Hi all of you amazing people out there! I am hoping I can join your ranks as I am learning to survive with a 6 year old son who has SPD. He was just diagnosed this last month but the signs have been there ever since he was born. He shot out of me like a rocket and I always joke that that is his just his personality. At around 6-8 months I came in to his room to find his strong little body standing up, clinging to the side of his crib, trying to escape with the biggest grin ever on his face. When he was four, he head butted me and broke my nose. Yep, I had surgery and after that, was headbutted around 6 times during the recovery process. I started to realize that this lovable ball of energy did not seem to have an awareness of his surroundings or strengths or boundaries. Jump to this year, 1st grade, and we are dealing with inability to sit still, hitting pushing shoving other children, chewing up his shirts and pencils, and a self image that is backsliding. :-( We have been in therapy (now searching for an OT) for 4 weeks and the therapist has helped us understand what his little body is going through. So now I have 4 books on my nightstand and I am trying to catch up before our son gets expelled from school. ;-). Help!!! Lol! I am just curious about the solutions that you guys have found to work with your sensory seekers. I know he needs a whole "diet" of stimulus but until I can get him into OT, I am desperately searching for ways that he can be pacified in his classroom at school. Thanks in advance for any advice and good luck to you all in your journey. :-)
If you haven't thus far, I recommend reading Growing An In Sync Child. It's loaded with sensory activities you can do at home. The most important thing we learned three months ago when our daughter was diagnosed with SPD was about "heavy work." For example, move a pile of books form point A to point B; fill a box with something heavy and push and pull around the house; carry laundry; pull on a resistance band. If you can put him on a schedule of activities that involve pushing and pulling on his joints, I believe it will help with his disposition and behavior. Most of us are in the same situation as you, so let us know when you need support. Welcome!
Heavy work!!!! Totally! There are a lot of fidget toys you can get for school. my son uses a sit fit cushion in school, a wing nut pencil topper, all this to help him sit still. Weighted blankets, moving landscaping blocks in the yard, my yard is never put togehter because the blocks are all over the yard! lol small trampoline in house if you have room for it, get on your school about getting services if you haven't yet! Might be too over stim to sit still and the teacher wil need help to figure out ways to help him cope. My son goes into a quiet room for lunch because he gets migraines from al the noise in the cafeteria and being in class all day. Bands around the legs of the chair at school he can pull on, weighted lap pad, stuff like that! I was told I can say this, so I am, but I make the blankets and lap pads for next to nothing because it is ridiclous how much people charge for them, this is a desperate need for these kids and parents should not have to go poor to care for their child! So if you need help there let me know. THere are also pencil toppers that can go on that can be chewed on. GO and assess where he is sitting, maybe he is next to a yapper, or too close to the school bell by the door, florecent lights are a huge factor, have him put by the window for natural light. I will think of some other things! Welcome and you guys will be fine!!!!!!
Thank you so much for your responses! I actually just thought about making him his own weighted vest today so I will let you know how that goes. I also love the ideas about having him do heavy work. That makes sense. We are trying to get the school on board. It is a journey. I am just happy to have found this resource. Thank you!
Stay on the school, I personally think that is one of the hardest things. For educators they sure do fight against what your child needs. From my experiences anyway. I am going back to school just for this reason, to be an advocate inside and out. It just makes me so mad. We are here for ya!!!