Saturday, April 10, 2010

Week 13 continued...trouble getting this entire post published!!

By looking at how your answered these questions about your child you can get an idea of how their sensory system is working. If you are finding that your child is struggling on a daily basis with sensory issues the first step would be to talk to your pediatrician, share your concerns and ask for an evaluation by a pediatric occupational therapist that is trained in sensory integration disorder. Another resource that could be helpful are the books "The Out of Sync Child" and "The Out of Sync Child Has Fun". Don't be surprised if you find yourself or other loved ones in this book :)

I must warn you, if you go online and search sensory integrative disorder, autism will come up. The reason that sensory integrative disorder and autism are linked is that pretty much everyone on the autism spectrum has sensory issues but all people with sensory issues do not have autism! As I said before, everyone has sensory issues to some degree and it is not a bad thing. The important thing is to look at how much these issues are interfering with your daily life and your families life. If your days are filled with melt downs and it is hard for you to function, then please look into this more.

The trick to dealing with sensory concerns is to desensitize your child to the things that are bothering them. You might be instructed how to do a brushing program; you might discuss weighted vests and blankets; you might discuss a sensory diet; you might learn about "heavy work"; you might find out about therapeutic listening techniques. But be assured, there are many techniques to help your child through this time.

Please look into this more if what I am discussing sounds like your child because unfortunately if your child is dealing with sensory issues they are probably struggling throughout their day and others will quickly label them as "naughty" or "behavior" issues. I have found that once the child receives the help they need, their behavior improves and they are happier children. And you know what??? They also will talk better and quicker if their sensory needs are being managed....it's definitely a win win situation.

Feel free to contact me if you need more information or would like to ask a specific question. Next time I will focus on sensory issues and how they can affect eating and communication.

Have a great week.

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