Great news, even better news, and better-than-before news!

So, before I go join FaceBook to participate in a nurse-in for a friend of mine, I have awesome stuff to post!

Firstly, I couldn't figure out the background-on-the-sides thing so for now, no background so you can actually read this. Yay!

Okay, news the first.
I finally got my refund check and ordered a new sewing machine from Ken's Sewing Center (I think that's it). And they called the next day to say they were all out of that machine actually, oops--would I prefer a refund or to replace it with a BETTER one at no extra charge, and they gave me a choice of two machines by the same company, one that was $100 more and one that was $150 more!! That's almost double the value of the machine I ordered!! So my Janome DC2007 should be here in 10 days, and if nothing messes up, I should be very happy indeed with it. They also have a great return policy, even if you tried it out/used it and just decided it doesn't work for you. Here's my new pretty .

News the second (the even better one):
I sort-of got a new job, and a raise!! I was/am working as an editor, and have been for three years, and while it's stable, there is no upward mobility on my shift, and they have streamlined our processes so much that I basically copy edit and do filing-ish stuff all day. I am losing job skills, not gaining them. If I ever want to upgrade to actual "real" editor I need to be fluent in InDesign and other programs. I have been getting worried and thinking about leaving when I finally finish my last class for my longest-BS-degree-ever, lol. So the other day I was summoned to the manager's manager's office (eeep) and out of the blue, they offered me the position of graphic designer (!!!!!!!) with accompanying raise, and they would train me on how to use InDesign and do it all. *happy dance* They think I can do it and do it well, being a very fast learner and extremely detail-oriented. So instead of teaching a graphic person all the weird rules and formats and ins and outs, they are teaching someone who knows all of the rules/formats/everything how to use InDesign. Woot! More skills, more money, not going to be bored out my mind at work anymore, yay!!!!!!

Third news, not best but definitely an improvement--I've been researching more and I think I know what dd2's issue is. She did not fit autism or really the autism spectrum. She is much too social and lovey, and we are working on her speech, which is coming along a bit. She definitely makes more noises now. There is a support group for SID (Sensory Integration Disorder) on my cloth diaper board (diaperswappers), and I popped in there when I was really bored one day this week, and people were talking about their kids having really similar issues to dd2. One part really stuck out--sensory seeking. That describes dd2 exactly. She is constantly trying for more touch, every inch of her body, even in her mouth, to the point that she hurts herself. Besides the usual climbing super-high, falling, smacking her head on head-high things over and over and over again, squishing herself what should be painfully between the couch and the window and finally being happy, squished in there for twenty minutes against the cold, snowed-on glass, constantly needing to be held, and there are many, many more--besides all that there have been incidents this week that have really taken it from "high needs baby" to the next level. Did you know she eats glass???? I mean, she gets glass ornaments from the tree, bites on them until they shatter in her mouth, and then chews the broken glass shards, happy as a clam. So, I researched sensory seeking. This is some of what I've found. I dare anyone who knows dd2 to say this does not describe her to perfection. This is actually *good* news, lol, as it is much, much easier for me to handle and treat then developmental delays or autism spectrum. Whew! Here is some info, symptoms, and treatment ideas we are working on, and we will present this to the pediatrician at our new appt in Jan as well. Peeps who have watched her for us, we often get the comment that htye don't understand the problem, she was very happy the entire time as they played with her/held her/bounced her, she's a happy baby. Well, exactly--she is happy when she is constantly newly stimulated and touched with new people and new smells and new things. If you stayed here for several days it would wear off and then she would get more and more sesnory seeking and unhappy and "off" until you started pulling you hair out wondering when-oh-when will this "phase" pass, except we're way past the usual "oh, it goes away when they can crawl and explore for themselves." Yeah, she has been crawling for six months now, lol, and she is getting worse. Remember the whole eating glass shards thing? I don't know if any of the playgroup mamas will see this, lol, but at playgroup dd2 is the happiest/least symptomatic because playgroup is like therapy for her--there are sooo many new sights, people, voices, toys to touch, weird food to eat (remember how she ate those textured hard crackers constantly last week until she finally climbed the stool and stood there and ate every single last one until the container was empty, lol? Oral stimulation with hard/textured food, which was suggested to me as part of her therapy) that she is finally filled up with stimulation for a while and can just revel in it instead of needing to seek it out. So she looks a lot more normal then at home, lol.

