Re: Re: MDS throwing

[Guest guest]

Yes, tactile defensiveness is common. is that orally when feeding and on feet and hands when outside on grass. Some kids are tactile defensive in all situations. Occupational therapists are good at providing help in this area. Don't know about midline problems; I haven't noticed it in .

Beth

Re: MDS throwing

Hi again, I'm going to try to send this message today. I have been reading all of the posts about throwing and left-handedness and wanted to add about Jakob. It wasn't until kindergarten that he actually picked a hand preference. He writes right-handed but to throw or bat a ball it is always left-handed. We thought this was very strange until his doctor and OT therapist said he had a tough time crossing mid-line. When he drew a picture of his Dad for the doctor, to draw a right arm he would use his right hand but to draw a left arm he switched to the left hand. It was the strangest thing. But his doctor told us that this is not uncommon, but I don't know whether he meant in MDS or any child. His therapist since has been working on activities with Jakob that will help this, by playing games and having him cross mid-line. It has been helping, although I still think this is tough thing for Jakob to normally do. If anyone else has this problem with their child, please let me know. Also, he is mildly tactile defensive. Anyone else heard of this? I'll be anxious to hear from you. Thanks and take care. (Mom to Jakob 7)Won't you please consider adding your personal story on the MDS website today? http://www.mosaicdownsyndrome.com*************************************************MDS MESSAGE BOARD - http://www.mosaicdownsyndrome.com/discus*************************************************

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My daughter also had trouble crossing the midline when she was 4 years old. She wrote with both hands. She would just switch. She would start out writing her name with her left and finish it with her right. She stopped doing this in kindergarten. Now she is completely left handed. She is in second grade now.

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi there-

I read your email about midline- and my little has always had difficulty

with midline. As a newborn and infant he avoided looking straight- always

choose to lie with his head to the side- and rarely would look at us straight

on-

He's now 9 months and still avoids looking straight on if you are holding him.

He also can't clap well-and his Early Intervention specialist says that many of

the kids she works with have this problem.

also has a tendancy to use his hands - task related- by this I mean he will

use his left hand if its on the left side - he doesnt cross over alot.

One thing has is a midline crease. His skull has the slightest overlap

down the middle of his forward - he has a tongue tie, which is a little piece of

skin that attached to the underside tip of his tongue down to the bottom of his

mouth, and he has the same type of skin flap on his privates. The doctors say

its as if someone took a pencil and drew a line down his body. I actually have

the same thing. I never had my tongue tie cut, but I did have a heart shaped

uterus- due to the line pulling on the uterus and changing its shape- I had

this corrected by surgery to ensure fertility. is having surgery in

September to remove the piece of skin that binds his privates and at the same

time they plan on snipping the tongue tie. I wonder if this midline crease seen

has a physical feature is related to the midline difficulties he seems to have?

I'll have to ask the Dr. next time Anyways, just wanted to let you know Jakob

is not alone-

Ellen Kugel

[Guest guest]

Hey there-

Could someone explain Tactile defensive to me? won't allow me to feed him

with a spoon - he pushes it away and fights it- but he will eat fine if we put

it out for him on his tray to pick up on his own. He also hates to be held-

always has. And he doesn't like to be touched or wont look at you in the eye if

you are holding him? Is this tactile defensiveness???

Just curious-

Ellen Kugel

[Guest guest]

, I have not heard of this exactly, but our PT made a big deal out of getting Jonas to cross midline with his eyes as we moved an object across his field of vision, and then to cross midline holding things etc. It must have been to prevent this right and left crossover thing or something. Very interesting... still learning here Hugs to Jakob! Barb Martz Re: MDS throwing Hi again, I'm going to try to send this message today. I have beenreading all of the posts about throwing and left-handedness andwanted to add about Jakob. It wasn't until kindergarten that heactually picked a hand preference. He writes right-handed but tothrow or bat a ball it is always left-handed. We thought this wasvery strange until his doctor and OT therapist said he had a toughtime crossing mid-line. When he drew a picture of his Dad for thedoctor, to draw a right arm he would use his right hand but to draw aleft arm he switched to the left hand. It was the strangest thing.But his doctor told us that this is not uncommon, but I don't knowwhether he meant in MDS or any child. His therapist since has beenworking on activities with Jakob that will help this, by playinggames and having him cross mid-line. It has been helping, although Istill think this is tough thing for Jakob to normally do. If anyoneelse has this problem with their child, please let me know. Also, heis mildly tactile defensive. Anyone else heard of this? I'll beanxious to hear from you. Thanks and take care. (Mom to Jakob7)

[Guest guest]

