Planning for a Vacation with a Sensory Child

Since it is summer time, I thought a great topic would be planning for a vacation with a sensory child. Going on vacation always takes a lot of planning, but going on a vacation with a sensory child requires a little more. Here is my “extra” check off list when planning and packing for vacation.

1.       Scheduling- My children have a hard time with change. When scheduling events, I try to keep their main schedule (wake up time, sensory diet times, nap time, and bed time) the same. I also try to not over book our schedule.

 

2.       Preparing children- Since my children have a hard time with change, we create a vacation countdown calendar to help prepare them for the change about to come. We also listen to a social story about going on vacation.

 

3.       Packing- When packing our items, I have to remember our therapy items for our sensory diets and any extra items they will need to help stimulate them or give them input. Items that I pack include:

 

o    weighted blanket

o   soothing sound machine

o    chewy tubes

o    sour spray

o    critter vibe

o    noise reduction ear muffs

o    therapressure brush

o   food (crunchy/ chewy)

 

4.       Requesting a note- When we plan a visit to a theme park or crowded attraction, we request a note from our children’s therapist, so our children can receive accommodations during vacation. The note from the therapist helps because it gets us a pass to go through the back entrance and avoid crowds.  My son goes into “flight” status when he is confronted with crowds and loud noises. It is very stressful for him. To ease his stress, we put ear muffs on him and place him in a stroller with the shade down. Having the accommodation of avoiding crowds when possible makes the vacation more pleasant for everyone.

 

5.       Researching- Before we go on vacation, I research the theme park or attraction. I find out what rides or places we need to avoid due to sound or sensory overload. I also find out if the place has a spot for us to get away and decompress to avoid sensory overload or a meltdown.

 

6.       Thinking ahead- My son tends to get fixed on a ride, character, or object. It can be very difficult moving on to the next attraction. To help him transition from one event to the next, I let him help me map out the trip. We also form a plan, such as: "If I find something I really like, I will ____.”  Reminding him of the plan we created, tends to help. Another thing that tends to help is to offer a reward for transitioning well.

 

Planning every extra detail for our family has really helped smooth the transition of vacation mode and made our trips more enjoyable. I hope our extra check off list can help you too when planning your vacation. Safe travels!

Sensory vs. Food

Both of my children are picky eaters because both of them are very particular about the textures of food they put in their mouths. If they do not like a certain texture, they will gag. My son will also begin to shake his head side to side, while my daughter has even thrown up. Meal time becomes a struggle when trying to get everyone to eat a healthy family balanced meal. Currently, we are working with both a speech therapist and an occupational therapist to help both children with eating. Here are some tips they have given me that have really helped us at meal time:

 

1.      Limit the amount of change- Since the food will be changing every meal, try to limit the amount of change the child is exposed to by providing the same plate, bowl, utensils, and drink.

2.      Make a food menu- Allow your child to feel in control of their eating by allowing them to choose from a menu what they want to eat.

3.      Separate food items- So the child doesn’t get overwhelmed, place each item you want them to eat in separate bowls (veggies in red bowl, chicken in green bowl, fruit in blue bowl, bread in yellow bowl). Let the child feel in control of their eating by picking which bowl they want to eat out of first. Eventually, change from a child’s bowl to a plate with dividers. I have also seen parents use ice trays to separate food at mealtime.
 
4.      Turn eating into a game- Have the child roll the dice to see how many bites they need to take.
 
5.      Pairing foods- Ease the stress of trying a new food by pairing it with something they already love. For example, if the love chips and you want them to eat turkey meat, place the turkey on the chip and have them take a bite.

6.      Use similar foods- When trying something new, pair it with something similar that they enjoy. This way the new item doesn’t seem so different. The similar food could have the same texture, flavor, color, or consistency. I put the new food by the liked food and talk to my child about how they are the same.

7.      Food play- Let your child play with their food. If they won’t touch it, they are less likely to put it in their mouth.

8.      Food thought- Never force your child to eat, or they might associate meal time with negative thoughts. When eating, sing songs and talk in a happy tone to make meal time fun and inviting.

9.      Model- Children are always watching you. Model good eating habits for them. Sit down and eat with them. Talk about how yummy the food is as you put it in your mouth.


I do not want my children to be limited on the types of food and liquid they will take. That is why it is so important for me to continue to introduce them to new foods and expose them to different food textures frequently. These tips have really eased the stress in our house during meal time. I have also found the books, Just Take A Bite by Lori Ernsperger and Food Chaining by Cheri Fraker very helpful.  I will continue to find new and innovative ways to help my children with eating. If you have any ideas, please share!

