Sensory Issues | Autism PDD

My little one is always sensory seeking -

Hears a plane or lawn mower will go directly to the window

crashes into pillows and blankets

puts fingers up to face

puts his eyes right up to toys with lights

Norway mom posts a great link about it, here is alink to one of her posts where she has a long list of articles. the sensory stuff is on the bottom. I got a hand out from the OT today, we are going to give the boys a sensory diet, Andrew has begun spitting on the floor, its like he can't help himself. Its called Sensory defensiveness in children aged 2-12. I'll try to type some of the important stuff out if I can't find it online.

Here's Norway mom's post.

http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16253&am p;KW=sensory+article

My 5 year old son's sensory issues are mostly towel-drying, putting sunscreen on, combing hair/brushing teeth.   Very picky eating.  Pretty much all of it. 

By far our worst sensory issue was he used to constantly throw things, toys, food, any kind of object for years (not in anger) and was very hyper in public situations, constantly moving/jumping/throwing.  This has finally stopped.  I am hoping to put up a Christmas tree this year and have the ornaments stay on.  Good luck.  We are not sure why some of our sensory issues have gone away.  We did do some therapy but it did not seem to help at the time. 

THis is from the handout and I liked the way it described it, I was better able to understand it described this way.

"Each of us has the ability to sense potential danger. Our senses tell us if a bug is crawling on our back, when we are going to fall, or when there is smoke in the air. We are able to respond to these events with an appropriate amount of defense. Some people have a tendency to respond to certain harmless sensations as if they were dangerous or painful. This is called 'sensory defensiveness.' Sensory defensiveness is simply the over activation of our protective senses. It is a misperception that makes our clothes feel like spiders on our skin, and stairs seem like cliffs. Individuals with sensory defensiveness can be described as sometimes avoiding, sometimes over active, emotional, labile, and/or sometimes sensory seeking. Each individual has his own response style. There can be a defensiveness to one type of sensation or to many types of sensations."

I think you can find the levels and the types (tactile oral gravitational etc) in the links above so I won't copy all of those. This is really something an OT addresses.

Some of the boys though, spitting and playing in it, waving their hands in front of their face (referred to as a stim), chewing on non food items such as clothing and wash clothes, running very fast by a wall while looking at the wall, we call this perimeter check, they will go around and around the outside of a room for as long as you will let them, sensitivity to clothing tags, Nikolas has food related ones, won't eat anything crunchy or hot.Some kids will only eat certain colors. Andrew is very senstive to laying down and putting his head back (one reason why hairwashing is a nightmare). They had the kids lay on paper at school and traced around their bodies and he totally freaked. Now reading this hand out that is gravitational or postural insecurity. I am going to ask her about this, cause laying him down anywhere he isn't use to freaks him out. Many kids are senstive to loud noises or bright lights.

T is defensive to sounds, tastes, and light touch and COLD.  HATES blenders, sirens, motorcycles ... spicy foods, used to not feel when she needed to wash her face or wipe her nose.  Used to hate swinging and jumping, but now loves both ... her most consistent symptom is, she HATES having her head touched for hair-washing or combing, etc.

Her little brother (who may or may not have ADHD, otherwise Neurotypical) is sensory seeking -- constantly tests muscles by destroying things in my house ... loves spicy sour, etc food and ICE-COLD showers!  I have put a 20 lb backback on him and walked him 4 miles at age 3.5, and he LOVED it!

This is a the Sensory Smarts site, with a forward written by Temple Grandin.  I really like it.

http://www.sensorysmarts.com/index.html

Can you all maybe explain this sensory issue thing?  What kinds do your kids have?

I think I know what it refers to, but want to make for sure!  I've still got learning to do.

Thanks!!!

textures of foods

hair brushing

brushing teeth

The bigest problem we have here is loud noises.  My son will scream when he hears the shop vac, the saw my Dh uses at times in his work room. The air compressor we use to pump up his pool.

Linda11### - Great description about sensory issues being a survival mechanism gone haywire.

LeAnn - Thanks for that sensory smarts link.  I read the book (it's great!) and didn't know there was a website.

My Checklist Resources topic linked above has the checklist for identifying issues (under- and over-sensitivity) in the various senses.  That website is also a great place to browse around, and they have a free e-mail monthly newsletter with lots of great practical tips for dealing with sensory challenges.  Here's the main address:

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/

This article gives a chart of stims -- visual vs. tactile vs. auditory, etc.

http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/archive/mannerism.html #Chart

As far as personal experience goes, my son's biggest early issues were manifested in problems with personal care.   Potty training was difficult because of gravitational insecurity -- he probably felt like he was sitting on the edge of a cliff.  Getting dressed, putting on lotion, washing hair, clipping nails, and especially brushing teeth were all a nightmare -- these were all sensations that were not in his control, I was doing it to him. 

He seeks sensory input that is in his control - snuggles up to me, makes sounds, swings on the swing, etc.  Noise and crowds have always been difficult for him.

My son has a full blown sensory processing disorder. He is sensory seeking. He constantly fidgets, touches everything and has oral sensitivites so he constantly does something with his mouth. He is either talking, humming, singing, screaming, eating, drinking, licking, chewing, his mouth is never at rest except for when he is asleep.

