I always said that I would NEVER be THAT mom who posts all over facebook about how my child pooped in the potty and all about our potty training experience, but since this blog is for informational purposes and to hopefully help someone else along this journey I am going to share all the details. So please stop reading now if you don't want to know! :)
Today did not start off great. When Chase got up we started the 12 minutes on the potty, 3 minutes off routine right away. He was happy and while he was on the potty I offered him books, toys, anything to keep him occupied (except his iPad). When he would get off the potty we would put on his underwear and wait the 3 minutes. I let him just run around the house, but kept a close eye on him (as best I could with Miles demanding attention too). EVERY time I would get Chase off the potty and put on his underwear he would go in his pants! He did this 5 times this morning. I even offered him his pacifier as a reward if he went in the potty and still he had accidents! We didn't have a single success in the potty at home this morning. I was REALLY frustrated when I took him to Brown. But luckily I had gotten a babysitter for Miles and planned on spending the entire afternoon with him at Brown to see what we could do.
Once we got to Brown he was happy and transitioned well to their bathroom. His last accident was around 12:00-12:15 at home so by 2:30 when he STILL hadn't gone to the bathroom I knew he HAD to be close. We decided it was best to just keep the undies off all together when he was off the potty so that he wouldn't feel AS comfortable to go. And we also decided that it was best to keep him in the bathroom at all times, not having free range of the house, to minimize his chance of having an accident. If I did notice him starting to go, I was told I have 3-5 seconds to catch him, put him on the potty, and give him more opportunity to finish going, because he most likely didn't get it all out in that amount of time. So keeping him closer to the potty makes this easier.
Around 2:45 he was playing around off the toilet and we heard him start to go so we put him immediately on the potty and eventually he started going on there. We would offer him 3-5 sips of juice every so often before we would give him a toy. We didn't ask him to drink or give him the option, we simply put it up to his mouth and held the toy in the other hand and he realized that if he drank (whether he wanted to or not) he would get the toy. We never said "if you drink this, you can have this" we just did it. Same with snacks. We would give him an option of 2 salty snacks and then just hand them to him, and not ask if he was hungry. This way he would get thirsty and drink more. (Side note: if your child will drink out of a squeeze box or pouch you can squeeze a little more liquid in to their mouth with each drink to help get more liquids down).
He continued to pee in the potty while at Brown all afternoon and would get his iPad immediately after every success. He did have one accident in his pants on the way home, but once we were home he peed right away on the potty here...FINALLY! He had been really happy and cooperative all day, but once we got home he started getting really agitated and crying and kicking while on the potty. I could tell he really had to go and was holding it in so I gently pushed his knees apart (he was squeezing his knees together to hold in the pee) and he immediately started peeing a lot. He fought me and got more mad as I tried to push his knees open, but every time I did this he would pee with more force and a lot more than he had all day. It was apparent he had been holding back and only letting a little bit of pee out at a time just to make him somewhat comfortable at that moment. He did this twice in a row, peeing with a lot of force and crying, then was fine the rest of the night and only peed a little bit more each time after that.
I also knew that Chase had not gone poop all day, and for him this is a big deal because he is a very regular kid! He was having a lot of gas and I could tell he was really squeezing to hold it in. We had seen a little poop squeeze out while he was at Brown, without him consciously knowing, and again tonight at home. So by 7:30 we were exhausted, I knew he had to poop, and I was ready to put him to bed, so I put on a diaper and let him go at it. I wasn't in the mood to clean up poopy underwear and I knew he was exhausted and ready to go to bed. Once he pooped we went in to the bathroom, took the diaper off and I showed him, while dumping the diaper out in the toilet, that "this is where poo poo goes". Then I let him watch me flush it down the toilet. HE LOVED THIS!!! This is the first time I have let him watch me flush (because I knew he would think it was the greatest thing ever) so maybe this will be a motivator to get him to go!!!
I made a last minute decision this afternoon to send Miles to Jackson to stay with my parents for a couple of days so that I could really focus on potty training Chase and not have to worry about him. It was a hard decision, but I know it will be for the best. It will definitely help me focus on Chase and he is LOVING all the extra attnetion!