Thoughts about Labeling Children

When I was 8 years old, I was diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia. It seems like once I was diagnosed everyone knew, and I was stuck with a label. I hated having that label. I hated being pulled out of class for resource reading and getting modifications and accommodations because I wanted to be like everyone else. Because of my history with being labeled, I struggled with having my children labeled also. Part of me wanted a diagnosis, so I could know all about the disorder and better help my children. The other part of me just wanted to treat the symptoms and not worry about a label.

After going back and forth on this for a while, I talked to our therapist, and decided to wait until the age of three, so we could get a reliable diagnosis. After getting a diagnosis, the only changed was a label.  His treatment stayed the same because they continued to treat his symptoms.

Many people now will ask me if all the testing was worth it to get a label since the treatment didn’t change. My answer is yes, although I rarely use his label because I don’t want him to feel defined by it. Instead of using his label, I usually tell people ways they can help him be successful; however, every once in a while, to get the services we need, we have to use it along with all of our testing documentation.

Last month we came upon this very issue, but with my daughter. Like my son, they think she also has SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder), but she is not of age for a diagnosis. She is low registry and doesn’t let you know when she is hurt. She will be bleeding and not shed a tear. At church three weeks ago, another little girl scratched her several times and my daughter, even though she was bleeding and hurt, never cried. Because she didn’t cry or make a noise, the teachers didn’t know it happened until they saw scratches all over her. When talking to the church about my disappointment, they told me that they were never aware that my child had special needs because I didn’t indicate a diagnosis or more information on my child care form. I told them that we do not have a diagnosis, and we are in the process of figuring this entire thing out. I also told the director that even though I didn’t write a diagnosis or extra information on the form, I did talk to my daughter’s teachers about her needs. At the end of our conversation, I learned that I should have just put something down on the paper. It could have helped them watch her more carefully and made them more aware of my child’s needs.

If your child doesn’t have a label like my daughter, it is okay. Most people do not understand labels anyways. What they really want is for you to describe the child’s behavior or learning problem and tell them what they can do to help. I learned from the incident above to always write down my children’s needs. They are not defined by their needs, but people do need to know how to best help them whether they have a label or not.

Crossing Mid-line

On Friday, my son’s Occupational therapist was working on his grasp and had him drawing shapes. He did an incredible job on circles and other shapes that had lines that were parallel and perpendicular, such as a square and rectangle. He had a very hard time with the triangle and diagonal lines. I asked her why she thought he was having difficulty and she said, “It is because he has to cross midline.” Crossing midline refers to reaching across the middle of the body.

This was an “ah ha moment” for me. I never thought that writing sometimes included crossing midline. Crossing midline has always been a challenge for him. I remember when he was first tested at 16 months that “not crossing midline” was a concern. Today he does cross midline, but has difficulty with it. He is working on it with his Occupational therapist and through Equine therapy, but I also want to address it at home.

The first step is for the child to have a hand preference. The hand they prefer becomes the working hand and the other hand is the helper. Once that is established, here are some activities to help children with crossing midline:

1.      Trace horizontal lines with the working hand. Hold the paper with the helping hand.

2.      Draw the infinity sign with the working hand. Hold the paper with the helping hand.

3.      Sit cross legged on the floor

4.      Deal cards to everyone around a table using the helper hand to hold the deck and the working hand to pass out cards

5.      Use right hand to reach across and touch left toe, use left hand to reach across and touch right toe

6.      Use the working hand to shovel sand and the helping hand to hold the bucket. Have the working hand reach across midline to put sand in the bucket

7.      Reach for objects crossing midline. Use right hand to reach for stuff animal on left side of the body. Use left hand to reach for stuff animal on the right side of the body.

8.      Sit back to back with a friend and play pass the ball around. Using two hands on the ball, hand the ball to your friend by reaching over your right side. Get the ball back by reaching with both arms over your left side.

Crossing midline will help your child with the development of motor and cognitive skills. Helping your child cross midline will help them with life skills (such as dressing), reading, writing, and physical activities. These activities above are easy and fun. If you are concerned about your child not crossing midline, please talk to your pediatrician or your child’s therapist.

Sensory at Bed Time

Ironically, today I talk about sleep when last night I didn’t sleep much. We had a change in our night time routine last night (I wasn’t home to put them to bed), and it threw them off all night.

Getting your child to sleep through the night when they are a sensory child can be very challenging. My son didn’t sleep through the night until he was four, and sometimes he still wakes up in the middle of the night. Last night, when he woke up almost every hour, is extremely rare now, but did happen often when he was younger. It happened so often that we hired a sleep consultant. We were desperate for sleep. She helped him sleep better, but we still struggled with sleeping through the entire night.

Things didn’t change until we worked with our Occupational Therapist to create a sensory bedroom environment. Here are a few things we did to help with bed time.

1.      Create a bedtime routine- change for us creates anxiety. My children are calm and relaxed when they know what to expect next. Our bed time routine includes bathing, blow drying hair, brushing teeth, brushing body, read  a short story, family devotional, prayer time, and night time kisses

2.      Therapressure brush- brushing my children or giving them a deep pressure massage helps them relax before bedtime. If I give them a deep pressure massage, I do it with lavender scented lotion.
 