The Sensory Integration Network, spearheaded in part by occupational therapist Lucy Jane Miller, explains that Sensory Integration Dysfunction presents itself in a number of sensory-seeking, sensory-avoiding and dyspraxic (clumsy and awkward) behaviors, as described below:

Sensory Seeking children have nervous systems that do not always process that sensory input is "coming in" to the brain. They are under-responsive to sensation. As a result, they seek out more intense or longer duration sensory experiences. Some behaviors that can be observed are: Hyper-activity as they seek more and more movement input; Unawareness of touch or pain, or touching others too often or too hard (may seem aggressive); Engaging in unsafe behaviors, such as climbing too high; Enjoying sounds that are too loud, such as TV or radio volume.

Dyspraxic children are clumsy and awkward. They have particular problems with new motor skills and activities. Some behaviors that can be observed are: Very poor fine motor skills such as handwriting; Very poor gross motor skills such as kicking, catching, throwing balls; Difficulty imitating movements such as "Simon Says"; Trouble with balance, sequences of movements and bilateral coordination."


Sensory Processing Disorder Checklist: Signs And Symptoms Of Dysfunction

The purpose of this sensory processing disorder checklist is to help parents and professionals who interact with children become educated about particular signs of sensory processing dysfunction.

It is not to be used as the absolute diagnostic criteria for labeling children with sensory processing disorder. But rather, as an educational tool and checklist for your own knowledge. Professionals who can diagnose this disorder have their own tools in addition to checklists to observe and test for sensory integration dysfunction.

As you go through this list, you may say, "Wow, my child has so many of these characteristics/behaviors, he must have a sensory processing disorder!!"

That MAY be true, and I want you to take it very seriously if you find a host of these to be characteristic of your child. But, then use this as a guide to speak with your doctor and an Occupational Therapist so you can clearly explain why you think your child may need help.

Or, you may go through the list and say,

"No big deal, so my child has some of these behaviors/characteristics, doesn't every child?"

Well, this may be true too and your child's behavior may fluctuate from day to day.

What we need to be concerned with is which symptoms your child shows, which category they are having difficulty with, how much it interferes with their or other's lives and what kind of impact it is having on their level of functioning. They may have a lot in one category and none in another or some in all categories. This will help target diagnosis and treatment.

Lastly, you may go through the list and say,

"Oh my gosh, that is what I have been dealing with my whole life".

Then I say, I'm so sorry you never got the help you needed! Perhaps we can start to work on it now.

Identifying and understanding this disorder is HUGE!

Please understand the "Five Caveats" that Carol Stock Kranowitz points out in her book, "The Out-Of-Sync Child" (1995), about using a checklist such as this. She writes:

1. "The child with sensory dysfunction does not necessarily exhibit every characteristic. Thus, the child with vestibular dysfunction may have poor balance but good muscle tone."

2. "Sometimes the child will show characteristics of a dysfunction one day but not the next. For instance, the child with proprioceptive problems may trip over every bump in the pavement on Friday yet score every soccer goal on Saturday. Inconsistency is a hallmark of every neurological dysfunction. "

3. "The child may exhibit characteristics of a particular dysfunction yet not have that dysfunction. For example, the child who typically withdraws from being touched may seem to be hypersensitive to tactile stimulation but may, instead, have an emotional problem."

4. "The child may be both hypersensitive and hyposensitive. For instance, the child may be extremely sensitive to light touch, jerking away from a soft pat on the shoulder, while being rather indifferent to the deep pain of an inoculation."

5. "Everyone has some sensory integration problems now and then, because no one is well regulated all the time. All kinds of stimuli can temporarily disrupt normal functioning of the brain, either by overloading it with, or by depriving it of, sensory stimulation."


Tactile Sense: input from the skin receptors about touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and movement of the hairs on the skin.

