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Sensory processing
I have read some of your very informational posts regarding sensory problems in children. I am hoping someone can offer some advise any advise on how to help a little one with sensory issues sit and focus during circle time. My son is going to be 4 soon and has a very hard time with this. We do have and OT and she has been suggesting different methods. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thank you.
That was really nice to read thanks! I am definately one of the moms that worries all the time. He is my everything and I just want him to do good. When I drop him off at school I have so many thing running through my head is he gonna be ok, is he gonna have a good day what could I have done to have helped him more. I dont like to talk to anyone about my son at all except for my husband, his teachers and now you. Its nice to have someone to talk to that won't judge me or my son. I am gonna try all of the things you have recommended for sure and im hoping it will help him to do be able to sit and focus better :)! Thanks!
hms76---- I wanted to tell you that you shouldn't feel like you are alone. Being the parent of a "special" child (how I became special mom . . . not because I think I am special) at times has made me feel alone. Other parents just get ready for school while I am running around skipping, jumping and rolling. Other parents leave their kids at school without a care in the world that their child may have "bad" day. Other parents don't think about the future and can live in the moment with their kids. Other parents trust that their child will make good choices most of the time. Other parents don't worry about their child being left out. You start to feel like the only one that is dealing with all of that. Well------ at least I did. I was hesitent to talk about my son because I didn't want to be disloyal to him and was very protective.
But I have found that far more families than you think are dealing with these types of issues. The other day I was in the preschool line picking up my younger son (I have one 15 months younger than my sensory kid) and was talking to a mom that also has a kindergartner. I said, well---- my older boy has sensory issues. She stopped me and said------ so does my kindergartner!! and we started talking about things she could do as her son was just diagnosed. I run into people all of the time out and about that have kids like yours and mine.
I may be off base, but just thought I would throw this in if you are feeling alone in this. You aren't!!!
But I have found that far more families than you think are dealing with these types of issues. The other day I was in the preschool line picking up my younger son (I have one 15 months younger than my sensory kid) and was talking to a mom that also has a kindergartner. I said, well---- my older boy has sensory issues. She stopped me and said------ so does my kindergartner!! and we started talking about things she could do as her son was just diagnosed. I run into people all of the time out and about that have kids like yours and mine.
I may be off base, but just thought I would throw this in if you are feeling alone in this. You aren't!!!
I do agree about the labeling thing if it came down to that he would not get services without a label then of course I would have not choice because he is my main concern. Right now I think he is a little young for a label but when he goes to school Im hoping all the hard work im doing and going to do will really help him. I am not sure on the fish oil because of what you said but im gonna research it more in case it will help. Thanks again!
Hello again! Kids that have ADHD/ADD and autism often have sensory integration disorder along with it. And sensory disorder can be all by itself in a child as with my boy. Everyone has sensory issues but it is a disorder if someone can not cope.
My thoughts on labels has evolved over time. I do think that schools and teachers and therapists are pretty quick to diagnose many behavioral things as add/adhd. That is a shame. And I know that the signs of sensory integration and adhd can look similar at times . . . but they are very different. They are also treated differently in that sensory does not respond to any medications. Add/adhd does. I've always been very aware of this and wanted to make those who need to know that my son has sensory and NOT add/adhd.
Once leaving preschool and entering public kindergarten I was not sure what to do. Did I wait and see what the teacher thought or what special things my child might need to function or did I address it up front proactively? Well, I decided that I would be proactive and if my child is labeled----- well, it is all confidential and the only way a child could receive any additional services. Plus, it gives a reason as to why my son is sometimes different than his peers or has a reaction that is not the norm for kids. So I called the counselor and then met with his teacher over summer before school started. I forwarded her lots of information about my son. I told her worst case scenario. I had her talk to his preschool teachers from the past. I really wanted everyone to know what was coming to be prepared. My son came into the class after all of this . . . and hasn't needed one extra thing. No IEP, no services, etc. but his teacher is ready to help if he does. She is in awe of my son because she knows the history and she knows how hard he is working. He has to work twice as hard as every other kid in the class just to maintain himself. And to learn what he needs to on top of that is very commendable on his part. I labeled him myself to the school and feel it was the right decision. He may eventually need an IEP or services and we'll go from there if he does. Right now, he blends in like any other kid in the class.
Our son did a summer class with some other sensory kids and the parents kind of hung out during the class. There was a mom there that is a special education teacher in our school district. I was lamenting that my son does NOT have add/adhd that he has sensory and that is VERY different and I didn't want the school to get that confused and put him under an add/adhd heading. She took me aside and gave me some advice-------- she said "you don't care what heading they put it under if he gets services. sensory does not have its own category yet in most school districts, so it has to go somewhere. the important thing is that school is working with him so he can be successful." I thought that was good advice and it changed my original stance on labels. You have to be practical when you are trying to get things done. If the school wants to have my kid coded as add in order to go to the sensory room, then I don't care. The important thing is he goes to the sensory room. None of this has come up yet------- but I was worried about it before school started.
so that is just my two cents.