3.       Cloud B Twilight Turtle Tunes (Lighted white noise machine)- gives warm lighting and calming music to help child fall asleep

4.      Cloud B Lady Bug Plush Pillow- looks like a large stuff animal. It gives off calming lavender fragrance.

5.      Weighted blanket- gives child deep pressure throughout the night to help them relax. We got our weighted blanket through sensory goods.

Having a routine is huge for us, along with these key things: deep pressure, calm noise throughout the night, warm lighting and lavender. I hope these suggestions will help you and your child sleep tight throughout the night too! Sweet dreams!

Sensory Diet

The first time an occupational therapist talked to me about putting my child on a sensory diet, I thought she was talking about food. I had heard of moms putting their special needs child on diets such as gluten free, dairy free or dye free, but I had never heard of a sensory diet. She explained to me that a sensory diet is a personalized plan “diet” that helps your child receive sensory input throughout the day.

My daughter was put on a sensory diet last week and the results have been instant! Both of her therapists yesterday told me that she seemed like a new child. She is being more social and connecting more with people, as well as not acting so resistant to touch. My daughter’s sensory diet includes brushing her to give her deep pressure throughout the day. I brush her four times a day (about every four to six hours). It only takes about 2 to 3 minutes to do. After I brush her, she does one to two stimulating activities for five minutes such as jumping on the trampoline, swinging in her swing, rolling up in a blanket (like a burrito), or massaging her mouth with her critter vibe.

My son has been on a sensory diet since last year. His sensory diet has helped calm his anxiety and normalize his activity level (he is usually real high or real low). My son’s sensory diet includes brushing him twice a day to give him deep pressure. Then, three times a day ( morning, afternoon, and night) he does two to three stimulating activities for five to ten minutes. He has an activity list were he gets to pick which activities he wants to do. His list includes: jumping on trampoline, pushing boxes, swinging on the swing, jumping on squares (hopscotch), massaging mouth with critter vibe, blowing bubbles, spinning on sit & spin, or balancing on balance board.

The thing I love about the sensory diet is that it includes sensory activities that they love to do anyway and feel like play. They laugh while doing their sensory diets and sometimes want to do more. If they want to do more sensory activities that day or want to do an activity longer, I let them. That day they might need more stimulating than the day before.

If you are interested in a sensory diet for your child, I highly recommend you reading Raising a Sensory Smart Child by Lindsey Biel. It can help you think about and plan a sensory diet for your child. Also, talk to your Occupational Therapist and see what they think about putting your child on a sensory diet. They know your child personally and can offer insight that the book might leave out.

Music, Motion, and Sensory

I am a firm believer in using music to help stimulate my children. I have seen my daughter become more verbal and more alert with music and motion. For this reason, we do a lot of musical play in our house.

Creating Music Makers

My children love to make things. The great thing about making things is that they are getting great fine motor practice while doing it!  Here are some music makers we have made at our house:

1.       Fill a soda bottle halfway with beans, rice, and glitter

2.       Put three to four pennies inside Easter eggs

3.       Put bells on a stick with colorful yarn

4.       Put bells on yarn and make a bell bracelet

5.       Turn a coffee can into a drum (hit with stick or spoon)

We decorate our music makers with colorful yarn, stickers, paint, and construction paper.

Singing

Once we have made our music makers, we use them to keep the beat while we sing some songs. Their favorite songs to sing with their music makers are:

1.       Row, Row, Row Your Boat

2.       ABC song

3.       Old Mc Donald

4.       Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

5.       If You’re Happy and You Know It

6.       I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy

Moving

Along with singing, my children love to dance and move around. We use our movement and dance time to work on balance, coordination, and crossing midline. We play our instruments over our heads, down by our toes, and over to both sides. We will also walk playing our instruments, and play our instruments at different speeds.

Watching

We also take the time to watch each other play our instruments. I think it is very important to build up their self esteem and validate each of them. I give each of them a turn to play on our stage (the front of the living room), and we cheer and clap for one another when the person is done.

Listening

The last way I incorporate music into our day is through therapeutic listening.  My son’s occupational therapist highly recommended the Kidz Jamz collection to help my children with transitions. We listen to the cd in the car on the way to therapy. The cd is a collection of children’s songs. The creator uses pitch and rhythm to calm children and help them focus. We have really enjoyed these cd’s. Here is a list of the collections:

1.       Grape Jamz

2.       Peach Jamz

3.       Razzberry Jamz

4.       Jungle Jamz

5.       Strawberry Jamz

6.       Surf Jamz

I hope creating, singing, moving, watching, and listening to music help your child too. For “Music gives the soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything” (Plato).