Signs Of Tactile Dysfunction:

2. Hyposensitivity To Touch (Under-Responsive):

__ may crave touch, needs to touch everything and everyone

__ is not aware of being touched/bumped unless done with extreme force or intensity

__ is not bothered by injuries, like cuts and bruises

__ may not be aware that hands or face are dirty or feel his/her nose running

__ may be self-abusive; pinching, biting, or banging his own head

__ mouths objects excessively

__ frequently hurts other children or pets while playing

__ repeatedly touches surfaces or objects that are soothing (i.e., blanket)

__ seeks out surfaces and textures that provide strong tactile feedback

__ thoroughly enjoys and seeks out messy play

__ craves vibrating or strong sensory input

__ has a preference and craving for excessively spicy, sweet, sour, or salty foods


3. Poor Tactile Perception And Discrimination:

__ has difficulty with fine motor tasks such as buttoning, zipping, and fastening clothes

__ may not be able to identify which part of their body was touched if they were not looking

__ may be afraid of the dark

__ may be a messy dresser; looks disheveled, does not notice pants are twisted, shirt is half un tucked, shoes are untied, one pant leg is up and one is down, etc.

__ has difficulty using scissors, crayons, or silverware

__ continues to mouth objects to explore them even after age two

__ has difficulty figuring out physical characteristics of objects; shape, size, texture, temperature, weight, etc.

Vestibular Sense: input from the inner ear about equilibrium, gravitational changes, movement experiences, and position in space.

Signs Of Vestibular Dysfunction:

2. Hyposensitivity To Movement (Under-Responsive):

__ in constant motion, can't seem to sit still

__ craves fast, spinning, and/or intense movement experiences

__ loves being tossed in the air

__ could spin for hours and never appear to be dizzy

__ always jumping on furniture, trampolines, spinning in a swivel chair, or getting into upside down positions

__ loves to swing as high as possible and for long periods of time

__ is a "thrill-seeker"; dangerous at times

__ always running, jumping, hopping etc. instead of walking

__ rocks body, shakes leg, or head while sitting

__ likes sudden or quick movements, such as, going over a big bump in the car or on a bike


3. Poor Muscle Tone And/Or Coordination:

__ frequently slumps, lies down

__ fatigues easily!

__ difficulty catching him/her self if falling

__ has poor body awareness; bumps into things, knocks things over, trips, and/or appears clumsy

__ poor fine motor skills; difficulty using "tools", such as pencils, silverware, combs, scissors etc.

__ seems to be unsure about how to move body during movement, for example, stepping over something


This category is HUGE with her, she has every single one on the entire list, I didn't leave out a single "not quite her" one (except grinding her teeth because she doesn't have molars, lol, but she would if she did):

Signs Of Proprioceptive Dysfunction:


1. Sensory Seeking Behaviors:

__ seeks out jumping, bumping, and crashing activities

__ stomps feet when walking

__ kicks his/her feet on floor or chair while sitting at desk/table

__ bites or sucks on fingers and/or frequently cracks his/her knuckles

__ loves to be tightly wrapped in many or weighted blankets, especially at bedtime

__ prefers clothes (and belts, hoods, shoelaces) to be as tight as possible

__ loves/seeks out "squishing" activities

__ enjoys bear hugs

__ excessive banging on/with toys and objects

__ loves "roughhousing" and tackling/wrestling games

__ frequently falls on floor intentionally

__ would jump on a trampoline for hours on end

__ grinds his/her teeth throughout the day

__ loves pushing/pulling/dragging objects

__ loves jumping off furniture or from high places

__ frequently hits, bumps or pushes other children

__ chews on pens, straws, shirt sleeves etc.

2. Difficulty With "Grading Of Movement":

__ misjudges how much to flex and extend muscles during tasks/activities (i.e., putting arms into sleeves or climbing)

__ difficulty regulating pressure when writing/drawing; may be too light to see or so hard the tip of writing utensil breaks

__ written work is messy and he/she often rips the paper when erasing

__ always seems to be breaking objects and toys

__ misjudges the weight of an object, such as a glass of juice, picking it up with too much force sending it flying or spilling, or with too little force and complaining about objects being too heavy