How does my engine run is a program that occupational therapists can use . . . it is kid language for their bodies being too reved up or to slow as is the case with some sensory kids . . . and just right which is the goal. The first step with little ones of 4 would be to identify what too fast, too slow, and just right looks like. You can act it out. You can cut out pictures to illustrate, etc. We made little gages (use a half of a paper plate---- color one third red, one third green and one third yellow. Make a little arrow and use a paper clip (kind with dot and two metal brackets off of it that would hold a report together . . .)---- red is too high, green is just right, yellow is too slow) that they showed if someone is too high too slow or just right. So you start using the language, if they are wild------- oh, your engine looks too high. Lets do XXX to slow it down. Then do something and say, now how does your engine feel? Or if they are laying in a heep, your engine looks too slow. Lets do something to wake it up. Always the goal is to keep the engine just right. As they get older, this message becomes internalized and they can do it for themselves. "oh, my engine is too high . . . I better do a chair push up now to slow it down. " Anyway, it is really great and kids can picture that engine too high/slow/just right really well and verbalize it.
I've heard some people put a little fish oil into eggs or mix it into ketchup. I'd do the little critters gummies if I were doing it. Easier. good luck
My thoughts on labels has evolved over time. I do think that schools and teachers and therapists are pretty quick to diagnose many behavioral things as add/adhd. That is a shame. And I know that the signs of sensory integration and adhd can look similar at times . . . but they are very different. They are also treated differently in that sensory does not respond to any medications. Add/adhd does. I've always been very aware of this and wanted to make those who need to know that my son has sensory and NOT add/adhd.
Once leaving preschool and entering public kindergarten I was not sure what to do. Did I wait and see what the teacher thought or what special things my child might need to function or did I address it up front proactively? Well, I decided that I would be proactive and if my child is labeled----- well, it is all confidential and the only way a child could receive any additional services. Plus, it gives a reason as to why my son is sometimes different than his peers or has a reaction that is not the norm for kids. So I called the counselor and then met with his teacher over summer before school started. I forwarded her lots of information about my son. I told her worst case scenario. I had her talk to his preschool teachers from the past. I really wanted everyone to know what was coming to be prepared. My son came into the class after all of this . . . and hasn't needed one extra thing. No IEP, no services, etc. but his teacher is ready to help if he does. She is in awe of my son because she knows the history and she knows how hard he is working. He has to work twice as hard as every other kid in the class just to maintain himself. And to learn what he needs to on top of that is very commendable on his part. I labeled him myself to the school and feel it was the right decision. He may eventually need an IEP or services and we'll go from there if he does. Right now, he blends in like any other kid in the class.
Our son did a summer class with some other sensory kids and the parents kind of hung out during the class. There was a mom there that is a special education teacher in our school district. I was lamenting that my son does NOT have add/adhd that he has sensory and that is VERY different and I didn't want the school to get that confused and put him under an add/adhd heading. She took me aside and gave me some advice-------- she said "you don't care what heading they put it under if he gets services. sensory does not have its own category yet in most school districts, so it has to go somewhere. the important thing is that school is working with him so he can be successful." I thought that was good advice and it changed my original stance on labels. You have to be practical when you are trying to get things done. If the school wants to have my kid coded as add in order to go to the sensory room, then I don't care. The important thing is he goes to the sensory room. None of this has come up yet------- but I was worried about it before school started.
so that is just my two cents.
How does my engine run is a program that occupational therapists can use . . . it is kid language for their bodies being too reved up or to slow as is the case with some sensory kids . . . and just right which is the goal. The first step with little ones of 4 would be to identify what too fast, too slow, and just right looks like. You can act it out. You can cut out pictures to illustrate, etc. We made little gages (use a half of a paper plate---- color one third red, one third green and one third yellow. Make a little arrow and use a paper clip (kind with dot and two metal brackets off of it that would hold a report together . . .)---- red is too high, green is just right, yellow is too slow) that they showed if someone is too high too slow or just right. So you start using the language, if they are wild------- oh, your engine looks too high. Lets do XXX to slow it down. Then do something and say, now how does your engine feel? Or if they are laying in a heep, your engine looks too slow. Lets do something to wake it up. Always the goal is to keep the engine just right. As they get older, this message becomes internalized and they can do it for themselves. "oh, my engine is too high . . . I better do a chair push up now to slow it down. " Anyway, it is really great and kids can picture that engine too high/slow/just right really well and verbalize it.
I've heard some people put a little fish oil into eggs or mix it into ketchup. I'd do the little critters gummies if I were doing it. Easier. good luck
I so agree everyone has issues but I think as we get older we learn how to deal with them better. I am sure are little ones will get better the older they get im hoping anyways lol!! Hey do you give your little one the fish oil and if so how do you feel about it I mean does it help?
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