Discussing Autism

When I first started to learn about Sensory Integration (almost 3 years ago…gosh it seems like a lifetime ago) I was so confused with all of the terminology, mostly because AJ didn’t fit any of the categories…he fit them all.
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The causes of Sensory Integration/Sensory Processing Disorder are not entirely known because the disorder is neurological and so very diverse. It was first recognized 40 years ago by A Jean Ayres, Ph.D., OTR. (more…)

For years children with Sensory Processing Disorders and autism have been using not only pressure vests, but also weighted vests, weighted blankets, and lap pads to alleviate anxiety and to capture the deep pressure that their bodies crave.

Doctoral student Brian Mullen at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has created a vest, which can also be used for adults with processing disorders, offers children what he likes to call a “portable hug”, or otherwise known as deep pressure touch stimulation (DPTS). (more…)

Wow, what a sensory experience Play Dough is…but what if you could eat it? This may not be good for some kids (like AJ who is probably the local Pica eating champion) but others may know the difference between edible play dough and the non-edible kind. Or, it may be the saving grace for toddlers who just DON’T understand the difference but need the sensory exploration.
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One of my favorite reads, Mommy Dearest, wrote Saturday about her Aha Moment, the moment you most remember after receiving your child’s diagnosis.

When did you finally accept the diagnosis or have you not accepted it yet? I remember sitting on the living room couch, talking to my husband about how our son would never be attending prom or playing in Little League Baseball with the other children in the neighborhood. He would never be watching a girl walk down the isle or give birth to a child and he would never experience life like we have…with the “traditional” rites of passage. (more…)

Wait, so Autism is not the end of the world?

Since we adopted our son from Russia in the summer of 2005 we have struggled with him. From his fingertips to his toenails the child is a medical mystery and developmental mess. (more…)

Yes, its been a long time since I posted a freebie. So sorry about that. We have been a little busy around our house. But, I have a fantastic freebie for you today.
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Activities to develop fine motor skills can often be hard to find because toys today are geared towards entertainment. However, when you step back and look at educational products you will find that educational products can be just as entertaining and sometimes even more rewarding than any toy in the house.

AJ loves playing with me in the morning before he goes to school (we switched him to the afternoon after winter break) and we recently put all of his toys away because he was just way too overstimulated. It has worked out to both of our benefits. He not only is more calm but he is also more interactive with me. He is able to chose from his BoardMaker flip pictures from a list of activities that he can do and he loves the “freedom” of having a choice. (more…)

AJ has never been one to pick up a ball for the fun of it…he usually picks up one in anger or disgust and then throws it. But man, does he have an arm. A strong left one and an even stronger right one.

According to eBeanStalk’s Physical Therapist, Deanie Barth, “A child does not simply wake up one day with the ability to accurately catch and throw and kick a ball, it is a learning process just like any other required skill.”
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When it comes to Special Education parents often get ignored, thus the need for Advocates, Due Process, and yes, Court.

But, when it comes down to it…I am AJ’s best advocate and I am his parent, the one who knows him best. And I will have to fight for his services…hmmm advocate for his services for another 14 years. I just hate being that kind of parent that I complained about when I was teaching. You know, the one who didn’t agree with the classroom activities or procedures, or how the IEP was being followed, or how the teacher graded a particular assignment. (more…)

I’ve been writing this series on IEP’s for a week now and hoping that you are gathering your information. Is there anything else you want to know? Make sure to leave a comment and let me know.

Today’s topic is Goals and Objectives within the IEP. But before you can do anything with an IEP you must first define your child’s needs clearly and specifically.
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When we talk about IEPs, or Individualized Education Plans, we are not just talking about goals and benchmarks that your child needs to meet (and that the teacher needs to teach to) but we are also talking about accommodations that the IEP teams needs to make to ensure that your child meets those goals and state benchmarks.
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Do you have questions that you need answered? That your school district won’t answer? That you can’t find the answers to?

Need help with an IEP, how to help your little one with Sensory Processing, Visual Processing, or Auditory Processing?

Email me (or leave comments…I LOVE THOSE!) and I can try to find answers for you!

pickelfam at yahoo dot com

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No, I am not talking about food here folks, I am talking about a diet built for the senses…for kids with Sensory Processing Disorder. If you read my blog regularly, you will know that AJ’s main issue is Sensory Processing Disorder or otherwise known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction. World Renowned Occupational Therapist Patricia Wilbarger coined the term Sensory Diet (as well as the Wilbarger Brushing Protocol).
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Today is Christmas and for us it means AJ will be overwhelmed, overstimulated, and out of control because he just can’t handle it all.

Christmas is not a happy time for us. It can have its shiny moments but overall it is just too hectic for him to make any sense of it all. Remember, AJ does not have autism but he is dealing with the results of institutionalization, neglect, trauma, and has severe sensory integration dysfunction. We also believe that there are some other issues that we are dealing with but we may never know what those are.

What we do know is that Christmas is supposed to be about family. He is just starting to learn what family really means and he is sad about that. He is grieving his birth mother and wanting a sibling, which we told him is in the works. He loves his grandparents, his aunts and uncles (the ones far, far away in India and in Georgia) and the ones right here. He desperately wants to socialize but gets so overwhelmed that he just can’t. So, we escape to quiet rooms and try to calm him but it does not always work.

That is why I am hoping that this year he finds that one toy to latch onto as a security blanket. Last year there wasn’t one and there were just too many toys in my aunt’s basement for him to function. Maybe this year we will take his new slinky’s or the new Rainbow Waterfall. Perhaps those will work.

Merry Christmas!

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