions of ASI, where his OT treated his whole-body through using suspended equipment and introducing movements he currently avoided.

After 12 sessions he made remarkable progress, his head was now upright looking ahead, he was talking with his OT and also able to communicate with people outside the family home, which opens the door to wider connection and support. He is increasingly willing to engage with others and to travel out into the community using the bus alone, doing practical, confidence-building steps such as going into shops, rather than feeling confined to home. Importantly, he is re-engaging with purposeful activity: he is willing and more motivated, he is about to start an online course, and he is volunteering in a charity shop; these are real-world markers of progress, because they require showing up, coping with everyday demands, and interacting with new people.

For other parents reading this, his journey is a reminder that when things feel “stuck,” change can happen, often gradually, through ASI a young person can reconnect with learning, community, and have future goals. 

We cannot thank you enough for your kindness, patience and expertise.