low registration, sensory seeking and sensation avoiding?

Melissa - posted on 11/04/2010

that is amazing news. Every step in the right direction is an achievement. I know how proud you must be! I hope you enjoy your UK trip and that you get swiftly back into speech for him. Our Speech is leaving too, we will get placed on a waiting list again, I just hope that I have picked up enough tricks to keep him from recoiling backwards and having to start over. We love out little chatter box even though we don't always understand him. It's nice to hear sounds!

Many blessings to all of you!

Pamela - posted on 11/03/2010

Hi Mel, thanks for all that.. funny how something like what you and your son is going through can redirect your life.. I am working nights to pay for Cameron's therapy's and I plan to once my two are in school in 2013 studying again to work with children with disabilities, as I know its such hard work for the families.

a bit of an update
we went to our assessment last week and The OT seems to think although he is slightly sensory seeking He has learnt manage alot by himself. his gross motor skill and fine motor skills are up to scratch She said he doesn't need Private OT as he is not sensory avoiding and during matt time just let him go do what he wants sure enough we did and he came running back to join in with the other kids still wont say his name when asked but my god we don't have to fight any more.. she said the trampoline and the hammock we have are great for him to use.

and he is taking himself to the toilet occasionally most of the time its still pulling the pants down and coming to me but some times a firm cameron go to the potty and he takes himself! yesterday we had a great day at an indoor play centre I saw him interacting wonderfully with other kids joining in shadowing them when one boy fell down cameron was the first there patting him on the back and looking into his face ( of corse he didn't say anything). he came up to me and asked me for a drink and gave me a hug and said I had fun ! this is amazing for us and at home he was flipping my eye lid and proclaimed ohh thats funny and laughed both of these things he said were straight from him not copied or echo'd but things he wanted to express.. even at the play centre he came to me and when I asked do you need potty he ran to the toilet ! a very good day for us..
his speech therapist is leaving =( going to a government job but just as she leaves he is finally in with the government speechy same day same time .. its only a 4 week block but we will see how he goes then we will be heading to the UK for a month and when we get back he can go into his schooling ( 3 year old kindy) I will see from there if to enroll him in private speech again, or whether to just use the therapist at the centre as well as the government ones .. any way thanks again everyone for all your help.. things are looking alot clearer.. still alot of work to do but Im confident we will get somewhere

Mel - posted on 11/03/2010

Hi Pamela,

I live in Melbourne, so at least in the same country as you – and my son is 5 years and 9 months old. He is my youngest of 3, so I noticed quite early that he was developing differently. I am in a similar position in many ways – Jett does not have autism, although he has a lot of the characteristics, and even some of the professionals along the way have questioned whether or not he does. Essentially though, his social skills aren’t impaired, although he certainly has had significant sensory integration difficulties, delayed fine and gross motor skills, delayed expressive and receptive language…..But he has made tremendous improvements.

We had Jett on a sensory diet for a while, and slowly desensitised him to a lot of his triggers – he was sensory seeking and sensory avoiding, depending on the stimulus – and we still have some issues with this, but nowhere near to the degree that we did. We couldn’t go anywhere for very long – all the visual, auditory, olfactory (smell) etc input was too much for him. We still have a lot of trouble getting him to eat (he was over 12 months before he could manage baby rice or custard without choking and gagging – he has tactile defensiveness in his mouth – he still only likes smooth textures, not too hot or cold, and mild flavours). He used to rock violently/bash his head in his cot every nap time to get to sleep – and he still does to a degree, although he no longer hits his head when he does it. He has learnt some strategies all by himself for managing – he needs lots of vestibular input – so he walks around everywhere spinning in circles – so pushing him on the swing, or when he was smaller using his ‘sit and spin’ toy was very helpful for this.

Deep touch activities also really helped, and still do – things like pushing a toy pram or cart around, loaded up with other toys to make it heavier, deep hard cuddles, jumping on the trampoline, stomping around the house pretending to be animals – and there are other suggestions in the “Out of Sync Child Has Fun” (I think it was called that – it was the companion book to the “Out of Sync Child” and suggested different activities for all of the senses, so that you could include them in your child’s ‘daily diet’. I have a list of activities that helped, I am happy to email them to you if you would like them. Jett was diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia) and Childhood Apraxia of Speech, as well as Sensory Integration Dysfunction.

