Self Stimulatory Behavior “Stimming”

Stimming is very common with people who have developmental disabilities, ADD, ADHD, SPD, and Autism. It is a way in which people calm themselves from anxiety, fear, and excitement, or arouse themselves from boredom. When a person is stimming, they will do repetitive movements or make repetitive sounds.

Examples of stimming include:

·        Auditory: repeating sounds or words, grunting, snapping fingers

·        Vestibular:  rocking, flapping, knee bobbing, jumping,  head banging, head shaking, spinning, tapping, twirling

·        Taste: biting, chewing/ licking on non-edible objects

·        Tactile: scratching, rubbing

·        Smell: smell people or objects

·        Visual: lining up objects, turning lights on and off, blinking, staring

 

 

Stimming can sometimes help a child focus, but other times keep a child from focusing, be harmful, and looked at as socially unacceptable. For example, there have been times when my son has licked or chewed on playground equipment and other kids thought that was gross. I even had a parent make a comment to me about germs. If I am honest with myself, chewing and licking playground equipment is not practicing great hygiene. I needed to find an alternative or a way I could help him.

I soon learned that I could help reduce or eliminate stimming by providing a social alternative. Before you do this, you have to figure out what is causing the stimming. Ask yourself, when and where does this occur and then why. Once you find the source and cause, you are better able to help your child. For example: When my son is on the playground, it is usually mid day and there are several children running around making a lot of noise. The noise and amount of people make him very nervous. To help him not lick or chew on equipment, we can come at a different time when there are a few amount of people there, or I can redirect his attention by giving him flavorful gum, which he can chew to get his nervous energy out. When redirecting the behavior, make sure the child is getting the same input just doing something different that is socially appropriate.

Here are some alternatives if you are unable to change the environment (the current environment in which your child is stimming in might be over stimulating):

·        Auditory: therapeutic listening, ipod, mp3 player, rain stick, musical instruments

·        Vestibular: heavy work, physical activity, weighted blanket/ lap pad/ animal

·        Tactile: play with a fidget, stress ball, sensory ball (koosh/ spiky ball) or vibrating tool, weighted object, sensory bins, brush, silly putty/ play dough, sea shell, smooth stone, stim stix

·        Taste: chew gum or chewy candy, hard candy, vibrating tool, chewy stix / tubes, chew pencil topper, chew necklace/ bracelet

·        Smell: olfactory box, scented markers, scented spray, scented lotion, scented soap, scented oils

·        Visual: ipad, leapster, sensory bottle, glitter wand, glow stick, plasma ball, light up toys, disco ball

Sometimes when you make your child aware that they are stimming, they can stop. You can say: “You are flapping your hands, can you try to quiet your hands?” If they are able to do this, make sure to provide positive reinforcement (encouraging words/ a treat/ a prize) to help them continue to move in the right direction.

It is important to know that they will not always be able to stop or control it. That is when they need your help, to learn healthy alternatives or learn places where it is appropriate to engage in the stimming behavior and places where it is not. I hope this list of healthy alternatives helps your child.

Equine (Horseback Riding) Therapy

Equine Therapy also known as horse therapy uses horses to promote healing. It can help heal children and adults with a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. It has been known to help people with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, neuromuscular disorders, post-traumatic brain injury, autism, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, sensory processing disorder, developmental delays, depression, and anxiety.

During Equine Therapy, the horse is used to:

·        stimulate

·        relax

·        build muscle, balance, and coordination

·        expand attention spans

·        increase awareness of surroundings

·        help language

·        improve social skills

We got involved with Equine therapy last year. Before starting, we had to get a physical and a doctor’s statement on why it would be beneficial to our son. When we turned in our doctor’s forms, we included therapeutic goals from our therapists. After reviewing the paperwork, our riding instructor came up with a plan that linked horseback riding to our therapy goals.

During our riding time, my son rides with two other little boys his age. They begin with stretches that include crossing midline, then they go on to an activity. Most of the activities are games where the kids interact with each other. Last, they work on a skill. My son actually got to stand up on his horse to work on balance recently. It was really exciting! After an hour of riding, they thank their handlers (to work on more socialization and eye contact) and get to give their horse a treat.

In the past year, I have seen a ton of improvement from my son and his peers. All three boys are improving in language, strength, and social skills. My son also seems more relaxed after being stimulated by the rhythmic motion of the horse. I am so glad we got involved in this program.

If you are interested in getting your child into Equine therapy, talk to your therapist and see if they think it would be a good fit for your child. I am sure they can point you in the right direction as to whom you need to contact.

