Re: sensory integration/

[Guest guest]

Hi -

VERY funny that you should mention sensory

integration. Within the past two months, has

definitely had sensory " issues " to the point where I

freely admitted to our therapists that he clearly

needs something that he's NOT getting. He'd rub his

nose/mouth on our couch or a blanket or the floor -

sometimes he craves deep pressure sometimes very

light. Very strange to watch. He'll also crawl on

the floor (the child can run but he's choosing to

crawl) w/very pronounced hard steps at times. At the

same time, he found oral motor stim. aversive and

HATED brushing his teeth. He'll also take his pointer

fingers and touch them in front of him either

light/hard. Often during therapy, he'd have to touch

something like the floor or the couch before he could

finish a task. Like I said - obsessive in a way. It

was the speech path. and my " theory " that since he was

on medication since he was 6 months old - and lost

sensation (he couldn't even smile) perhaps he never

got to experience normal sensory stimulation from the

environ. and is now craving it. Fine and dandy - but

what to do about it?? I ended up getting the number

of an OT who runs a sensory integration clinic -

called her for an appt. - luckily got to speak w/her

directly - she said it would cost $300 for an

evaluation (not covered by insurance - however - I

would have paid it to learn how to handle this) and a

work up called a sensory diet. Long story short when

she asked about and I told her his history and

w/being put on AED's early on she said " oh heavens -

you don't need an apt. w/me - you need to spend that

money on sensory items - it was her opinion that since

he was stoned on drugs his sensory system was dulled

and now he's " waking up " (her words) - she said to

give him as much sensory stim. as he'll take. She

thought it was perfectly normal and NOTHING to worry

about. She worries most often about the kids who are

hypersensitive to touch. So... in the next 45 min.

she gave me a " diet " to go by - providing

w/tactile stim. followed in order by vestibular then

proprioceptive stim. then our therapists work on

" goal " work. In other words ALL the therapists follow

the same order so there is consistency which makes him

feel more with-it and comfortable to then work on goal

work for the last 10 min. or so of therapy. We've just

started doing this 2 wks. ago - prior to yesterday the

ONLY 2 BIG differences I have recognized is his energy

level and perseverance/focus when working on tasks AND

he now opens wide to brush his teeth. The kid now has

very clean teeth. Ha. VERY different - we used to have

to pry the child's mouth open and he'd scream making

teeth brushing excruciatingly painful.

I tell you I find all of this sensory stuff rather

bizarre as I was never taught one thing about it in

school (I'm special ed) but am becoming more of a

believer since I bought the book " The

Out-Of-Sinc-Child " . The OT I spoke with recommended

wearing a weight belt around his waist for

trunk strength and to give him familiarity w/his body

in relation to the ground. He wears this belt a lot

during the day in short bursts. It's definitely

harder for him to walk/move around in but I figure

it's helping in more ways than one - maybe he's

burning more calories when he wears it which will help

take some of this weight off (hee hee). - We have a

trampoline that he's learning to jump on for

proprioceptive stim. and all kinds of buckets filled

w/feathers/beans/birdseed/macaroni etc. that we hide

toys in for him to find and place in my hand. I have a

big tub of packing peanuts that he sits in and we push

him back and forth after we swing him in a blanket.

There are all kinds of things that you should do in

order - like if you swing side-to-side it shoud then

be followed by an activity where you push back and

forth.

OK - now for the big news - his VERY FIRST initiated

social interaction w/me was when he came to me to do

the " airplane " w/him. I was sitting in the floor and

he walked up to me and grabbed my 2 thumbs and started

rocking. I said " do you want to do airplane " and he

nodded (the fact that he nodded was pretty big). OK -

want you to know my back and legs were killing me b/c

we did this for 30 min. - this was just yesterday!!!

MADE MY DAY. He rarely responds to social

interactions (thus the reason for my posting) but for

him to " initiate " play then to continue communicating

his needs was so cool. Plus, when we do the airplane

- he gets the biggest grin on his face - grinning from

cheek to cheek. The only time I see smile this

big is during that activity.

So - yes, I agree w/you that sensory

integration is something I'll be reading more and more

about to try to understand how it can organize him and

make him feel more comfortable w/his surroundings.

Interesting observation that you find

uncomfortable in environments that she's not familiar

w/. I've never thought much about it but as I sit

back and reflect on times when we've been someplace

and he'd have myoclonic jerks after a long time jerk

free. I'm wondering if that's all related to not

feeling comfortable. Hmmm... food for thought. At

any rate, since your sensitive to this too, I'm sure

will benefit as well. Thanks for the

information. It just reassures me that we're on the

right track.

Have a happy halloween. Hugs to

--- frumpymumma@...> wrote:

> Dear

>

> I have noticed the same with my daughter , after

> the drugs and seizures, but didn't before them.

>

> If you will get on google and do a search for

> sensory integration, I think that may describe the

> problem. I am getting a book on it, and am seeing

> activities that can help her. Her problem isn't

> just social things, but NEW situations. Sometimes

> she almost appears autistic, but not really. She is

> just moving into a comfort zone for her. I am just

> beginning to investigate it.

>

> I saw therapists do activities with severely

> impaired children, but my daughter isn't severely

> impaired and her needs are different. My first clue

> is tactile defensiveness. Sometimes she is, not

> always. Places she is familiar with, like her

> grandmother's house, she does very well. Other

> places, like the doctor's or shopping, she asks to

> go to the car.

>

> I believe it all began with the seizures. She did

> not exhibit these problems before then. Or maybe it

> was the drugs.

>

> Read a bit about sensory integration and see what

> you think. Is an occupational therapist working

> with your child? If so, they may be able to help

> you.

>

> His problems may be different than 's, but I

> think I have hit upon what hers are and am doing

> some investigating so as to meet her needs in this

> area.

>

> Blessings........ .. 's mumma

>

> michelle paulson michelle101291@...> wrote:

> For those of you who have had a child whose

> interaction skills were like " nill " - do they ever

> " snap " or grow out of it? used to be such a

> social baby - then the drugs for 1.5 yrs. - then no

> drugs but it's been 7 months since we've been drug

> free and still doesn't interact w/people. He

> likes to be in the same room as everyone else but

> doesn't pay any attention. Do you think this is a

> result of the drugs or something else? Does it get

> better? It's probably the thing that upsets me most

> about his delayed development. We're seeing gains

> in

> most other areas.

>

> Thanks in advance!

> (mom to - 2.5 yrs. old - ketokid

> since

> 6/03 - drug free since 3/04 - working on the seizure

> free part but getting closer)

>

>

>

> __________________________________

> Do you Yahoo!?

> Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses.

> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

>

>

> " The Ketogenic Diet....a realistic treatment

> option, NOT just a last resort! "

>

> List is for parent to parent

> support only.

> It is important to get medical

> advice from a professional keto team!

> Subscribe:

> ketogenic-subscribe

> Unsubscribe:

> ketogenic-unsubscribe

>

>

>

>

>