Jett had ongoing speech and OT – and apparently had reached age appropriate levels for his expressive and receptive language, and had improved in his fine motor so that it was only a mild delay. However, this year he started school (Prep in Victoria) and it has become obvious that he has other issues. He has recently been diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing Disorder – he can hear just fine, but his brain has difficulty processing what it hears (filtering out unnecessary sound to focus on the important stuff; understanding changes to pitch and tone in voice, and how that changes the meaning of what is said, or expresses the speakers’ emotions; and combining the information from both ears into a complete message that makes sense – he misses lots of information, or mis-hears and misinterprets it – and he has Short Term Auditory Memory problems – he has trouble remembering what he hears for more than a few minutes, sometimes less – but once he’s learnt something or if its something he has seen, his memory is fine).

So it is an ongoing journey. All we can do is work out what works best for him for now, provide it as best we can – and be prepared that something new is going to be required in the future. Jett is doing remarkably well at school, considering, so there is definitely reason to feel positive. I am just finishing my 3rd year (of 4) of my Bachelor of Speech Pathology, (thanks to Jett, I have found a new direction for myself) so I now have even more insight into the difficulties that Jett (and others like him) face. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. If it takes a little while to hear back from me, don’t stress – I will get back to you, it’s just with 3 kids (and Jett needing some extra attention and time) and full-time study (and it’s exam time now!) I am quite busy. Good luck……and I’d like to add that the fact you have been so proactive with Cameron already, and have researched all the options for him shows that you are giving him the best possible start that you can, and he is very lucky.

Melissa - posted on 10/25/2010

I am so glad it helped!! I passed it to all my family. Lots of them understood so much better.

My son is 3 about to be 4. He talks, plays and acts at the level of a 2 year old. I live in the United states. Nothing free for me either. Much like with Aus, I could get help and have free therapies if he was a formal Autistic kid. it's the BUZZ word I guess. I think SPD children will be able to get in that category soon, but like most things a bunch of celebrities will have to have kids with it and then people will care. hahaha

I hope that in 6 months they can help you. I hate that wait wait wait. oh if we could have got you in sooner....blah blah blah.

But we work with what we are given.

Good luck my friend!

Pamela - posted on 10/24/2010

hi Melissa thanks for that how old is your son ? I found that the other day one of my friends sent it to me she has a 3 year old with asperges.. I found it very eye opening and I sent it to all those people in Cameron life that need to understand him a bit better.

we re off to speech today which is the same place we will see the OT they have been talking to one another and my speechy is wonderful and has given her so much information on Cameron. she seems to think OT will really help him... I know how you feel about falling through the cracks Im not sure were you are but Im in Perth Western Australia and if a child is Diagnosed with Autism every thing is free. Cameron has not been diagnosed with Autism just a few other bits that on days maybe him seem autistic so nothing is free and even the stuff we can get free the waiting lists are 8 - 12 months long! when the Government OT assessed him after his had his main assessment she just said I will review in 6 months time and I just thought if I can help him now why wait 6 months seems like nonsense to me. he has been on the OT and speech wait list through the government for over 10 months now. and apart from his assessment and a 4 week playgroup we haven't been offered anything. he did not like the playgroup and it was 10 kids that cant talk very well in a very small space for 45 minutes by the time he got settled it was time to leave and by the time he got used to going on the 4th week that was it no more so I found it to be pointless and got nothing out of it except upsetting him and having to pay for my younger son in daycare for the whole day even though he was only in there for an hour and the centre is next door.