Feeding Disorders

A feeding disorder is when a child has difficultly eating resulting in a child being underweight, skipping / barely eating meals, having a limited diet, or gagging/ vomiting while eating. If not resolved, feeding disorders can affect your child physically and mentally.

 

Since birth my daughter has had trouble with eating. I tried to breast feed her right after she was born and noticed then that there was a problem. We sought help from a lactation consultant, but she still had a hard time latching on and didn’t suck well. Since she was losing weight (born 8.9 lbs. and got down to 6.7 lbs.), we had to switch to formula. Even with a bottle, half of the formula would leak out of the sides of her mouth because she didn’t have a good seal. Knowing this, I would fill the bottle twice the amount that she needed. At our next doctor’s appointment (which at this point was every 48 hours), we were thrilled that didn’t need to go the route of a feeding tube because she gained weight, but the doctor did want my daughter to be evaluated by a speech pathologist that specialized in feeding. After visiting a speech pathologist (SLP), our daughter was diagnosed with a feeding disorder, and we were told she had low tone in her mouth. The SLP sent us next to a swallow study where they would watch my daughter eat with an x-ray machine. After the swallow study, it was recommended that we do feeding therapy one hour weekly. Since we started therapy, our therapist has done a wonderful job educating us along the journey so we know what to do at home. Two years later, my daughter is now drinking with a cup and increasing her amount of foods in her diet weekly. Here are some things I have learned along the way:

 

·         While feeding your child: have them sit up in a chair, give them small amounts of food each bite (maroon spoons are helpful with this), remind them not to eat too fast, encourage little sips (once child is drinking from a straw), check mouth for leftover food before giving another bite, and encourage them to chew well.

 

·         If your child is coughing, spitting up, or throwing up liquids, it might help to thicken the liquid to prevent aspirating. A product called Thick It can be used in drinks and puree food to create the desired consistency. Talk to your doctor about getting this at your pharmacy.

 

·         A specific diet, multi vitamin, and supplements can help your child catch up on weight or fill in for lack of nutrition.

 

·         Doing oral motor exercises throughout the day can help increase tone in the mouth and help your child be able to suck and chew effectively. One of our therapists has taught us to do Beckman, and the other therapist taught us Talk Tools. Both are great programs.

 

·         Let your child play with their food and explore different textures. If they won’t touch it, they won’t eat it. The more experience they have exploring the food in a multisensory way (touching, smelling, and seeing it often) the more likely they will try tasting it. I highly recommend food face plates to encourage food play.

 

·         Make the food look appealing through artwork. For example dress up a pancake with blue berry eyes, pineapple nose, and strawberry mouth.

 

·         Stay consistent for meal times and table setting (plate, fork, and spoon). Some kids have a hard time with change. Since the food will be changing, other things need to stay the same.

 

·         Food chaining can help increase the number of foods your child has in their diet. Use preferred foods to encourage non preferred foods.

 

·         Eat as a family to encourage the child with a feeding disorder, and to show the child what eating looks like.

 

I am still learning all I can do to help my daughter with feeding. If you have any ideas, techniques, or strategies, please share!

Sensory and Haircuts

Hair salons can be very difficult for sensory children. For one, they have several people coming and going from a small space. They also have a lot of noise including clippers, hair dryers, loud talking, and music in the back ground. Not to mention, it is not a place that people go very often, so it might be considered “new”. Here are some tips that have made haircuts more successful for us:

·        Call ahead and see if you can arrange a time when your child can come before they open or after closing to avoid crowds coming and going from the salon.

 

·        Ask if they can turn down or turn off the music.

 

·        Have your child sit in a parent’s lap so they feel safe.

 

·        Allow your child the option of not wearing the cape.

 

·        Tell the stylist no clippers or hair dryer- scissors only.

 

·        Give your child a distraction like a sucker/ gum, snacks, phone, or tablet.

 

·        Give your child a calming item like a critter vibe, fidget, sensory bottle, weighted lap pad, or weighted animal.

 

·        Read a social story about going to get a haircut.

 

·        Watch a video about getting a haircut.

 

·        Talk them through the process of getting a haircut before you go.

 

·        Ask them what makes them nervous when getting a haircut and try to ease those fears.

 

I hope these ideas help make your child’s haircut more successful. Good luck!

Including Heavy Work in Your Child’s Day (Proprioception)

Heavy work is important to include in your child’s daily activities. It increases body awareness, gives your child input, helps with attention, and calms them down. Children who can benefit from heavy work include children diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. Also, children with low muscle tone, children who are defensive, and children who are aggressive.

