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Originally I started this blog as a place to document our journey with SPD, so when I was stuck at the end of the day with no photo for Asher I thought this was a perfect excuse to talk about how we help Asher to stay calm.
To find out more about SPD please see this post which also has a link to the SPD Australia website.
Asher is a sensory 'seeker' (he is also defensive, but for this post I will just be talking about how he seeks or craves sensory input). He spends a lot of his day, and I mean a lot, banging and crashing to give him the sensory input that he craves. I tell people a lot that Asher bounces off walls and I mean that literally, he will crash into walls. To help him we have something called a 'Sensory Diet' that we are implementing, this is a diet of activities at specific times of the day to give him the proprioceptive input he needs to be able to concentrate on his day and participate in day-to-day activities like other children his age.
Since his diagnosis I have discovered all sorts of products to help Asher reach his full potential. The one pictured is for Asher to chew on. Asher will seek out random objects to bite or mouth, and if unable to find something else will bite himself - which leaves marks all over his arms. This product is attached to his waist band and he is able to chew whenever necessary. Chewing also helps calm him by giving him the input he needs when in a stressful situation - like a shopping centre. Asher needs a lot of reminding due to his age, but our aim is to give him the tools to allow him to self regulate without my help.
I'm still learning a lot about SPD and how it affects Asher every day. As his communication gets better he is able to explain to us more. Just the other day Asher told his dad that all the people at shopping centres make him feel funny (sensory overload). We had guessed this was part of the issue while shopping, but it helps us to help him when he is able to tell us.
4 comments:
Thank you for your information and insight into SPD! As a teacher I am always wanting to learn more about the types of things! You must be one patient and amazing mum to Asher!
Wow Mama, what a journey you are on. It must be a rollercoaster at times and I am grateful you're able to share here. Knowledge like this makes other Mums/Parents (and hopefully kids), more respectful, tolerant and accepting. Your Asher is one CUTE little guy :)
You obviously work so very hard to make Asher's days as easy as they can be, and it shows. It will be an ongoing journey - but with a little guy as gorgeous as he is the rewards will surely outweigh the challenges. I'm looking forward to learning more about Asher!
Thanks so much for your wonderful comments. :) He's such a beautiful little boy and his sensory needs just make him all the more unique! I am learning so much about SPD, him and myself really in this journey. I look forward to sharing more.
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