We are hoping to get him into a program starting 2011 for Kids just like him it will run all year it is expensive and far away but its has two speech therapist, and OT and a phycologist as well as a teacher and teachers aide.. and only 10 kids so the one of one will be great it will be for 2 hours once a week and then we will see his speechy once a fortnight and hopefully have a plan for his private OT by then. 2012 when he turns 4 is will be in the westcoast Language and development centre which is just down the road and cheap I wont have to go with him and it will be 2 full days a week.
Im trying to cram it all in so he is ready for full time school by the time he turns 5 . I am pretty sure he will be fine at school as he is good at daycare but I not sure if he will reach his full potential if we don't put in the hard work now. oh and we seem to be getting somewhere with the toilet training he will now take his pants off if he needs to go and if I say you need potty he will take my hand say potty and then we go to the toilet. sure its not as great as I would have liked at 10 months of trying on and off but he is getting there and some people with "Developmentally normal kids" still have them in pull ups at 3.5 - 4 or haven't even tried so it makes me feel alot better sure I have to be firm and push him alot more than other kids but he seems to relish in the way he knows his boundaries we get normal 2.5 year old tantrums as well as the occasional I have no idea whats going on and Im scared tantrums

His comprehension seems to be building and with that comes more tantrums cause he doesn't get what he wants instead of the you don't know what I want tantrums for most mums any tantrum is bad but for me the more I see of the ones were he is just naughty in relation to the others makes me feel better that he is progressing. I also teach 6 month - 3 year old swimming and I tell you some of these normal kids can be monsters when they want to be
any way thanks agin

Melissa - posted on 10/24/2010

Hello. I do hope that you get in with an OT. my son who I had to push and push and get a private insurance and felt like I was going to fall between the cracks no matter what...really really is a different person now with his OT's help. I thankfully found a place were he can get all his Therapies under one roof and the people are amazing. I can suggest looking into near by Uni's.

Also I know that my son isn't Autisitc ( though some days it sure feels like it) I find that articles that tap into the overwhelming feelings that autistic kids get really help with us as well.

I found this article helpful with friends around me who had a hard time understanding why I shield him so.

Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew
by Ellen Notbohm
Some days it seems the only predictable thing about it is the unpredictability. The only consistent attribute -- the inconsistency. There is little argument on any level but that autism is baffling, even to those who spend their lives around it. The child who lives with autism may look “normal” but his behavior can be perplexing and downright difficult.
Autism was once thought an “incurable” disorder, but that notion is crumbling in the face knowledge and understanding that is increasing even as you read this. Every day, individuals with autism are showing us that they can overcome, compensate for and otherwise manage many of autism’s most challenging characteristics. Equipping those around our children with simple understanding of autism’s most basic elements has a tremendous impact on their ability to journey towards productive, independent adulthood.
Autism is an extremely complex disorder but for purposes of this one article, we can distill its myriad characteristics into four fundamental areas: sensory processing challenges, speech/language delays and impairments, the elusive social interaction skills and whole child/self-esteem issues. And though these four elements may be common to many children, keep front-of-mind the fact that autism is a spectrum disorder: no two (or ten or twenty) children with autism will be completely alike. Every child will be at a different point on the spectrum. And, just as importantly – every parent, teacher and caregiver will be at a different point on the spectrum. Child or adult, each will have a unique set of needs.
Here are ten things every child with autism wishes you knew:
1. I am first and foremost a child. I have autism. I am not primarily “autistic.” My autism is only one aspect of my total character. It does not define me as a person. Are you a person with thoughts, feelings and many talents, or are you just fat (overweight), myopic (wear glasses) or klutzy (uncoordinated, not good at sports)? Those may be things that I see first when I meet you, but they are not necessarily what you are all about.
As an adult, you have some control over how you define yourself. If you want to single out a single characteristic, you can make that known. As a child, I am still unfolding. Neither you nor I yet know what I may be capable of. Defining me by one characteristic runs the danger of setting up an expectation that may be too low. And if I get a sense that you don’t think I “can do it,” my natural response will be: Why try?
2. My sensory perceptions are disordered. Sensory integration may be the most difficult aspect of autism to understand, but it is arguably the most critical. It his means that the ordinary sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of everyday that you may not even notice can be downright painful for me. The very environment in which I have to live often seems hostile. I may appear withdrawn or belligerent to you but I am really just trying to defend myself. Here is why a “simple” trip to the grocery store may be hell for me:
My hearing may be hyper-acute. Dozens of people are talking at once. The loudspeaker booms today’s special. Musak whines from the sound system. Cash registers beep and cough, a coffee grinder is chugging. The meat cutter screeches, babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent lighting hums. My brain can’t filter all the input and I’m in overload!
My sense of smell may be highly sensitive. The fish at the meat counter isn’t quite fresh, the guy standing next to us hasn’t showered today, the deli is handing out sausage samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a poopy diaper, they’re mopping up pickles on aisle 3 with ammonia….I can’t sort it all out. I am dangerously nauseated.
Because I am visually oriented (see more on this below), this may be my first sense to become overstimulated. The fluorescent light is not only too bright, it buzzes and hums. The room seems to pulsate and it hurts my eyes. The pulsating light bounces off everything and distorts what I am seeing -- the space seems to be constantly changing. There’s glare from windows, too many items for me to be able to focus (I may compensate with "tunnel vision"), moving fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in constant motion. All this affects my vestibular and proprioceptive senses, and now I can’t even tell where my body is in space.
3. Please remember to distinguish between won’t (I choose not to) and can’t (I am not able to).
Receptive and expressive language and vocabulary can be major challenges for me. It isn’t that I don’t listen to instructions. It’s that I can’t understand you. When you call to me from across the room, this is what I hear: “*&^%$#@, Billy. #$%^*&^%$&*………” Instead, come speak directly to me in plain words: “Please put your book in your desk, Billy. It’s time to go to lunch.” This tells me what you want me to do and what is going to happen next. Now it is much easier for me to comply.
4. I am a concrete thinker. This means I interpret language very literally. It’s very confusing for me when you say, “Hold your horses, cowboy!” when what you really mean is “Please stop running.” Don’t tell me something is a “piece of cake” when there is no dessert in sight and what you really mean is “this will be easy for you to do.” When you say “It’s pouring cats and dogs,” I see pets coming out of a pitcher. Please just tell me “It’s raining very hard.”
Idioms, puns, nuances, double entendres, inference, metaphors, allusions and sarcasm are lost on me.
5. Please be patient with my limited vocabulary. It’s hard for me to tell you what I need when I don’t know the words to describe my feelings. I may be hungry, frustrated, frightened or confused but right now those words are beyond my ability to express. Be alert for body language, withdrawal, agitation or other signs that something is wrong.
Or, there’s a flip side to this: I may sound like a “little professor” or movie star, rattling off words or whole scripts well beyond my developmental age. These are messages I have memorized from the world around me to compensate for my language deficits because I know I am expected to respond when spoken to. They may come from books, TV, the speech of other people. It is called “echolalia.” I don’t necessarily understand the context or the terminology I’m using. I just know that it gets me off the hook for coming up with a reply.



6. Because language is so difficult for me, I am very visually oriented. Please show me how to do something rather than just telling me. And please be prepared to show me many times. Lots of consistent repetition helps me learn.
A visual schedule is extremely helpful as I move through my day. Like your day-timer, it relieves me of the stress of having to remember what comes next, makes for smooth transition between activities, helps me manage my time and meet your expectations. Here’s a great website for learning more about visual schedules: www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/sped/autism/structure/str11.htm.

I won’t lose the need for a visual schedule as I get older, but my “level of representation” may change. Before I can read, I need a visual schedule with photographs or simple drawings. As I get older, a combination of words and pictures may work, and later still, just words.
7. Please focus and build on what I can do rather than what I can’t do. Like any other human, I can’t learn in an environment where I’m constantly made to feel that I’m not good enough and that I need “fixing.” Trying anything new when I am almost sure to be met with criticism, however “constructive,” becomes something to be avoided. Look for my strengths and you will find them. There is more than one “right” way to do most things.
8. Please help me with social interactions. It may look like I don’t want to play with the other kids on the playground, but sometimes it’s just that I simply do not know how to start a conversation or enter a play situation. If you can encourage other children to invite me to join them at kickball or shooting baskets, it may be that I’m delighted to be included.
I do best in structured play activities that have a clear beginning and end. I don’t know how to “read” facial expressions, body language or the emotions of others, so I appreciate ongoing coaching in proper social responses. For example, if I laugh when Emily falls off the slide, it’s not that I think it’s funny. It’s that I don’t know the proper response. Teach me to say “Are you OK?”
9. Try to identify what triggers my meltdowns. Meltdowns, blow-ups, tantrums or whatever you want to call them are even more horrid for me than they are for you. They occur because one or more of my senses has gone into overload. If you can figure out why my meltdowns occur, they can be prevented. Keep a log noting times, settings, people, activities. A pattern may emerge.
Try to remember that all behavior is a form of communication. It tells you, when my words cannot, how I perceive something that is happening in my environment.
10. If you are a family member, please love me unconditionally. Banish thoughts like, “If he would just……” and “Why can’t she…..” You did not fulfill every last expectation your parents had for you and you wouldn’t like being constantly reminded of it. I did not choose to have