I know this whole process seems horrendous, and it is REALLY tough and draining, but I keep telling myself that it will pay off once he gets it. And I know the fact that he cannot communicate makes this THAT much more difficult, but he is a smart kid and he understands A LOT, so I know he is ready and completely continent and gets the concept...he just needs to "get" the feeling and the relief from going on the potty and not in his diaper! Going in his diaper is all he has known for the last 3.5 years so he is going to have to re-learn that going pee and poop now happens in a bathroom on a toilet.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Potty Training Day 2
Well Day 2 of POTTY TRAINING BOOT CAMP was MUCH more successful, at home. Chase woke up with a very wet diaper, as I expected he would, but he was so happy and ready to start fresh on the potty! We went straight to it and started our 12 minutes on and 3 minutes off routine again. He went on the first try!!! YIPEE!!! I'm not going to say that this routine is easy, ESPECIALLY with Miles (or any toddler) getting in to everything and trying to be in the middle of it all, but it did get easier as the day went on (and luckily I had a sweet friend come entertain Miles for a couple of hours this morning which was a HUGE HELP!) So long story short, Chase had 4 successes in the potty (peeing) and only 1 accident this morning. The accident was mostly my fault too because I got distracted while he was off the potty and wasn't paying close enough attention to him and didn't get him back on in time and he wet and pooped his pants. :( I knew he was needing to go poop but was skeptical of doing it on the potty, but I was distracted with Miles. He will get there though!
I took Chase to BCA at 1:00 and he continued the potty training there...
He didn't have as great a day at Brown today. He had 4 successes and 3 accidents. Once we got home we continued the routine and he ended up having another poopy accident. No other successes - he must have gotten it all out then, so we put him to bed around 8:00 and will start again fresh tomorrow...
I took Chase to BCA at 1:00 and he continued the potty training there...
He didn't have as great a day at Brown today. He had 4 successes and 3 accidents. Once we got home we continued the routine and he ended up having another poopy accident. No other successes - he must have gotten it all out then, so we put him to bed around 8:00 and will start again fresh tomorrow...
This is how my morning started, temper tantrums from the 20 month old because I wouldn't let him play on the potty with Chase! :)
Monday, January 6, 2014
Potty Training is For The Birds!
Today we started Potty Training Boot Camp with the help of BCA staff. I sent Chase to school in big boy underwear at 12:45pm today and he spent the whole 3 hours he was there in the bathroom. Sounds harsh but this is how they do it with everyone!
They have a certain "potty training protocol" that they use, and that they swear by! I was told that this technique works with children who are deaf and blind, so it will work with children with any special need, or no special needs at all. I tried to warn them that it may not work that way for Chase though!
*Before starting I was told to find all the things that are most rewarding or highly preferred items by Chase and withhold them for several days so that they would be big motivators/rewards to get him to go. For Chase this is easily the iPad (or so I thought). So we limited his use of it for the days leading up to starting this process. For some kids m&ms or candy work as a reward. But Chase doesn't like candy and could care less about food as a motivator.
*I was also told to send LOTS of salty snacks (any and everything salty that he likes and would eat) and lots of juice or drink of choice. The idea is that you get them to eat salty foods so that they want to drink more often therefore pee more often.
Day 1/Phase1: Starting at school and continuing on once we get home, until bedtime...spend 10 minutes on the potty and 5 minutes off, NON-STOP, ALL DAY until you have 3 successes in a row! A success is considered to be using the potty and not having an accident off the potty 3 times in a row. While Chase was at school they said he went 5 times in the potty, and had no accidents when off!!! I was so excited! I felt like if he could just go once and see how it felt he would get the hang of it and it would "click". They did; however, have to modify the 10min/5min rule. Instead they left him on 12 minutes and off 3 minutes. He did not have any accidents when he was off the potty so technically he could go on to phase 2 which is less time on the potty and more time off the potty. BUT Chase needed a little special coaxing to go in the first place. When I got there to pick him up (I went a few minutes early so I could see their process) he was completely naked on the potty. Initially to get him to "GO" they had to pour luke warm water between his legs (several times) to get him to "relax, let go, and GO". I knew he would have issues with this, and try to hold it as long as possible. He has done this in the past when we have tried to get him to use the potty. But they said he went 5 times so I was ready to go home and KEEP TRYING! Because they modified Phase 1 a little bit they wanted me to continue the 12min/3mins for the remainder of this afternoon and tonight until I take him back tomorrow.
