Feb 17 2009
Update on Gus’s Sensory Support
Since Gus has been doing a good deal of sensory seeking lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to get him sensory input at home. At school, they’ve got loads of equipment so that he can choose what he needs: giant bean bag, body sock, jumping, and now sugarless gum to provide oral sensory stimulation. He liked it - yay! So much better than Starburst! Even better, I found it locally, so I may be able to use it at home as well. (Don’t laugh - I’ve been looked for a certain flavor of gum on several occasions and haven’t been able to find it.) I’ll let the school work it into his routine first.
One other thing that often does well for him is to be able to utilize his gross motor muscles. But at this cold time of year, opportunities are limited. We have a trampoline (and a couch, which is the jumping apparatus of choice) but he doesn’t always want to jump. He’s got a bean bag chair and a big exercise mat that he likes to roll up in for squishing. We also have a pedaling thing (if it has a name, I’m unaware of it), which is basically bike pedals without the bike. They work all right, but they’re a little awkward, and he spends as much time swinging it overhead as he does pedaling.
We wanted to get a small stationary bike, but even the small ones were either too big or too expensive or both. Well, we finally (completely by accident of course) came across one on craigslist that is not only well within our budget, but within driving distance. Win!
Hopefully we can pick it up this weekend and we can let Gus ride while he’s watching TV. I can’t wait!
What sensory support do you use for your sensory seeking child?
We’re just starting with OT and sensory things. One thing that works for my little one is a heavy blanket that we put on her when she goes to bed. It helps her to fall asleep because she gets that extra weight and then we take it off after about 20 minutes (our OT mentioned if she keeps it on all night, she’ll get used to it and it won’t work anymore). I’d like to get her an indoor swing of some sort too because she seems to like the motion.