Sensory Processing Disorder

Since I have several posts about the various areas involved in Sensory Processing Disorder, I decided to make a "home" page where you can find all of the links to the posts. Have fun searching!

Growth Hormones...9 months and growing

James had his follow up with the Endocrinologist today.  He has been on daily growth hormone injections for 9 months now and I am happy to report that he is {still} growing!

Beginning Measurements                             Current Measurements
Weight: 46.1 pounds                                   Weight: 53.5 pounds
Height: 47.1 inches                                      Height: 50 1/4 inches

Overall he has gained over 8 pounds and has grown over 3 inches taller!  I am amazed.  He does so well with the whole injection process.  He is still in charge of the alcohol swab and cleaning the injection site.

We have also been working with an Occupational Therapist for feeding issues.  James has a limited number of foods that he will eat, either due to sensory issues {texture} or jaw weakness.  We have exercises we are doing with him to increase jaw strength and have found some creative ways to add nutrients to his food choices.

Here is a recent picture of James and I while we were in Oregon for Thanksgiving.  James is my little love bug.

                 

James will have several blood tests performed when he hits the 1 year mark of being on growth hormones.  I will keep you posted on his journey.

~Nicole~

Therapy Thursday: SPD Vestibular System

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences.  We would love to hear your stories too! Please leave a comment below!  

Sensory Processing Disorder: Vestibular System

For the month of August, I am highlighting the different senses that Sensory Processing Disorder affects, a checklist of symptoms and some activities we do to help.  We started with proprioception, which is the internal sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking a them.  Then we went on to the tactile system, which is how our brain receives information coming from the receptors on our skin about touch, pain and temperature.  

This week we are introducing the vestibular system, which coordinates movement and balance through receptors in the inner ear and in relation to Earth's gravity.  Have you ever experienced dizziness when you've had a cold and your ears feel plugged?  This is due to an imbalance in your vestibular system.  Children who experience this may be fearful (or crave) their feet being off the ground and movement, or get dizzy very easily or not at all.

Here is the vestibular portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com.

 Signs Of Vestibular Dysfunction:

1. Hypersensitivity To Movement (Over-Responsive):

__ avoids/dislikes playground equipment; i.e., swings, ladders, slides, or merry-go-rounds

__ prefers sedentary tasks, moves slowly and cautiously, avoids taking risks, and may appear "wimpy"

__ avoids/dislikes elevators and escalators; may prefer sitting while they are on them or, actually get motion sickness from them

__ may physically cling to an adult they trust

__ may appear terrified of falling even when there is no real risk of it

__ afraid of heights, even the height of a curb or step

__ fearful of feet leaving the ground

__ fearful of going up or down stairs or walking on uneven surfaces

__ afraid of being tipped upside down, sideways or backwards; will strongly resist getting hair washed over the sink

__ startles if someone else moves them; i.e., pushing his/her chair closer to the table

__ as an infant, may never have liked baby swings or jumpers

__ may be fearful of, and have difficulty riding a bike, jumping, hopping, or balancing on one foot (especially if eyes are closed)