We got home and THANK GOD Chase was off work early to help because Miles was a FIRECRACKER and IN. TO. EVERYTHING! I knew this would be the case and this is one reason I have put off potty training for so long to begin with. I had hoped to have help with Miles when I started this process, but it looks like I am all alone, so now is as good a time as ever since it's too cold to leave the house anyways (feels like -12*, no thank you!). So, we got home and immediately started back to 12 minutes on and 3 minutes off. Sparing you all the details, we did this until 8:30pm with NOTHING! Nothing in the potty and nothing off the potty! WTH?!?! He has not gone to the bathroom since 4:00pm! I shoveled pancakes in him for dinner so he would drink more juice (he was over drinking anything after leaving school) then back to the potty. BUT STILL NOTHING! They told us not to go back to diapers so we put him in his underwear (with a pull-up over it just so it wouldn't get all over the bed if he does go) and he was passed out in 3 minutes!
Tomorrow is a new day! Please pray that I have patience with Chase, and MAJOR patience with Miles. Update to follow....
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Low/High Functioning vs. Severe/Mild Autism
Low/High Functioning vs. Severe/Mild Autism
The problem with labeling someone low/high functioning or severe/mild comes from the fact that a person can be high functioning (verbal, good academic skills, fair to good personal care), but have moderate to severe autism (rigid inflexible thinking, strong sensory issues, poor emotional regulation, delayed processing, and impaired ability to relate with others). Also, a person can be considered low functioning (poor verbal skills, limited academic skills, and minimal personal care skills) but only have mild autism (more flexibility, calmer emotionally, less sensory sensitivities, and more socially connected).
This appears contradictory at first, but when we look closer we see that these labels actually represent two different dimensions. The first, level of functioning dimension, represents the degree of cognitive functioning, or intellectual disability. The second dimension represents the severity of autism symptoms. You could look at these two dimensions as crisscrossing on perpendicular planes, with the dimension of intellectual abilities (high, moderate, low) running vertically and the dimension of autism symptoms (severe, moderate, and mild) running horizontally. The moderate levels of each dimension meeting at the intersection of the two dimensions. Consequently, you can have people who are very high functioning verbally and intellectually, and be moderately to severely impaired in autism symptoms. This can be confusing for many people who initially see the very bright, verbal child, and not initially see the severity of the autism. Or, assume that the nonverbal child is severely autistic. It is not that easy to diagnosis.
Making matters even more complicated, is the variability of verbal skills. Although verbal skills are highly correlated with intelligence, it isn’t always the case. Do not assume that the child who is nonverbal has poor intellectual abilities. There are some children who find it difficult to talk due to auditory processing and motor planning difficulties, not lack of cognitive skills. People often assume that the nonverbal child is severely impaired and place lower expectations on them. The same is also true for the child who is very verbal, but most speech is hidden in scripting and echolalia, and appears to have higher cognitive abilities then he actually may have. So, even for the two basic dimensions (intelligence and autism symptoms), the mixing in of verbal abilities can be deceiving.
The use of labels like high and low functioning, and severely and mildly impaired, are not diagnostic terms, but used more as descriptors when people try and categorize level of impairments. Hopefully the diagnostic criterion in the new DSM will be more descriptive and accurate. Until then, and probably for some time, people will be adding their own descriptive labels to the diagnoses.
https://www.facebook.com/autismdiscussionpage/posts/500249623387876
The problem with labeling someone low/high functioning or severe/mild comes from the fact that a person can be high functioning (verbal, good academic skills, fair to good personal care), but have moderate to severe autism (rigid inflexible thinking, strong sensory issues, poor emotional regulation, delayed processing, and impaired ability to relate with others). Also, a person can be considered low functioning (poor verbal skills, limited academic skills, and minimal personal care skills) but only have mild autism (more flexibility, calmer emotionally, less sensory sensitivities, and more socially connected).