Heather - posted on 10/23/2010

No problem Pamela.

Love and Prayers,
Heather

Pamela - posted on 10/23/2010

Thanks Heather for your honest answers.
Im glad Luke is settling in at school and going into main stream. that must be a huge thing for you both.

I guess I just have to keep a eye on his triggers like you said and hope that the Ot can make some sense of it for us.. its one of those things I guess that there is no real answers for you just have to keep an open mind and be willing to work on it.

I hope your son continues to improve so well.

good luck and thanks again

Heather - posted on 10/23/2010

"@Heather was your son always like that or did he get worse with age?"

To be fair I think he's been able to cope better but new environments are painful and frightening for him. He will regress in those situations until he becomes de-sensitized. It a long process that is painful to watch because a lot of his "stims" come back. As a parent I would like to just keep him in the safe environment that we've created for him but that will hurt him in the long run (I think). Starting kindergarden was a HUGE trigger for regression: Hand flapping, pottying in pants, become non-verbal again. It's been 6 weeks and he is now doing very well, he's mainstreaming into a regular class setting which is something I never thought would occur. The special education teacher did say that my Luke has some of the most debilitating sensory issues she has seen in many years. His IQ is extremely high this is a positive and they are working with him to find ways to teach him. It sounds like your son is not as severe. There is a wide gray area in diagnosis. Once you tool them up with coping mechanisms and they become comfortable in their skin and surroundings these children improve. That has been my experience.

"what is just a normal"

I have no idea what is neuro-typical. Luke is my one and only.

"when did you notice something was quite right with your little ones?"

After his 15 month vaccinations Luke suffered high fever, raised migrating rashes, hypothermia then regressed from a 75 word vocab to non-verbal and autistic.

"He has Echolalia, so if I ask him to sit down he will say sit down, sit down and then do it( his speechy mentioned this is sometimes way of kids with a delay to understand what is wanted from them and as long as it is in context with what we are asking or talking about it is fine) he talks constantly mixing up echolalia with other things from his day it just doesn't make much sense to anyone but him. "

This is a red flag for me. Something could be disrupted in his central auditory processing center. A child has to be 6 to be tested but it's something you and your speech therapist can discuss and look out for.

It sounds like you are dedicated and looking from every angle. Trust your instincts and keep watching for triggers. There isn't any easy solutions sadly regarding this path.

Best Wishes,
Heather

Pamela - posted on 10/23/2010

Thanks everyone for the info and I have been looking for that book in my library but I might have to buy it
@Heather was your son always like that or did he get worse with age?

Cameron is fine in shopping centers he will walk beside me holding on to the pram or trolley. some days he will be a bit moody but only cause he is tired or wants to go play.
He is extremely active and does climb alot but is also cautious and knows when he can't do something and needs help and will ask. His gross motor skills are ahead and so is his imaginary play. at 2.5 these were at an above 3 year old level ( according to his assessment)

the things he is funny with are the beginning of certain movies ( he will walk away from the TV and watch from a distance until the intro is finished then carry on as normal) he hates the toilet duck advertisement he used to scream but now he just sort of stares at it, like he is disappointed it is on.