Wow! I am learning all kinds of things I did not know this evening. I have never heard of this midline going straight down a person's body! This is very interesting to me, I may just go to Dr Koop's sight later tonight and read about it. (Old medical worker coming out in me). Barb Martz Re: Re: MDS throwing Hi there-I read your email about midline- and my little has always had difficulty with midline. As a newborn and infant he avoided looking straight- always choose to lie with his head to the side- and rarely would look at us straight on-He's now 9 months and still avoids looking straight on if you are holding him.He also can't clap well-and his Early Intervention specialist says that many of the kids she works with have this problem. also has a tendancy to use his hands - task related- by this I mean he will use his left hand if its on the left side - he doesnt cross over alot.One thing has is a midline crease. His skull has the slightest overlap down the middle of his forward - he has a tongue tie, which is a little piece of skin that attached to the underside tip of his tongue down to the bottom of his mouth, and he has the same type of skin flap on his privates. The doctors say its as if someone took a pencil and drew a line down his body. I actually have the same thing. I never had my tongue tie cut, but I did have a heart shaped uterus- due to the line pulling on the uterus and changing its shape- I had this corrected by surgery to ensure fertility. is having surgery in September to remove the piece of skin that binds his privates and at the same time they plan on snipping the tongue tie. I wonder if this midline crease seen has a physical feature is related to the midline difficulties he seems to have? I'll have to ask the Dr. next time Anyways, just wanted to let you know Jakob is not alone-Ellen Kugel

[Guest guest]

Dear Ellen, Jakob has tactile defensiveness because he doesn't like any food that is textured. I can explain this better by telling you what happened. Jakob was at preschool and they had a sandbox filled with lentil beans for the kids to play in and he would not even touch it. This is a sensory problem where children or adults don't like textured food, or to touch anything textured, even clothes with tags in the back can drive them crazy. Does have occupational therapy or physical therapy? These therapists should be able to tell you if he has this or not. We were doing a "brushing" program with Jakob. Every two hours for two weeks I brushed his arms, legs, hands, feet and back with a special surgical brush. They told me this helps to desensitize the system. The same as if you were afraid of elevators, you keep getting in them until it doesn't bother you any more. Some children respond to this almost immediately, but it really didn't do a thing for Jakob. If you want to know more about this, let me know. I hope I helped. (Mom to Jakob 7) Re: Re: MDS throwing Hey there-Could someone explain Tactile defensive to me? won't allow me to feed him with a spoon - he pushes it away and fights it- but he will eat fine if we put it out for him on his tray to pick up on his own. He also hates to be held- always has. And he doesn't like to be touched or wont look at you in the eye if you are holding him? Is this tactile defensiveness???Just curious-Ellen Kugel

[Guest guest]

I find this tactile defensiveness very interesting. Matt will only eat a

few items. He actually gags when he tried foods with certain textures. I

don't even push it now. He would actually throw up if he got something in

his mouth and didn't like the texture. Sometimes even when he is eating

something he likes (like fish sticks) if he bites into a bad piece, that's

it!!! He has even quit eating a certain food after that has happened. I

seem to remember something about the crossing over when he was younger, but

not a lot about it. Anyway, it is interesting to see the same things in

our children.

Sharon (mother of Matt 7, MDS and 9)

[Guest guest]

That is interesting. My oldest daughter (non mds) has always been

really picky about the way clothes felt on her. Alot of fabrics itch her.Anything that did not feel just right, she would not wear. Now she won't wear bras that have any lace at all on them. We always had to cut the tags out of everything and if the seam on her sock was not positioned just right it would drive her

crazy.

Hope

LISA FAUST wrote:

Dear Ellen, Jakob has tactile defensiveness because he doesn't like any food that is textured. I can explain this better by telling you what happened. Jakob was at preschool and they had a sandbox filled with lentil beans for the kids to play in and he would not even touch it. This is a sensory

problem where children or adults don't like textured food, or to touch anything

textured, even clothes with tags in the back can drive them crazy. Does

have occupational therapy or physical therapy? These therapists should

be able to tell you if he has this or not. We were doing a "brushing" program

with Jakob. Every two hours for two weeks I brushed his arms, legs, hands,

feet and back with a special surgical brush. They told me this helps to

desensitize the system. The same as if you were afraid of elevators, you

keep getting in them until it doesn't bother you any more. Some children respond to this almost immediately, but it really didn't do a thing for Jakob. If you want to know more about this, let me know. I hope I helped. (Mom to Jakob 7)

Re: Re: MDS throwing

Hey there-

Could someone explain Tactile defensive to me? won't allow me to feed him with a spoon - he pushes it away and fights it- but he will eat fine if

we put it out for him on his tray to pick up on his own. He also hates to

be held- always has. And he doesn't like to be touched or wont look at you

in the eye if you are holding him? Is this tactile defensiveness???

Just curious-

Ellen Kugel

[Guest guest]

Hi Hope, My two nephews (11 and 6) non-MDS are like that also. Neither one would EVER wear a shirt that has tags in the back. Their Mom ALWAYS cuts them out. From what Jakobs OT therapist told me (and Dave and I watched a movie about this), anyone can have tactile defensiveness. It can be mild, moderate or severe. Some people live with this all their lives and never know what it is. And unless it is severe, and hampering their everyday life, you don't have to do anything about this. Hope this helped. (Mom to Jakob, 7) Re: Re: MDS throwing Hey there-Could someone explain Tactile defensive to me? won't allow me to feed him with a spoon - he pushes it away and fights it- but he will eat fine if we put it out for him on his tray to pick up on his own. He also hates to be held- always has. And he doesn't like to be touched or wont look at you in the eye if you are holding him? Is this tactile defensiveness???Just curious-Ellen Kugel