This appears contradictory at first, but when we look closer we see that these labels actually represent two different dimensions. The first, level of functioning dimension, represents the degree of cognitive functioning, or intellectual disability. The second dimension represents the severity of autism symptoms. You could look at these two dimensions as crisscrossing on perpendicular planes, with the dimension of intellectual abilities (high, moderate, low) running vertically and the dimension of autism symptoms (severe, moderate, and mild) running horizontally. The moderate levels of each dimension meeting at the intersection of the two dimensions. Consequently, you can have people who are very high functioning verbally and intellectually, and be moderately to severely impaired in autism symptoms. This can be confusing for many people who initially see the very bright, verbal child, and not initially see the severity of the autism. Or, assume that the nonverbal child is severely autistic. It is not that easy to diagnosis.
Making matters even more complicated, is the variability of verbal skills. Although verbal skills are highly correlated with intelligence, it isn’t always the case. Do not assume that the child who is nonverbal has poor intellectual abilities. There are some children who find it difficult to talk due to auditory processing and motor planning difficulties, not lack of cognitive skills. People often assume that the nonverbal child is severely impaired and place lower expectations on them. The same is also true for the child who is very verbal, but most speech is hidden in scripting and echolalia, and appears to have higher cognitive abilities then he actually may have. So, even for the two basic dimensions (intelligence and autism symptoms), the mixing in of verbal abilities can be deceiving.
The use of labels like high and low functioning, and severely and mildly impaired, are not diagnostic terms, but used more as descriptors when people try and categorize level of impairments. Hopefully the diagnostic criterion in the new DSM will be more descriptive and accurate. Until then, and probably for some time, people will be adding their own descriptive labels to the diagnoses.
https://www.facebook.com/autismdiscussionpage/posts/500249623387876
Thursday, January 2, 2014
The Brown Center
From the BCA website:
An integrated ABA approach is the framework for delivery of the majority of services at The Brown Center. ABA approaches to treatment are individualized based upon the needs of your child, and include Discrete Trial Training, Verbal Behavior, and Incidental Teaching. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will design and monitor behavioral programming for your child and create appropriate programs to assist the speech and occupational therapists in targeting their goals as well. The purpose of this unique arrangement is to streamline behavioral support and teaching styles across all therapeutic disciplines.
For maximum outcomes, research supports the embedding of instruction in all environments–both structured and natural. Because of this, specific behavioral targets are tracked across all settings at the center and in the home environment, and functional replacement behaviors are taught utilizing Positive Behavior Support (Jolivette, Gallagher, Morrier, & Lambert, 2008) . Parents are also provided a home Daily Lesson Plan and trained in Incidental Teaching approaches which families are to implement within their daily routines. By systematically blending teaching into all environments, children receive more than 25 hours per week of planned intervention through a combination of both center and home based teaching.
Speech and Language goals are targeted four days per week in either a 1:1 or 1:2 setting. Our Speech-Language Pathology team collaborate with the BCBA, OT, assistants, and parents in methods of targeting speech and language goals specific to each child throughout all therapy sessions as well as throughout the child´s entire day. Children also enjoy the opportunity of utilizing autism-specific computer software programs to enhance their acquisition of speech-language and social skills. (such as Chase using Proloquo2Go on his iPad for communication). Speech and Language goals are monitored and updated weekly, and each child’s comprehensive treatment plan is reevaluated on a quarterly basis.