He also has a problems with bilateral coordination, crossing mid line, grading, fine motor and praxis. (For sensory-savvy types)

Mary

Both of my kids are sensory seekers.  My oldest had a lot of troubles with crossing mid line.  One of our therpists had the same problem, so her mother signed her up for piano lessons.  It helped tremendously.

Daniel's Mom --

Gravitational problems and coordination are definitely connected, but poor coordination is mostly likely a symptom of gravitational insecurity rather than a cause.  With my son, gravitational insecurity made him a very careful child -- scared to try playground equipment (especially if other children were nearby), scared to hop off a chair, etc.  This caused gross motor delays, but he seemed to outgrow the problem at around age 5-1/2, and now he seeks vestibular input -- uses swinging and bicycling to calm himself down after school or too much tv.

Here's an excerpt from an info sheet on gravitational insecurity:

My son has sensory seeking behaviour, Likes to smell and touch things , also Jumping,  and thumping his head on the couch, pillows and me.

he also likes to be scratched and to feel things scratching on surfaces eg.. chair across the floor, boxes across the floor ect.He loves to run and go super fast on his bike.

Linda

Linda11567 -

We fixed his "gravitational insecurity on the toilet" problem by having him sit backwards holding onto the tank.  This works better for peeing than pooping of course. 

I think it worked because he felt more supported (with his bottom and thighs touching the seat), he could hold on, and he was looking at the wall and toilet bowl and tank instead of looking out into the room and down, down, down to the floor.

I also think it helped with potty training because he could see what he was doing, whereas a seat insert usually has a "cup" for boys that hides what's going on.

My son transferred to standing to pee within a few weeks of being trained.  He was 4-1/4 years at the time.

I also had my 2 year old nephew try sitting backwards this summer, and it really speeded up his potty training.  He is NT, but it seemed like he felt more comfortable and liked it better.

Good luck with the training.

[/QUOTE]

Thanks Norway mom. I actually have tried that, but I can't get him that close to the toilet and he totally freaked out when I put him on backwards or front wards. He is scared to death and won't hardly walk in the bathroom unless its for a bath. And I have even tried bribing with Scooby doo underwear. I thought it was going to work. Maybe I should try it with him fully clothed first and a bowl full of chocolate and scooby doo books and stickers until he gets past the fear. We aren't going to get anywhere until he can look at the toilet without freaking out. I found a boys urinal that is the same idea as a potty chair, and i am thinking of buying it and not even putting it in the bathroom for awhile and getting those PODS for his scooby do undies. Maybe then I can teach him what it is he suppose to do, and then move it into the bathroom, and then eventually peeing in the toilet. I have no idea how I am going to get him to poop, but if I can get rid of the fear of the toilet then maybe that can come later. He has no fear of the baby potty seat, but he is too big for it now that I think he is finally ready for it. They need to make those things bigger. I have big boys.

Linda11567 - My son trained at age 4-1/4, and he was way to big for a potty chair.  In fact, I think most models are hardly big enough for your average 2 year old.

This website has a list of "large" potty chairs, including one that looked like an actual toilet.  If a potty chair has a long enough seat and no armrests to get in the way of broad bottoms, then it could be somehow secured to a platform to boost the height -- gotta be creative sometimes.

http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/Potty-Chair-c.html

Another option is a camping toilet, like the "luggable loo"

http://www.nextag.com/Camping-Hiking--zzcamping+toiletz27010 33zB6z5---html

Good luck with everything.

I just wanted to say girl you are not alone. I also have a 4.5 year old boy that is not yet potty trained. I have tried bribbing him with spongebob stuff. I even have a spongebob toilet seat. When I put him on it he just freaks :( It's so sad.

[QUOTE=Linda11567][QUOTE=NorwayMom]

Linda11567 -

We fixed his "gravitational insecurity on the toilet" problem by having him sit backwards holding onto the tank.  This works better for peeing than pooping of course. 

I think it worked because he felt more supported (with his bottom and thighs touching the seat), he could hold on, and he was looking at the wall and toilet bowl and tank instead of looking out into the room and down, down, down to the floor.

I also think it helped with potty training because he could see what he was doing, whereas a seat insert usually has a "cup" for boys that hides what's going on.

My son transferred to standing to pee within a few weeks of being trained.  He was 4-1/4 years at the time.

I also had my 2 year old nephew try sitting backwards this summer, and it really speeded up his potty training.  He is NT, but it seemed like he felt more comfortable and liked it better.

Good luck with the training.

[/QUOTE]

Thanks Norway mom. I actually have tried that, but I can't get him that close to the toilet and he totally freaked out when I put him on backwards or front wards. He is scared to death and won't hardly walk in the bathroom unless its for a bath. And I have even tried bribing with Scooby doo underwear. I thought it was going to work. Maybe I should try it with him fully clothed first and a bowl full of chocolate and scooby doo books and stickers until he gets past the fear. We aren't going to get anywhere until he can look at the toilet without freaking out. I found a boys urinal that is the same idea as a potty chair, and i am thinking of buying it and not even putting it in the bathroom for awhile and getting those PODS for his scooby do undies. Maybe then I can teach him what it is he suppose to do, and then move it into the bathroom, and then eventually peeing in the toilet. I have no idea how I am going to get him to poop, but if I can get rid of the fear of the toilet then maybe that can come later. He has no fear of the baby potty seat, but he is too big for it now that I think he is finally ready for it. They need to make those things bigger. I have big boys.