He doesn't like mat time at our playgroup he will run away if I dance with him in my arms he is fine or if I distract him with tickling or other things he seems okay doesn't scream just wouldn't choose to be there or might lay on the floor.. at the same time dance time at daycare if its music he loves he is the centre of attention knows all the words and moves.
The mat time was what brought it to everyone attention it was funny though at his playgroup he didn't want to be there until a song he liked came on and then he was well in there holding the other kids hands and even asking them to do it again after we had finished. ]
he seems to like Skin and he used to bite when others annoyed him either his brother crying or someone stealing a toy or crowding him into a corner. He has only done this once in the last 6 months though.

He can say Hundreds of words and pronounce them very well if I point to something and ask him what it is he will tell me no problem. we went to the zoo and he would run up to the animals and say there names with out me having to ask I was very surprised at this.
He has Echolalia, so if I ask him to sit down he will say sit down, sit down and then do it( his speechy mentioned this is sometimes way of kids with a delay to understand what is wanted from them and as long as it is in context with what we are asking or talking about it is fine) he talks constantly mixing up echolalia with other things from his day it just doesn't make much sense to anyone but him.
He is now onto saying things like I want a drink and I want a muesli bar when prompted .. but will say things like thirsty, more, again, I go outside, open that door, shower please and brush my teeth and I want to sleep now without prompting he will ask for things like dvd he likes and bubbles and such or and icey poles and chocolate its amazing how well I can get him to talk when its treat food involved.
His comprehension is starting to come along for instance his brother was about to draw on his art work and I said no thats Cameron's and he said thats mine ( instead of just copying) and I showed him an old dried wasps nest and he said I will put it back and went and put it back. I originally thought he was behind on speech because he was so capable if he wanted a drink he would take the cup out of the cupboard and put it on the sink. or if he wanted a DVD on he would just put it on.
He is schedule toilet trained and will take his undies off if he needs to go his way of telling me. when the timer goes we say potty time and he takes my hand we walk to the potty then I say in simple terms pull pants down wait for him to do it and then I say sit on toilet and he will do that and when he is done he will say star? so he can get a star.

He has just started to get better at sitting and concentration on something he might not be so interested in like drawing or painting he has always had great concentration for trains! heehee.

we will be attending a special Playgroup with speech and Ot currently we just go to a speech one. He goes privately to speech for over 6 months now and loves his therapist and will do what she asked of him.

he is generally well mannered although at times seems self absorbed and in his own world. At daycare he has friends ( not a leader but an keen follower) and at the playgrounds I have seen him try to interact with others he just doesn't seem to know how and a bit let down by his communication, so other kids get frustrated and will play alot better with my 18 month old ( who can talk in 4 word sentences) and sort of say oh I don't want to play with that baby about Cameron. I f he wants something for someone he will go out to it put his hand on it say Thankyou and slowly guide it out of there hands if they don't give it he lets out a little squeel and moves on.

He does swimming and is very good he listens to the teacher and is focused and talks alot during classes singing the songs waiting patiently for his turn before saying Cameron's turn or my turn.

he loves dressing up as well as running around naked. he loves getting dirty and loves bath time and brushing teeth and such. not fussy about food he has his preferences, but nothing will stop him eating he will just say ohh no I finished if he is not fussed by what it is on his plate. or he will try and barter for his brother for instance giving him something he doesn't want ( vegies) in exchange for the chicken)

He has always been very easy to settle and self soothed at 12 weeks to sleep through the night always been good with naps until last month and now he is refusing to take his midday nap but I seems to have solved the problem by putting him down earlier and just laying on him ( sounds odd) for a while and he goes straight off to sleep.

I guess Im just a bit confused by the diagnoses at first they though autism and then the developmental ped told be after the first day of a 2 month assessment as well as the last day that he did not have Autism and I was not to worry about it.
He seemed to think his sensory problems were due to his communication. Some days Cameron is really really good and compared to other so called " normal" kids in the park I think my god I have such a well behaved son and on other days he seems to have a glitch in his brain which is hard to explain but he likes rubbing my face to clam himself down if he seems over excited.. its seems even small things set him off like if I say no you can't have something he has asked for I get a tantrum but not a melt down as such just a sort of walking around pretending to break things like he wants to pull the curtains down but knows he will just get into more trouble so just tuggs lightly with an angry face. We use the naughty spot with him and it seems to work just fine. it clams him down and then he will say sorry and do what I have asked of him or get on with what he was doing before he decided to be naughty.