__ may have disliked being placed on stomach as an infant

__ loses balance easily and may appear clumsy

__ fearful of activities which require good balance

__ avoids rapid or rotating movements

2. Hyposensitivity To Movement (Under-Responsive):

__ in constant motion, can't seem to sit still

__ craves fast, spinning, and/or intense movement experiences

__ loves being tossed in the air

__ could spin for hours and never appear to be dizzy

__ loves the fast, intense, and/or scary rides at amusement parks

__ always jumping on furniture, trampolines, spinning in a swivel chair, or getting into upside down positions

__ loves to swing as high as possible and for long periods of time

__ is a "thrill-seeker"; dangerous at times

__ always running, jumping, hopping etc. instead of walking

__ rocks body, shakes leg, or head while sitting

__ likes sudden or quick movements, such as, going over a big bump in the car or on a bike

3. Poor Muscle Tone And/Or Coordination:

__ has a limp, "floppy" body

__ frequently slumps, lies down, and/or leans head on hand or arm while working at his/her desk

__ difficulty simultaneously lifting head, arms, and legs off the floor while lying on stomach ("superman" position)

__ often sits in a "W sit" position on the floor to stabilize body
__ fatigues easily!

__ compensates for "looseness" by grasping objects tightly

__ difficulty turning doorknobs, handles, opening and closing items

__ difficulty catching him/her self if falling

__ difficulty getting dressed and doing fasteners, zippers, and buttons

__ may have never crawled as an baby

__ has poor body awareness; bumps into things, knocks things over, trips, and/or appears clumsy

__ poor gross motor skills; jumping, catching a ball, jumping jacks, climbing a ladder etc.

__ poor fine motor skills; difficulty using "tools", such as pencils, silverware, combs, scissors etc.

__ may appear ambidextrous, frequently switching hands for coloring, cutting, writing etc.; does not have an established hand preference/dominance by 4 or 5 years old

__ has difficulty licking an ice cream cone

__ seems to be unsure about how to move body during movement, for example, stepping over something

__ difficulty learning exercise or dance steps

If your child has been newly diagnosed, an online support that I have thoroughly enjoyed is the SPD Blogger Network.  It is a community blog, written by parents of children with SPD.  I laugh and cry as I read the stories of other parents who are also in the trenches.

This week I'd like to "show" you a few activities we have fun with but that also offer therapeutic advantages.

My husband built this platform swing (Yes, I know how blessed I am!) after searching OT catalogs and realizing he could customize one for us and at a lesser cost.  We had it hanging in our front room until we had to move.  Our entire family had tons of fun with it as evidenced by all the smiles and giggles.    

One of our children, James, has sensory processing disorder but he also suffers with (mild) cerebral palsy and seizures.  He really has a hard time with balance, coordination, movement, and has a difficult time with his feet leaving the ground.  We had him in hippotherapy, which is PT/OT/speech done on the back of a horse.  We were surprised by everything his therapists were able to get him to do and with a smile on his face.  James is a sensory seeker and is constantly seeking more input from his environment.  I have not found any therapy that equals hippotherapy in the amount of sensory input it provides.

~Nicole~

Therapy Thursday: SPD Tactile

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences.  We would love to hear your stories too! Please leave a comment below. 

Sensory Processing Disorder: Tactile (Touch)

I first heard of sensory processing disorder during a workshop I took as part of James' early intervention program.  The information they were presenting to us and allowing us to experience was truly a light bulb moment for me.   I walked away from that workshop wanting to find out more.  I was beginning to understand why our younger children were behaving in certain ways, like screaming when having their hair washed (and it wasn't because they got shampoo in their eyes).  

For the month of August, I will be highlighting the different senses that Sensory Processing Disorder affects, a checklist of symptoms and some activities we do to help.  Last week we started with proprioception, which is the internal sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking a them.

This week we are introducing the sense of touch or tactile system.  The tactile system is the first sensory system to develop in the womb and is the largest sensory system in the body.  There are millions of receptors  on the outer skin.  Don't forget the receptors inside the ears, nose, throat, mouth, and digestive system, covering the reproductive organs, etc.  You get the idea. 

Let me also say this, there are 2 types of reactions to stimuli with sensory processing disorder: hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity.  Hypersensitivity is a child who is oversensitive to a stimuli and may avoid it.  For example, our sons who are hypersensitive to touch do not like to be bumped accidentally and may scream or lash out.  Hyposensitivity is a child who is undersensitive to a stimuli and may seek it.  For example, we have one son who is hyposensitive to touch and he loves to rub shaving cream or lotion all over his body.  And then you may have a child who has mixed reactions. 

Confused yet?  Hang in there with me for a minute.  Here is the Tactile portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com.