__ may not understand the idea of "heavy" or "light"; would not be able to hold two objects and tell you which weighs more

__ seems to do everything with too much force; i.e., walking, slamming doors, pressing things too hard, slamming objects down

__ plays with animals with too much force, often hurting them

2. Hyposensitivity To Sounds (Under-Registers):

__ often does not respond to verbal cues or to name being called

__ appears oblivious to certain sounds

__ appears confused about where a sound is coming from

__ had little or no vocalizing or babbling as an infant

2. Hyposensitivity To Oral Input (Under-Registers)

__ may lick, taste, or chew on inedible objects (did you know she EATS/chews on until they are forcibly removed from her, glass ornaments???? and foil wrappers too. She bites them until they break in her mouth and then chews on the broken glass pieces!!)

__ prefers foods with intense flavor; i.e., excessively spicy, sweet, sour, or salty

__ excessive drooling past the teething stage

__ frequently chews on hair, shirt, or fingers

__ acts as if all foods taste the same

__ can never get enough condiments or seasonings on his/her food

Other children may always be bumping their heads because they lack protective responses and do not "catch themselves" when they begin to fall.

Signs of SI problems

The following is a description of some of the commonly seen behaviors in children who exhibit sensory integrative difficulties.

* An acute awareness of background noises
* Fascination with lights, fans, water (water, toilets, faucets, cups, any bells ringing, lol?)
* Hand flapping/repetitive movements
* Spinning items, taking things apart
* Walking on tip-toe
* Little awareness of pain or temperature
* Coordination problems
* Unusually high or low activity level
* Difficulty with transitions (doesn't "go with the flow")
* Self-Injury or aggression
* The child may react strongly to stimuli on face, hands and feet.
* A child may have a very short attention span and become easily distracted.
* A strong dislike of certain grooming activities, such as brushing the teeth, washing the face, having the hair brushed or cut.
* An unusual sensitivity to sounds and smells.
* Frequently adjusts clothing, pushing up sleeves and/or pant legs. (Chloe, the one-armed shirt girl, lol.)

Body Position

* Continually seeks out all kinds of movement activities
* Hangs on other people, furniture, objects, even in familiar situations

Movement

Seeks all kinds of movement and this interferes with daily life
Takes excessive risks while playing, has no safety awareness

Attention, Behavior

And Social
Jumps from one activity to another frequently and it interferes with play
Has difficulty paying attention
Is overly affectionate with others
Seems anxious
Is accident prone
Has difficulty making friends, does not express emotions

Activity Levels. Children with sensory integration dysfunction may show problems in their activity level. "The child may appear disorganized or lacking purpose in his or her activity. The child does not explore the environment or lacks variety in play activities. He or she may appear clumsy and has poor balance. The child may have difficulty calming down after physical activity or seeks excessive amounts of sensory input" (Stephens). These characteristics can come from improper functioning in any of the sensory systems or a combination of them.

Behaviors. A child may exhibit negative behaviors that have an underlying cause. The child may "lack flexibility, be explosive, or have difficulty with transitions". The child may show unexplainable irritability or crying until the discovery of the underlying cause. Underlying causes could be that the child is fearful of certain sounds or visual stimuli or intolerant to the wrinkles in his or her socks.

Whoa! I have this one! Totally!! Well, I have half of the list, all of these. So maybe I have a touch and she is genetically predisposed. Anyone who knows me will find this amusing, lol.

2. Hyposensitivity To Visual Input (Under-Responsive Or Difficulty With Tracking, Discrimination, Or Perception):

__ has difficulty locating items among other items; i.e., papers on a desk, clothes in a drawer, items on a grocery shelf, or toys in a bin/toy box

__ makes reversals in words or letters when copying, or reads words backwards; i.e., "was" for "saw" and "no" for "on" after first grade

__ tends to write at a slant (up or down hill) on a page

__ confuses left and right

__ fatigues easily with schoolwork

__ difficulty judging spatial relationships in the environment; i.e., bumps into objects/people or missteps on curbs and stairs

Play:

__ difficulty with imitative play (over 10 months)

__ wanders aimlessly without purposeful play or exploration (over 15 months)

Internal Regulation (The Interoceptive Sense):

__ becoming too hot or too cold sooner than others in the same environments; may not appear to ever get cold/hot, may not be able to maintain body temperature effectively

__ severe/several mood swings throughout the day (angry to happy in short periods of time, perhaps without visible cause)

__ unpredictable state of arousal or inability to control arousal level (hyper to lethargic, quickly, vacillating between the two; over stimulated to under stimulated, within hours or days, depending on activity and setting, etc.)

