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Another Hairy Situation

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Back in April I wrote about how much J did not enjoy getting his hair wet or having it cut. Here we are in October and not too much has changed.Bath time has gotten easier, although he still has his moments. We still can’t wet a brush or comb when styling his hair.

Before school started, I took him to get a haircut. We made multiple attempts in multiple locations and none of them ended well. He was crying, screaming and trying to run away. It got to the point of his hair being in his eyes that we knew we had to try a different route before school started. My husband took on the duty of adding stylist to his resume. It was a struggle and took over an hour, but ultimately J had his hair in a much better state than he started with.

Hair grows fast. This weekend we found ourselves once again in the position of needing to take J to get his hair cut. We figured we’d skip the struggle of getting it done somewhere and just have my husband do it again. Needless to say, it didn’t go well (not horrible but could be better) and we will definitely be going back to the professionals for next time.

Click here to read “A Hair Situation,” which I posted back in April. I also included 3 videos from Sensory Spectacle in the post discussing why those with SPD find washing, brushing and cutting hair difficult.

Since we’re discussing hair cuts again, I have included that video below. What may not be fun for some kids is heightened for those with sensory difficulties. 

World OT Day

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I couldn’t let today go by without acknowledging World Occupational Therapy (OT) Day.

I’m so thankful for J’s Occupational Therapist. She has taught us so much, made J feel comfortable during his sessions and is always available to answer our questions. Although a complex profession and not centered around one specific niche, Occupational Therapists work to promote independence for their clients. Whether they’re working with children or adults, they work to help them grow socially, physically and emotionally.

For us, it seems appropriate to celebrate OT during Sensory Processing Awareness Month. OT helps J navigate through daily activities easier while providing us with a better understanding on how we can help him succeed.

Sorting Fun

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Impromptu sorting game for a lil TGIF fun!

My kiddos are 4 and 21 months, so we worked on a variety learning objectives with this one. Each plate had the name of the color written uppercase in that color. I also wrote it out in lowercase on the bottom. I grabbed random toys from around the house and threw them in a big pile in the middle.

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This ended up being a great success!

  • I had them sit on the couch to listen to the instructions. #listeningcomprehension
  • They worked together to sort random toys on the correct plate. #teamwork
  • ‘J’ was able to read the words on the plate. #reading
  • When there was more than one of any item, we worked on counting. #math
  • Speaking candidly, ‘Baby J’ was over the sorting portion a lot sooner than ‘J,’ so she started putting the mega blocks together. Working on those gross motor skill, right?

Sometimes I forget how easy it is to create games with things you already have in the house. They both had fun and we’ll definitely do it again soon!

 

Auditory Sensitivities

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Imagine sitting in your living room, watching TV and your 4 year old pops up and says “hey, what’s that?” But you don’t hear anything. He knows there is something and starts looking around until he gets to the window, lifts up the blinds and reveals a fly.

‘J’ has always been able to hear sounds from far away. As a baby playing on the floor, far in the distance there would be a horn honking and he would lift his head up. When we realized he had a speech delay, I was asked if I had concerns about his hearing. I said no.44034957_172598086940946_1868850213062443008_n.jpg

Fast forward to a few months after his sister is born, the three of us driving in a car and she is hysterical in the back. ‘J’ loses it and I think he’s being empathetic for his sister. He was and still is, but he’s also negatively affected by her crying. It’s a trigger for him. As you know from a previous post, “When is it Empathy and When is it Sensory,” this was one of my first red flags and what lead me to learning more about Sensory Processing Disorder.

Another great book I came across, since I follow them on Twitter (@sensorysmarts) is “Raising a Sensory Smart Child.” In the book, authors Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske takes the reader through the various reactions to sound, how it connects to learning and the vestibular connection. I would definitely add this book to your library for anyone navigating through sensory difficulties.

I notice a change in ‘J’ when sounds are affecting him. They’re not always loud, they’re not always sudden but it can affect the way he feels or acts in a snap. Sensory Processing Difficulties are different for everyone. This is just one of the ways it affects ‘J.’

World Mental Health Day

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As parents, we all do so much to keep the household running. We’re responsible for tiny humans, jobs, bills, house, extended family, the list goes on. There’s not too much time for us and it’s easy to put ourselves on the back burner.

I spend a lot of time trying to talk through feelings with my kids. We work on identifying a feeling and how to navigate through it. Not an easy concept. Not even for adults. There are books, and great kids programming to help educate on feelings as well. I even wrote about the “Breathe, Think, Do” app in a recent post. All excellent items for a kids’ toolbox.

But it’s hard for us to remember to stop and breathe.

Like so many others, I’ve dealt with my own ups and downs when it comes to mental health. Even though for me, it’s been awhile since I went through it, I remember being there.

If you’re struggling in any way, there’s no shame in getting help and it’s not too late. Talk to a friend, a family member or a therapist. Like our kids, we need tools in our toolbox. The only way we get them is to keep learning and working on ourselves. It’s not easy and might be one of the hardest things you have to do. But if there was ever a time to take a big leap, it should be on yourself.

Change of Weather

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I have horrible allergies and sinus issues. These get worse when the seasons are changing or if there’s rain. I’m also not myself if it’s a rainy day. I think many others are like that too, right? How many times do you hear ‘it’s a perfect day to stay in and watch movies.’ Knowing all of this, I shouldn’t be surprised that I notice a change in ‘J’ on non-sunny days.

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When trying to pinpoint when I noticed the shift, I think it was last year during a windy day. He was having more meltdowns, seemed tired and overall was not himself. I couldn’t quite figure out what was going on until the next windy day when it happened again. Over time, I picked on cues from him on cloudy days, rainy days, a major shift in temperature, etc.