Signs Of Tactile Dysfunction:

1. Hypersensitivity To Touch (Oversensitive)

__ becomes fearful, anxious or aggressive with light or unexpected touch

__ as an infant, did/does not like to be held or cuddled; may arch back, cry, and pull away

__ distressed when diaper is being, or needs to be, changed

__ appears fearful of, or avoids standing in close proximity to other people or peers (especially in lines)

__ becomes frightened when touched from behind or by someone/something they can not see (such as under a blanket)

__ complains about having hair brushed; may be very picky about using a particular brush

__ bothered by rough bed sheets (i.e., if old and "bumpy")

__ avoids group situations for fear of the unexpected touch

__ resists friendly or affectionate touch from anyone besides parents or siblings (and sometimes them too!)

__ dislikes kisses, will "wipe off" place where kissed

__ prefers hugs

__ a raindrop, water from the shower, or wind blowing on the skin may feel like torture and produce adverse and avoidance reactions

__ may overreact to minor cuts, scrapes, and or bug bites

__ avoids touching certain textures of material (blankets, rugs, stuffed animals)

__ refuses to wear new or stiff clothes, clothes with rough textures, turtlenecks, jeans, hats, or belts, etc.

__ avoids using hands for play

__ avoids/dislikes/aversive to "messy play", i.e., sand, mud, water, glue, glitter, playdoh, slime, shaving cream/funny foam etc.

__ will be distressed by dirty hands and want to wipe or wash them frequently

__ excessively ticklish

__ distressed by seams in socks and may refuse to wear them

__ distressed by clothes rubbing on skin; may want to wear shorts and short sleeves year round, toddlers may prefer to be naked and pull diapers and clothes off constantly

__ or, may want to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants year round to avoid having skin exposed

__ distressed about having face washed

__ distressed about having hair, toenails, or fingernails cut

__ resists brushing teeth and is extremely fearful of the dentist

__ is a picky eater, only eating certain tastes and textures; mixed textures tend to be avoided as well as hot or cold foods; resists trying new foods

__ may refuse to walk barefoot on grass or sand

__ may walk on toes only

2. Hyposensitivity To Touch (Undersensitive):

__ may crave touch, needs to touch everything and everyone

__ is not aware of being touched/bumped unless done with extreme force or intensity

__ is not bothered by injuries, like cuts and bruises, and shows no distress with shots (may even say they love getting shots!)

__ may not be aware that hands or face are dirty or feel his/her nose running

__ may be self-abusive; pinching, biting, or banging his own head

__ mouths objects excessively

__ frequently hurts other children or pets while playing

__ repeatedly touches surfaces or objects that are soothing (i.e., blanket)

__ seeks out surfaces and textures that provide strong tactile feedback

__ thoroughly enjoys and seeks out messy play

__ craves vibrating or strong sensory input

__ has a preference and craving for excessively spicy, sweet, sour, or salty foods

3. Poor Tactile Perception And Discrimination:

__ has difficulty with fine motor tasks such as buttoning, zipping, and fastening clothes

__ may not be able to identify which part of their body was touched if they were not looking

__ may be afraid of the dark

__ may be a messy dresser; looks disheveled, does not notice pants are twisted, shirt is half un tucked, shoes are untied, one pant leg is up and one is down, etc.

__ has difficulty using scissors, crayons, or silverware

__ continues to mouth objects to explore them even after age two

__ has difficulty figuring out physical characteristics of objects; shape, size, texture, temperature, weight, etc.

__ may not be able to identify objects by feel, uses vision to help; such as, reaching into backpack or desk to retrieve an item

I think my child may have Sensory Processing Disorder, now what?  The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder by Roya Ostavar, Ph.D. has a ton of great information, including Chapter 5: Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment - Where to Begin.  She also includes a very thorough (20 pages worth) sample Developmental History Form.  

Then obtain a referral to an Occupational Therapist.  All three of our boys have been treated by an OT at one time or another.  Currently our two youngest sons are receiving treatment 1-2 times a month.  They give us many great ideas of therapies activities to do at home.  For more ideas, The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A. has tons of activities for kids with sensory processing disorder.