Occupational Therapy assessments are conducted by our staff OT and goals are developed for each child based on these assessments. Gross motor, fine motor, and self-help goals are targeted for each child four days per week in 1:1, 1:2 (for fine motor or feeding therapy) or small group sessions (groups of 4 or less for gross motor skills combined with socialization). OT will determine each child’s need for sensory integration accommodations and will provide consultation to the team and to parents in strategies to address individualized sensory processing disorder goals in every setting. The OT will collaborate with each child’s team in order to provide quarterly updated goals for each child.
Social skill goals will be selected by each child’s team and may be targeted explicitly within a speech and language session or other settings as determined by the Speech and Language Pathologist. The team will integrate social goals whenever possible within all treatment sessions and therapies. Social skills camps may also be available during the summer months.
Typical friends from the community are invited to play with us through our BCA Academy Program. Teacher/child ratios will remain equal to or better than 1:4 during incidental classroom teaching sessions and gross motor activities. Research overwhelmingly supports the benefits of an inclusive classroom setting to both typically developing children and children with autism.
Parental knowledge and involvement is essential for a child´s potential to be fully realized. Published research also states that parents who serve as direct service providers in their child´s intervention often report reduced feelings of depression and stress, and increased feelings of empowerment (Bennett, 2012).
Parents of children in our program commit to eight hours (four per parent) per calendar month to active participation in their child´s program and in parental education. These hours may include direct participation in therapy sessions with their child at either the center or during a visit from a home therapist, attending counseling sessions or support group meetings, attending an educational seminar offered at the center, or other options designed to meet the widely varying needs and availability of families.
The Brown Center is designed with the idea that teaching parents is equally as vital as teaching children. For this reason, 12 hours per week of Center-based direct therapy are provided to each child. Additionally, parents are expected to be familiar with their child´s daily lesson plan, as well as demonstrate a willingness to implement new skills in the home environment. In this way, skills are best generalized across multiple environments and with a variety of significant people in your child’s life. Our ultimate goal is both progress for the child and empowerment for family.
The Brown Center for Autism recognizes that being a family member of an individual with autism can be both a rewarding and stressful life experience.
Because of this, each family will receive two family counseling sessions per month to be delivered at the Center by a Licensed Psychologist who is also experienced in working with children with ASD. Families can choose to utilize these sessions as individual, couple or family sessions.
The Brown Center also offers two monthly support groups for enrolled families–a Mom’s Group and a Couple’s Group. There is no additional charge to families for these services, and attendance at any counseling or support group is considered as credit toward a family’s four hours of education/participation each month.
We understand that many parents of children with autism often spend countless hours in less-than-comfortable waiting areas while their children receive therapy services. With this in mind, our facility was uniquely designed to provide a peaceful and relaxing environment for parents visiting the Center for counseling services. A separate entrance and waiting area was created especially for parents coming to the Center to meet with our Family and Child Therapist or with administration.
Chase's "Sensory Diet"
Children with Sensory Processing Disorder work closely with an Occupational Therapist to come up with a "sensory diet" to help the child best succeed at other tasks, school, daily life, etc. For Chase, being a "sensory-seeker" he requires frequent physical breaks during therapy to regulate his body and to help him focus on the task at hand. A lot of times while he is in a therapy session they will take a short break and bounce on an exercise ball or go in to the "sensory room" where he can climb up a ladder and slide in to the foam pit. He also enjoys jumping on a mini trampoline and going through the "squeeze machine". Occasionally he will also wear a pressure vest that squeezes his torso to help calm him down. A few pictures are below...
A really cool website I found with LOTS of great "toys" and tools for Autism and SPD is www.funandfunction.com . I haven't been yet, but I have heard WONDERFUL things about The Sensory Shop that just opened in Collierville, TN (https://www.facebook.com/thesensoryshop)
A really cool website I found with LOTS of great "toys" and tools for Autism and SPD is www.funandfunction.com . I haven't been yet, but I have heard WONDERFUL things about The Sensory Shop that just opened in Collierville, TN (https://www.facebook.com/thesensoryshop)
This is the "sensory room" at BCA and the slide in to the foam pit!
Peanut balls are great for bouncing off some steam.
We don't own one of these, but occasionally at school (Glendale) and at BCA Chase will wear one of these if he seems more hyper than usual.
