Can anybody explain to me what neuropsychology is?

BlueCow1975

Unfortunately, it is a common theme in a lot of areas that sensory integration assessments are not carried out (although they are in some). It is generally down to lack of funding / commissioning of services. It sounds like the OT staff are trying to collect evidence to argue that there is a need for sensory assessments. Sadly, it does not sound like assessments with start anytime soon.

There are a couple of good books out there that you can get on amazon that are a good intro to sensory processing / modulation, what it means, how it can impact on behavior and suggestions that may help. Sensational Kids by Lucy Miller is good and The Out of Synch Child is another helpful one. Both books are designed for parents.

Behaviors such as over sensitivity to touch (dislike of labels in clothes, significant dislike of nail cutting, teeth cleaning, hair washing etc) can be linked to sensory modulation difficulties. The brain has difficulty "turning down" the impact of these signals, which means that the child responses (extreme refusal, crying, lashing out, tantrums etc etc) seem out of proportion to the event - but in real terms the child's nervous system is reacting with a fight or flight type response because of how the sensory signals are being interpreted by the brain.

I appreciate you have a whole pile of stuff going on at the moment, but at a point in the future where you may be ready to take on more information it may be helpful to think if there are underlying sensory components to some of her reactions / behavior.

Good luck x