A few of our family favorite activities are:

Brushing.  This is a technique that was shown to us by the OT and followed up by her.  We definitely noticed a difference when we were brushing the kids regularly.  Problem is, you need to do it frequently (every couple of hours) for maximum benefit.  Kids can also be hyped up more when this is started, but the desired result is calming.

Deep pressure.  This is another calming strategy.  We use wet suits (over clothing), pressure vests, ankle weights, weighted blankets, wrestling, and wall push-ups to name a few.  Pretty much anything you can think of that gives a heavy touch.  Even filling a backpack up with toys and wearing it around the house.

            

Play-doh or Theraputty.  I hide coins or beads in them for the kids to find.  We sometimes just play with it.  Last summer I made Flubber and Johnathan (pictured above with the ankle weights) could not stand the touch or smell of it, to the point of gagging.

 

We take many trips to the ocean so the kids are used to walking on the sand with bare feet now.  Our youngest, Amada, cannot stand to get wet.  If she has even 1 drop of water on her clothes she has to go change, so this was a good trip to the beach for her.

Shaving cream.  I will warn you...this makes a mess!  I usually try to limit it to in the bathtub otherwise it gets out of hand quickly.  We also go outside and they draw on the sliding glass door with shaving cream, which can then be hosed off.

 



Practice writing our letters or names in a tray of rice.  Play with moon sand inside a plastic container at the table.  You can put hair gel or pudding inside a plastic bag and have the kids feel it without all the mess. We also have a "taggie" blanket with the tags all around it because James, who is our sensory seeker, loves tags.

This was recommended by our OT also.  It is called KT tape (sports players use it to tape up their muscles or injuries).  Using it around James' mouth brings more awareness to that area and helps cut down on the drooling.  He also likes to stuff his food in his mouth when eating (so he can feel the food in his mouth) and this helps with that.

                           

Does your child have Sensory Processing Disorder?  What are some activities you have fun doing with your child?

~Nicole~

Therapy Thursday: SPD Proprioception

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences.  We would love to hear your stories too! Please leave a comment below.

Sensory Processing Disorder: Proprioception

Do you have a child who is clumsy, uncoordinated, invading others' space, bumping into people and/or objects, too loud, walks too hard, chews on everything, constantly jumping, and likes tight squeezes? You know the ones people comment about, "He's ALL boy."  (I hope it's not just me).  Well, your child may suffer from proprioceptive dysfunction, one subtype of sensory processing disorder.  

"Proprioception is the internal sense that tells you where your body parts are without you having to look at them.  The internal body awareness relies on receptors in your joints, muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue." - Raising a Sensory Smart Child

Here is the Proprioceptive portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com

 Signs Of Proprioceptive Dysfunction:

1. Sensory Seeking Behaviors:

__ seeks out jumping, bumping, and crashing activities

__ stomps feet when walking

__ kicks his/her feet on floor or chair while sitting at desk/table

__ bites or sucks on fingers and/or frequently cracks his/her knuckles

__ loves to be tightly wrapped in many or weighted blankets, especially at bedtime

__ prefers clothes (and belts, hoods, shoelaces) to be as tight as possible

__ loves/seeks out "squishing" activities

__ enjoys bear hugs
__ excessive banging on/with toys and objects

__ loves "roughhousing" and tackling/wrestling games

__ frequently falls on floor intentionally

__ would jump on a trampoline for hours on end

__ grinds his/her teeth throughout the day

__ loves pushing/pulling/dragging objects

__ loves jumping off furniture or from high places

__ frequently hits, bumps or pushes other children

__ chews on pens, straws, shirt sleeves etc.

2. Difficulty With "Grading Of Movement":

__ misjudges how much to flex and extend muscles during tasks/activities (i.e., putting arms into sleeves or climbing)

__ difficulty regulating pressure when writing/drawing; may be too light to see or so hard the tip of writing utensil breaks