__ frequent constipation or diarrhea, or mixed during the same day or over a few days

__ difficulty with potty training; does not seem to know when he/she has to go (i.e., cannot feel the necessary sensation that bowel or bladder are full

__ unable to regulate thirst; always thirsty, never thirsty, or oscillates back and forth

__ unable to regulate hunger; eats all the time, won't eat at all, unable to feel full/hungry

__ unable to regulate appetite; has little to no appetite and/or will be "starving" one minute then full two bites later, then back to hungry again (prone to eating disorders and/or failure to thrive)



Dude. How many time have you seen me slam into my own doorframe, or how I always point because I NEVER get "left" or "right" correct, LOL?? Dd1 has some indicators too, but just a handful where they don't affect her much at all and she is growing out of most of them, and she never had enough of a problem to even think about this sort of stuff. She just is a sensitive child but she functions just fine, just needs a good hug and a cup of milk or distraction sometimes when she's bothered by something. There is no distracting dd2. We have tried. Constantly, lol.

Things we will be trying:

Tactile input is the sense of touch and includes texture, temperature, pressure, and more. Don't forget that the tactile system includes not only the skin covering your body but also inner skin linings such as inside the mouth.

Making/providing hard, textured foods to replace the glass, metal, and textured cloth she usually eats. We also have a hard rubber giraffe (Sophie) under the Christmas tree. Maybe give her a little plain carbonated water on occasion. Play-doh. Making goop. We already let her eat frozen peas for the cold, hard sensation, and she LOVES that, and we let her shew on cold, wet terrycloth wipes.
Proprioception

Proprioceptive input (sensations from joints, muscles and connective tissues that lead to body awareness) can be obtained by lifting, pushing, and pulling heavy objects as well as by engaging in activities that compress (push together) or distract (pull apart) the joints like playing tug-of-war.

Toddlers and Preschoolers
Make a "sandwich" by firmly pressing on your child's arms legs and back with pillows or make a "burrito" by rolling her up in a blanket. She can push her own stroller, and a stronger child can push a stroller or cart filled with weighted objects such as groceries. Your child can wear a backpack or fanny pack filled with toys (not too heavy!).

An idea for when she gets older:

Sample Sensory Diet

Here is a sample sensory diet, created for a second grade child whose sensory seeking behavior interfered with his attention and learning. We've used the annoying term, "as directed," to avoid providing a cookbook recipe. Activities should be individualized for each child and modified frequently to meet changing needs. A separate program was worked out for this child with the school, including frequent movement breaks, an inflatable seat cushion for wiggling while remaining seated, and providing crunchy/chewy oral comfort snacks at handwriting time.

Morning Routine
Massage feet and back to help wake up
Listen to therapeutic listening CD
Use vibrating toothbrush and vibrating hairbrush
Crunchy cereal with fruit and some protein
Spin on Dizzy Disc Jr. as directed
Jump on mini-trampoline as directed
After school
Go to playground for at least 20 minutes
Push grocery cart or sister's stroller
Spinning as directed
Mini Tramp — add some variety: have him play catch or toss toys into a basket while jumping
Massage feet to "reorganize," use theraputty, body sox, make body sandwiches, wheelbarrow walk
Do ball exercises as directed
Listen to therapeutic listening CD
Oral work — sucking thick liquids through a straw (smoothies, etc.), crunchy and chewy snacks (to give input into jaws and teeth) prior to and/or during homework

Dinner Time
Help with cooking, mixing, chopping, etc.
Help set table, using two hands to carry and balance a tray
Provide crunchy and chewy foods
Night time
Family time: clay projects, painting projects, etc.
Warm bath with bubbles and calming essential oil
Massage during reading time