Here are some ideas for heavy work:

1.     Crash Pad- First, clear a space to make sure it is safe. Then, create a crash pad with cushions and pillows or a mattress for your child to crash and jump upon. Your child can also lift the crash pad up to retrieve things underneath for heavy work as well.

 

2.     Pushing Activities- Have your child push a laundry basket, box, or cart around the house. You can even have two children do a "push race".

 

3.     Cleaning Time/ Chores - Have your child push a vacuum, rake leaves, sweep/ mop a floor or empty/ take out trash.

 

4.     Tug a war- Have your child play a game of tug a war with a rope.

 

5.     Ball activity- Have your child roll different size balls across the room

 

6.     Backpack walk- Have your child go for a walk carrying a filled backpack.

 

7.     Playtime- Have your child crawl across a floor while pushing cars, trucks, and other toys that have wheels.

 

8.     Stacking- Have your child pick up and stack chairs, blocks, or boxes.

 

9.     Jumping- Have child jump rope, play hop scotch, or jump on a trampoline.

 

10. Climbing- Let your child climb a tree, stairs, or on play ground equipment.

 

By providing input to your child’s muscles and joints, heavy work helps self regulate and calm your child’s body while building muscle and body awareness. It works best when done throughout the day. Most of these activities are so fun they won't even know that they are working!

Helping Your Child with Anxiety

Both of my children suffer from anxiety. Both of them: cling to me and cry during separation, they are very shy, they avoid different places due to sounds and crowds, and they sometimes complain about their tummy hurting because they are scared. I hate seeing my children controlled by fear. These strategies help us when we encounter anxiety:

1.     Find the source of the anxiety- To be able to help your child work through their anxiety, you first need to find out what is causing the anxiety and why. After you find out the source, empathize with your child and address their concerns.

 

2.     Talk to them- If I know we are about to do an activity that might bring about anxiety, we talk to our children to prepare them.  It makes them feel better to know what is about to come. For example, I address my children's separation anxiety like this: We are on our way to therapy. Today I will drop you off for two hours. We can do a five second hug, and then you need to go with your therapist. Mommy will always be there to pick you up. I will never leave you. Mommy loves you so much.

 

3.     Remind them of expectations- We set expectations for our children to help guide them. For example, when my children are getting anxious about separating from me to go to therapy, they know that we can do a five second hug. After I count to five, they know the expectation is to let go and go with their therapist. This routine helps them.

 

4.     Tell them to take deep breaths- Deep breaths are very calming and can help them work through their anxiety. When my children are becoming very anxious, I remind them to take deep breaths and that they are okay.

 

5.     Give your child something to relax him or her- Giving your child a tool, can provide comfort and calm the fear. There are many objects you can give a child to help calm them when they feel anxious. These objects include: fidgets, chewy stixx/ tubes/ jewelry, noise reducing head phones, calming sensory bottles, gum, sour spray, and hard candy. I have also found that my phone or tablet can help redirect their focus in crowded places when they feel anxious.

 

6.     Reward your child when they are brave- We talk a lot about how it is important to face our fears and not let our fears control us. When they show us that they are facing their fears and working through their fears, we reward them with praise and sometimes a treat.

Anxiety is not easy to face, but over time your child, with your help, will learn the tools to cope with it. Just gradually help them face their fears, explore their surroundings, and take control of the situation. Do not force them to do anything; forcing them, can make it worse. Also, if you shelter them from their fears, it can magnify them. By helping your child feel in control of their surroundings, they will do much better. For example: our children have a hard time with crowds and socialization, so we will take them to playgrounds to help them work through it using the strategies above. They are now feeling more comfortable in play settings.

If your child’s anxiety is taking over their life, think about getting professional help. An expert can determine if your child needs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and/ or medication.

Aquatic Therapy- Swimming

This summer has been a great time for us to take advantage of the pool for therapy. Aquatic therapy is great for kids that have a hard time controlling their body and need sensory input. Water provides deep pressure and swimming under the water can be very calming. Here are some great therapeutic activities you can do with your child at the pool:

·         Using a kick board to kick across a pool or kicking across the pool in a lifejacket is great for heavy work; so is paddling across the pool on a boat.

 

·         Blowing bubbles in the water is an oral motor activity.

 

·         Balancing while straddling or sitting on a pool noodle is good for core strength.

 

·         Hopping on one foot, throwing a ball, or kicking with flippers on your feet is a fun way to build muscles for motor skills.

 

·         Floating on your back, spinning in an inner tube, doing a somersault, and standing/ walking on your hands will give your child vestibular stimulation.