__ written work is messy and he/she often rips the paper when erasing

__ always seems to be breaking objects and toys

__ misjudges the weight of an object, such as a glass of juice, picking it up with too much force sending it flying or spilling, or with too little force and complaining about objects being too heavy

__ may not understand the idea of "heavy" or "light"; would not be able to hold two objects and tell you which weighs more

__ seems to do everything with too much force; i.e., walking, slamming doors, pressing things too hard, slamming objects down

__ plays with animals with too much force, often hurting them 

I think my child may have Sensory Processing Disorder, now what?  The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder by Roya Ostavar, Ph.D. has a ton of great information, including Chapter 5: Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment - Where to Begin.  She also includes a very thorough (20 pages worth) sample Developmental History Form.  

Then obtain a referral to an Occupational Therapist.  All three of our boys have been treated by an OT at one time or another.  Currently our two youngest sons are receiving treatment 1-2 times a month.  They give us many great ideas of therapies activities to do at home.  For more ideas, the Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A. has tons of activities for kids with sensory processing disorder.

A few of our family favorite activities are:

Take a large plastic container similar to this one (needs to be big enough for child to climb into) and fill it with pinto beans (we purchased at Costco).  Add plastic bowls, cups and shovels for scooping.  You can also add some wiggly creatures for your child to find (if it won't scare your child too much).  

 

Stretchy bag (aka body sock or body pod)

Photo from Amazon

Bean bags.  If you have more than one, you can make a bean bag sandwich with your child in the middle, applying a small amount of pressure (depending on the size of your child). 

Sleeping Bag Stair Slide.  The kids get inside a sleeping bag (preferably one with a slick outside) and slide down the stairs.  You should have heard the laughter with this one!

 Lie down under the weighted blanket.  Or wrap up in it like a burrito.  We were fortunate enough to win our weighted blanket from DreamCatcher.  It is a full-size, 12 pound blanket made with a cotton material so that it does not get too hot.  As you can see, even the teenagers like it.

Does your child have sensory processing disorder?  What are your family favorite activities for "heavy work"?

~Nicole~

Huntington Beach

Day 3 of our Southern California vacation landed us at Huntington Beach.  We figured we all needed a day of rest (so to speak).  Everyone over 16 was complaining of sore feet and back aches from all of the walking we had done the previous 2 days.  The kids all needed a break from sensory over-stimulation.  We enjoyed the sights during the car ride to the beach.  Even though we really weren't prepared for a day at the beach, we stopped and let the kids play.  (I brought changes of clothes just no bathing suits or swim trunks.)  We also packed a cooler so we could make lunch, but we didn't have a beach umbrella or anything to sit on.

Our family visits the beach often, whether it is in Mendocino, Santa Cruz or Monterey.   There is just something about watching and listening to the waves come in that is soothing.  Despite our younger children having sensory processing disorder, they don't seem to mind the sand at the beach.  Just don't mention jellyfish around Johnathan; even the thought of jellyfish make him gag.

This picture reminded me of ducklings.

Adriana and I

Daniel and Johnathan

Amada and Adriana

Please excuse D.J.'s yawn.  This was the only picture I had of him at the beach, plus it's a great picture of James.  D.J. decided to leave his shoes on because he didn't want his feet to get messy.

DJ and James

 Look carefully in the background of this picture.  You can see Adriana showing Johnathan how to have "strong arms" and stand so the waves don't knock you over.

Daniel and I

Grandma

Michael and Alex

For as often as these two argue, it was really enjoyable to watch them have fun together in the water.

Johnathan and Alex

 This just might be my favorite picture of the entire vacation.  I love the differences of everyone's feet (even D.J. wearing shoes), but yet we are a part of the same family.  I guess it's just the sentimental side of me, but it reminds of how we all blended (through adoption) to form one family!

  
Snap!  And then as we were about to head back to the car for a picnic lunch, one of the younger kids had a terrible meltdown throwing sand at complete strangers on the beach while kicking and screaming the entire way back to the car.  And just like that, our visit to the beach was over.