I guess Im just wondering what behaviors are down to his diagnoses and what is just a normal 2.75 year old behavior and what is his personality ( both his uncles are very reserved people and took along time to talk).
Friends and family think he is just fine and say I don't see any problems in him, even my own mother said just leave him its just who he is until she saw him on a bad day and then it clicked okay that was not quite normal.

Is this how it started for you all with more and more signs coming as they got older? when did you notice something was quite right with your little ones?

Sorry for the long winded response / question but I thought it best to share a bit about him.

Heather - posted on 10/23/2010

Pamela, this is a long journey filled with new territories. I know exactly the place where you are coming from. Don't ever loose your motherly instinct. The "Out Of Sync Child" is a great starting place to began your research.

My son is 6 and diagnosed central auditory processing dysfunction, sensory integration dysfunction, autistic. My son is also a "seeker" and his hypo-sensitive to touch. My OT thought me deep pressure holds that saved us during meltdowns. 1000s literally 1000s of hours of repetitive therapies. Also you have to teach impulse controls (this is hard) with sensory seekers who are trying constantly for input. They throw off any care of danger just to fulfill that need.

This is part of my son's sensory diet that we found success in, but remember every child is different.

Wilbarger Brushing Protocol every 2 hours.
http://www.ot-innovations.com/content/vi...

Aquatic Therapy
http://www.recreationtherapy.com/article...

Deep Pressure Therapy
http://www.grandin.com/inc/squeeze.html
I learned deep pressure holds from my OT. My son would also try and squeeze in-between the mattresses and box springs to find relief. Totally unsafe, so I would apply pressure with couch cushions to help him find comfort. All this sounds crazy but you have to remember that your child's neurological system is not neuro-typical. Please let the OT advise you in these types of treatments.

After putting my Luke on a regimented sensory diet his behavior and speech improved. Now he is able to fulfill his own needs without me putting him on a schedule. Also in grocery stores with florescent lights and intercom systems I've learned to dress my son like the uni-bommer (literally). Dark glasses/hoodie sometimes noise canceling ear phones. Totally different child, he was actually happy in that atmosphere, but be prepared for the "stares".

Love and Prayers,
Heather

Sheila - posted on 10/22/2010

Hi Pamela,

If you can find the book The Out of Sync Child, you will find it very, very helpful. It is a very parent friendly read, and is so "to the point."

We use deep breathing a lot for self calming.

In through the nose (prompt: pretend you are smelling a flower)

Hold it in your tummy.

Out through the mouth (Prompt: now blow out the candle)

Good luck to you,

Sheila

Debbie - posted on 10/22/2010

My son is Severly Autistic with mild retardation. He also has sensory intergration disfunction. So I have been there. He gets over stimulated when in large crowds and in stores, which in terms that is understanding; imagine you are a computer always processing things, and you can't shut down. You are standing in a (Wal-Mart) you can hear the buzzing of the lights, all the peoples conversations, register going, and all the isles to focus on and its all coming at you at once. You just want to get out of there. Under stimulation : sensory seeking, this happens with my son when he is aggitated or has some anxiety. Brushing works, or something weighted (bean bag, weighted blanket) I used surgerical brushes that I got from his doctor, brush the back, legs, and arms. Never stomach or head, joint compression work you can ask an OT to show you how to do these and the brushing. The OT could get you a brush as well. Sometimes I put on calming music. It is just a matter of what will work for your child, as not everything works for each one. I have learned from trial and err. Expressive communication means they have trouble telling what their wants and needs are trouble expressing themselves. Receptive Communication means they may have trouble understanding what people want from them or even what they are asking of them. Using pictures is a excellent way to help them communicate. There are many different programs. I used PECS (picture exchange communication system) it is they hand you a picture for their wants and needs before they receive it. You can find information on line about this. As far as self calming, it may take some time, each child is different, some learn to quickly while others take much longer. Get some noise reduction head phones and try them when you go into noisey places, this has helped my son. I hope this is helpful, and has answered some of your question.