For those with sensory processing difficulties, a change in weather also means a change of clothing. Many people don’t enjoy socks on their feet or sweaters. They may feel overwhelmed in a jacket or get overheated easily with too many layers. We have these experiences on a smaller level, as ‘J’ is not a fan of tags in his clothing.

Sometimes what may not be a big deal for us or something we’ve gotten used to, will be a much bigger deal for someone with sensory processing difficulties. I hope all those that experience more difficulties during weather changes, have a smooth transition as we go from Fall to Winter!

One more thing: I should also mention that almost everyday, when we open the front door to leave the house ‘J’ will say “wow! it’s a beautiful day outside!” even if it’s not. Sometimes he can be a glass half full kind of kid.

 

October is Sensory Processing Awareness Month

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1 year ago, I didn’t know that October was Sensory Processing Awareness Month. We were just starting the process of researching which eventually lead to approval for Occupational Therapy.

This blog was inspired by the fact that ‘J’ has sensory processing difficulties. I will be working hard this month to help spread awareness by sharing our stories.

‘J’ works so hard in Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and school. I’m so proud at how far he’s come and love watching him grow.

Click here to read where our Sensory journey began.

Breathe, Think, Do

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We often hear that screen time is bad. It’s detrimental to a child and their learning process. I’m of the belief that there’s a great balance between personal interaction, reading, playing and screen time. For me screen time includes TV, movies and apps.

One of my favorite apps I have come across is: ‘Sesame Street Breathe, Think, Do.’ This app has children help a Blue Monster through challenges. For example, the Blue Monster has trouble tying his shoes and becomes frustrated. First, the child helps the monster take three deep breaths. Then, the child can pop bubbles which helps the monster think of three possible solutions. Finally, the child gets to choose which of the three options may best help the monster.

‘J’ really enjoys this app and it’s great at teaching him to stop and think through his challenges or frustrations. He breathes along with the monster. He has fun popping the bubbles and learns how different choices can be made when approaching a challenge.

There are so many great learning apps out there. You can learn letters, numbers, shapes, spelling, the list goes on. ‘J’ has loves playing these “games” and doesn’t even realize how much he learns from them.

What I love about Breathe, Think, Do is that it addresses daily challenges and feelings, which is a lot harder to teach. Especially for someone who has sensory difficulties.

Then again, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Sesame Street.

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Daniel Tiger Does It Again

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It’s no secret that we’re big Daniel Tiger fans in this house.

The lessons, the songs, the content, the books that coincide, we love it all! Recently, “The Daniel Tiger Movie: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” was released and my kids are hooked!

The story centers around the introduction of a new character, Jodi Platypus. Jodi moves in next door to Daniel and lives with her mom, twin brothers and grandmother. The episode touches on topics so many can relate to:

  • Moving to a new house
  • Making new friends
  • Family dynamics
  • Losing a special toy (in Jodi’s case, a book) that would make a child feel like they’re home

With a new story and new songs, this movie is one you shouldn’t miss. And since it’s the same Daniel Tiger series we love, they continue to tie in previous content, like what to do if you have to go potty!

I also love that Jodi is a platypus, how often are platypuses used as characters?! If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check out your local PBS Kids station. It’s also available on the PBS Kids app!

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The Potty Chronicles Continue

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Since I have written about my goals of potty training ‘J’ over the summer and how those plans were unsuccessful, I thought I would provide an update. To some, it may seem weird to be writing about this. But for me, this is a major milestone in this house!

Many attempts were made over the summer, as well as on and off for the last two years. Over the summer we’d take a couple of days where ‘J’ would hold it, and go while he was sleeping since I still had a pull-up on him. Other times he would feel like he had to go and become so overwhelmed and hysterical it was hard to continue because I didn’t want it to be a bad experience. You definitely don’t want your kid traumatized when it comes to bathroom habits. You also don’t want them going to High School in a diaper.

We went through lots of ups and downs and then two days before his first day of school, a Tuesday, he finally did it! It was so exciting and I think he got to see that it wasn’t so bad. Granted, the whole next day he refused. Thursday was his first day of school. Considering he had only gone once, I definitely wasn’t sending him in underwear. I didn’t need him freaking out about that on top of first day of school jitters. Once I picked him up and as we were driving home, I told him that after his nap we were going to try the potty again. That was 5 days ago. He’s now gone 4 nights and 4 full days without wearing a diaper.

It definitely helps that we had no weekend plans and no services or school today and tomorrow in observance of holidays.

It’s hard not to be too excited so I’m trying to stay cautiously optimistic. We’ve put a sticker chart into play which he’s excited about, he hasn’t asked for a diaper and he’s… um…done #1 annnnnnd #2. I’m still in disbelief.

Over the last two years I’ve tried everything. No pants, just underwear, standing, sitting, sticker charts, rewards, no rewards, peer pressure, trying to talk out his fears, reading books, watching potty episodes of his favorite shows, the list goes on.

What we’re experiencing now has never happened. Even over the years when he would go, it would be random, one and done and not again for months.

I’m not sure what clicked for him even thought I always knew it would just click at some point. But when you’ve been changing diapers for 4 years and 3 months for 1 child, you start to doubt it. I think the combination of him realizing it wasn’t so bad once he did it, then going to school two days later and seeing that all the kids were using the potty may have pushed him into gear. Whatever it is, I’m happy and so proud of him. Seeing the fear, the hysterics and knowing how overwhelmed he would get, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’s hopefully behind us.