GLAD I FOUND THIS GROUP! SPD/ video games questions?

Angela - posted on 10/18/2011

Our son was just diagnosed with SPD also. He is 3, and we adopted him from S. Korea at age 10 months. He is so super sweet & funny, and brilliant. We were told that he is very advanced in several areas - but he does have SPD for sure. He is a sensory seeker, likes heavy work (pushing, jumping, banging) and has some oral-motor issues. We are on about our 4th week of O.T. - and are hopeful & praying for improvement as we go. He has a Leapster Explorer and loves playing video games too. It is one of the few things he can sit and focus on, and do really well with. He loves the learning games and is actually starting to learn sight words and read 3 letter words from the games. I agree--he is drawn for the lights/movement sensory input. We limit him to about 30 minutes on the game if we can help it - 1 hr max. We try not to allow it daily. He gets a total of 1 hour screen time per day whether it be a movie or game. Once in awhile we allow him to watch a full 2 hour movie (Toy Story or RIO) but try to limit it and get him to play cars, or do our sensory diet stuff at home (Mini Trampoline jumping, pulling on exercise resistance bands that we have affixed to couch leg, playing with large yoga ball, bouncing/rolling porcupine balls, squeezing small squishy balls etc. He also wears a chewable necklace (google Chewelry) and these seem to help. However when he is at daycare, and they have a full day (20 kids) and it gets really noisy, he tends to act out and have behavior issues. Like you -- I need to find out more about video games and see what the occupational therapist we have thinks about them - whether they help SPD or aggravate it. Our OT is the center director - she specializes in Sensory issues and is amazing. We are very blessed. Our center has play groups but I'd love to find SPD support groups. If you would like to connect, for support, friendship, send me a message. Thanks!

Michelle - posted on 09/02/2011

My son is nearly 4 and loves video games. We don't let him do it a lot but if it were up to him he'd do it all day. He loves computers, phones, iPad, the wii. But he usually gets it as a reward in 5 minute increments for completing a big task working hard with the speech therapist.

Mechelle - posted on 09/01/2011

I have a 5 yr old who also love's video games. When he cant deal with things he will lock himself in his room to play video games by himself and when hes calmed down he will come out, for some reason it helps him cope with everyday life

Amanda - posted on 03/22/2011

My daughter is only 3 and half and has been very stimulated by games for over a year now. She loves playing games on my iPhone and we actually just rewarded her a netbook for giving up her pacifier. I find that it helps Addison calm down.

Darlene - posted on 01/29/2011

Sabrina, I have been super busy the last few days, but I will be back later this evening online to resond to your inquiry of what brain gym is,

Sabrina - posted on 01/27/2011

Thank You Darlene,I would like to know more about the "Brain Gym" the OT suggested. And I appreciate the feedback on bluescreen time. Seems our children are effected the same way in this. As for the video, your welcome. It;s one of my fav's. Robin, you seem to know exactly what i mean, or else your son and my son are clones! j.k, I really meant well when it all started,but I need to rethink things, so I'm happy to hear im not the only one. Hopefully each of us can benifit from my post.

Darlene - posted on 01/27/2011

I have always been told to really limit the amount of "blue screen" activities. Computer, video games and TV, are in that catagory. In my son if he has too much, he cannot calm easily, and has what we refer to as "off the wall" behavior. He becomes unable to concentrate, literally bouncing all over, so we limit his time to about 1-2hrs per day of all the above. Not each one individually but total of all "blue screen" activities. So he can choose if it will be 2hrs of video games alone or a mixture of the 3. And none of the above until after school, and none for at least 1hr prior to bedtime. In our experience this has proved to be very helpful. He is much calmer, seems to have a better attention span, bedtime is less of a struggle. If there is more than his senses can handle...we see it in trouble with schoolwork, trouble staying on task with his chores, and even conversation. We also in addition to his brain gym, he is on a cd listening program his OT recommended... made big strides with all the combination. Thanks for posting the video... great explanation. Had never seen that one before.

Robin - posted on 01/22/2011

I TOTALLY get the video game issue. My son is ADDICTED. He eats, breathes, and sleeps, the Wii. He doesn't wake up and ask me for breakfast. He asks to play the Wii. I limit it, yet it is nice because of the calming. My concern is that when he plays it he is in a zone. He hears nothing. I have to stand between him and the TV to get his attention and he cannot repeat anything I have previously said to him.

Sabrina - posted on 01/17/2011

GOOD VIDEO FOR KIDS TO EXPLAIN SPD. i found sometime ago. also this book is a liitle unrelated to strict SPD but my son also has developmental delay and I found the insight helpful to his SPD too... http://books.google.com/books?id=pFYUXot...'s+too+much+work+to+be+your+friend+book&source=bl&ots=94TZpMJygQ&sig=P59-pPtLujBsfBj3SQMBu2SqR3Y&hl=en&ei=X6A0TZKDAZH4sAPIotG_BQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false its called "it's too much work to be your friend" by mel levine M.D