 

If you have a pool or access to a pool, I want to encourage you to use it to help your child. There have been many benefits from aquatic therapy to include: improved balance, strength, endurance, and coordination. It is also a great way for your child to get sensory feedback.

So get out of the heat by enjoying the pool on a hot summer day. It will feel refreshing and be great for your child!

Sensory on a Budget- Therapy Items You Can Make or Have at Home

Having a special needs child can be expensive, especially when you want to carry over therapy at home.  Luckily, there are several things that you already have around your house that can help stimulate your child. Here are some ideas:

Gustation / Taste and Oral Motor/ Mouth

1.      Bubbles- work on blowing bubbles and popping them with your fingers

2.      Whistles- blow the whistle to the beat of a song

3.      Pinwheels- see how fast you can make your pinwheel spin

4.      Straws- blow rockets (take off 1/2 of the straw paper covering the straw and blow the other half off). Try blowing different objects like: feathers, pom pom balls, cotton balls across a table.

5.      Chewy items- chew twizzlers, tootsie rolls, and starburst to increase strength

6.     Mouth Exercises - suck on suckers and hard candy to increase strength. Move the sucker around the mouth and have your child chase it with their tongue.

Tactile/ Touch

1.      Fidget- use a funnel to fill balloons with different textures. Then tie off the end. Make one with sand, another with beans, and a different one with flour

2.      Sensory bags- put LA Looks hair gel in a zip lock bag with some plastic objects. We did a sea theme with small sea animals and fish in it. After zipping it, add tape on the top to seal it

3.      Sensory bins- fill plastic tubes with different textures for child to explore (sand, beans, cooked spaghetti, pasta, shaving cream, salt)

4.      Rice sock- Get a crew sock and fill the foot with rice. Twist and pull the top over the rice sock. It should look like a ball. This works great for a heated weighted object. Just put in microwave for 30 seconds.

Visual/ Sight

1.      Glitter Sensory bottle- use half of a bottle of Elmer’s glitter glue, add some extra glitter, four drops of food coloring (matching Elmer’s glue color), put in 8 - 10 small objects (a penny, small pom pom balls, beads, buttons), and fill with water leaving a little bit of room on top. Seal lid with glue, so the child cannot open it. Shake and enjoy looking for the objects!

2.      Sand Sensory Bottle- Fill bottle half way with sand. Add 8 – 10 small objects (a penny, small pom pom balls, beads, buttons, paper clip). Last, fill the rest of the bottle with more sand leaving some room at the top. Seal lid with glue, so the child cannot open it. Shake and enjoy searching for objects!

3.      Bean Sensory Bottle- Fill bottle half way with beans. Add 8 - 10 small objects (a penny, small pom pom balls, beads, buttons, paper clip). Last, fill the rest of the bottle with more beans leaving some room at the top. Seal lid with glue, so the child cannot open it. Shake and enjoy hunting for objects!

4.      Macaroni Sensory Bottle- fill bottle half way with macaroni noodles. Add 8 – 10 small objects (a penny, small pom pom balls, beads, buttons, paper clip). Last, fill the rest of the bottle with more macaroni noodles leaving some room at the top. Seal lid with glue, so the child cannot open it. Shake and enjoy finding objects!

5.      Sensory Pouch- fill a pencil pouch that has a clear side with rice and mini-objects to play I spy

6.      Milk Art- pour milk into a casserole dish, add a few drops of food coloring. Then dip Q-tips into dish soap and use them to paint.

 

Auditory/ Hear

1.      Bottle Shaker- fill a soda bottle halfway with beans, rice, and glitter

2.      Egg Shaker- put three to four pennies inside Easter eggs

3.      Jingle Stick- put bells on a stick with colorful yarn

4.      Jingle bracelet- put bells on yarn and make a bell bracelet

5.      Drum- turn a coffee can into a drum (hit with stick or spoon)

6.      Xylophone – fill glass cups with different levels of water and tap cups with a spoon. You can add food coloring to the different cups to make it more visual.

 

Olfactory/ Smell

1.      Baby Jar Scents- collect baby jars and cotton balls. Then, spray or soak (depending upon child’s sensitivity) each cotton ball with a different scent (you can use perfumes, bath and body works body sprays, or scented oils). Place each cotton ball into separate jars. Allow your child to open up and smell the jars. They can even play a game of guess that scent.

2.      Scented Pictures- draw with scented markers

3.      Scented Art- Use scratch and sniff stickers for art activities

4.      Scented Hygiene- Use scented soaps to wash hands and scented bubble bath during bath time

5.      Scented Massage-Give child a body massage with scented lotion or oils