We went back to the campground and while I was catching up on laundry, Daniel took the kids swimming.  Then we went out to eat at Chili's where I had a coupon that allowed all 4 of our younger children to eat FREE!

James all bundled up in his robe.

Have you ever been in a public place and one of your children has a major meltdown?  How did you handle it?


~Nicole~ 

Therapy Thursday: Handcuffed By The System

Each week I will post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences. We would love to hear your stories also. Please feel free to let us know in the comments!

Handcuffed By The System

We, as parents, want the best for our children right?  Well what do you do when you've tried your best but it still isn't enough?  Our 7 year-old son, Johnathan, was placed in our home as a foster child when he was 5 weeks old.  We requested he be placed in our home because we also had his 2 biological brothers.  We eventually went on to adopt all 3 boys (that's another post), but the story doesn't end there.  We always knew the boys were placed with us for a specific reason and that we were "called" to be advocates for them, but there was no way of knowing in what capacity that would be.

Alex and James both had extra needs, although at the time all we were aware of was speech delay, cleft lip and palate and motor delays.  They were both receiving various weekly therapies.  In fact, James had his first surgery to repair his cleft lip the week before we welcomed Johnathan.  We were told that Johnathan had allergic colitis and was doing better since he was switched to a hypoallergenic formula.  During the first year and a half Johnathan was meeting all of his milestones a little late, but still considered to be in the average range (i.e. walking at 14 months).  He was such a cute baby and received smiles from everyone!

Johnathan (1)

Soon after Johnathan's adoption was finalized (at the age of 2 1/2) we became concerned that he was not progressing as he should developmentally.  We also noticed that he would cry inconsolably for hours and truly not know what he wanted or needed.  He was constantly on the go and didn't sleep much.  He began therapies for speech and OT.  We consulted a neurologist who, after some testing, thought Johnathan had PDD-NOS (a mild autism spectrum disorder) and may have been exposed to substances prenatally, as well as gave him a diagnosis of mood disorder.  He was started on a mood stabilizer and life became more manageable, for a while.

Fast forward 5 years.  We have been treating with several different psychiatrists (as dictated by insurance) for the last 3 years.  Johnathan has had periods of time where he has done better than others.  He has officially been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, a mood disorder, sensory processing disorder, and a learning delay.  His kindergarten year was especially difficult for him due to all the stress in a regular classroom and him not being able to articulate his needs.  We did not receive much support from our school district and ended up having 4 IEP's without much progress.  We made the decision to homeschool all of the boys (Yikes!).

This last school year we were able to bring the joy back into learning.  We are able to incorporate self-help skills (such as toilet training), community awareness (by taking many field trips), therapy (fine motor, gross motor and speech) and so much more into our daily routine.  But life is still difficult for Johnathan and in turn he makes it difficult exhausting for those around him.

We had been searching for behavioral support and finally received such help about 6 months ago.  Our behavioral therapist was excited to work with us because we had already done so much research and implemented many strategies on our own.  He basically encouraged us to continue what we were doing.  Then came the dreaded phrase.  You guys are really handcuffed by the system.  The more intensive behavior program that Johnathan would benefit from, he doesn't qualify for.  Why doesn't he qualify?  Because he has never been hospitalized (or even evaluated for hospitalization) for mental health.

I am a very pro-active person and I like to catch things early and cut them off at a more manageable point.  Evidently our insurance doesn't view mental health services the same way.  Things finally became so bad around here that we took Johnathan in to be evaluated.  All it took was a 15 minute question/answer session with a mental health worker and we were granted access to TBS (therapeutic behavioral support).  We've basically only had 1 week of services so far but we are amazed at the amount of knowledge and experience our therapist has.  I think he may even have a set of wings on his back.

Johnathan (7) and I on our recent vacation

Have you ever had to be creative in order to secure services for your child?  How so?  If you have received behavioral support for your child, was it helpful?  What did you learn that made the most improvement?

~Nicole~