We have gotten A LOT of use out of our mini trampoline at home!!!
This squeeze "machine" is a favorite for a lot of the kiddos!
What Is Sensory Processing Disorder
WARNING: This is going to be a long post!
I would venture to say that most children on the Autism Spectrum have some form of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Chase is one of them. Although we have not had him formally diagnosed, all of his therapist agree he has this and he is treated accordingly for it.
Chase is what they call a "sensory-seeker" which can sometimes be mis-diagnosed as ADD or ADHD. He craves sensory input and physical sensory needs. He likes to jump or bounce on an exercise ball, tight squeezes or hugs, deep pressure and things like this. He is more sensitive to light touch and tickles etc. And when it comes to food some of his "sensory sensitivities" affect his eating (as discussed in a previous post).
These sensory-seekers or tactile-seekers need more input from their environment and are constantly in motion or can't sit still. They have the inability to discriminate tactile input and sometimes use their mouth for tactile exploration. They have problems with articulation, fine motor skills and an under-reaction or slow reaction to pain. Vestibular-Seekers have increased movement, frequently not the best choices in movement, and can't sit still. This can also cause children who are sensory-seekers to have a poor sense of danger (they seem to take more risks), inappropriate play, poor auditory processing and they may seem uncoordinated. A proprioceptive-seeker seeks out "bumping and crashing", constantly chews on things (like Chase chewing on his pacifiers), has a poor grasp and writes either too lightly or with too much pressure. Auditory-Seekers seem unaware of sounds, do not respond to their name being called, may have trouble discriminating between sounds ("pet" or "pat), and may make noise for noise sake. Visual-seekers don't seem to notice when other people enter a room, have difficulty finding an object in a large field of items, and attend excessively to visual stimuli (this is typically where you see children with Autism "stimming" on something).
The senses that can be affected by SPD are touch, vision, hearing, smell and taste.
Below are some formal definitions of Sensory Processing Disorder, its effects and treatments.
I would venture to say that most children on the Autism Spectrum have some form of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Chase is one of them. Although we have not had him formally diagnosed, all of his therapist agree he has this and he is treated accordingly for it.
Chase is what they call a "sensory-seeker" which can sometimes be mis-diagnosed as ADD or ADHD. He craves sensory input and physical sensory needs. He likes to jump or bounce on an exercise ball, tight squeezes or hugs, deep pressure and things like this. He is more sensitive to light touch and tickles etc. And when it comes to food some of his "sensory sensitivities" affect his eating (as discussed in a previous post).
These sensory-seekers or tactile-seekers need more input from their environment and are constantly in motion or can't sit still. They have the inability to discriminate tactile input and sometimes use their mouth for tactile exploration. They have problems with articulation, fine motor skills and an under-reaction or slow reaction to pain. Vestibular-Seekers have increased movement, frequently not the best choices in movement, and can't sit still. This can also cause children who are sensory-seekers to have a poor sense of danger (they seem to take more risks), inappropriate play, poor auditory processing and they may seem uncoordinated. A proprioceptive-seeker seeks out "bumping and crashing", constantly chews on things (like Chase chewing on his pacifiers), has a poor grasp and writes either too lightly or with too much pressure. Auditory-Seekers seem unaware of sounds, do not respond to their name being called, may have trouble discriminating between sounds ("pet" or "pat), and may make noise for noise sake. Visual-seekers don't seem to notice when other people enter a room, have difficulty finding an object in a large field of items, and attend excessively to visual stimuli (this is typically where you see children with Autism "stimming" on something).
The senses that can be affected by SPD are touch, vision, hearing, smell and taste.
Below are some formal definitions of Sensory Processing Disorder, its effects and treatments.
What Is Sensory Processing Disorder
Sensory processing (sometimes called "sensory integration" or SI) is a term that refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. Whether you are biting into a hamburger, riding a bicycle, or reading a book, your successful completion of the activity requires processing sensation or "sensory integration."
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD, formerly known as "sensory integration dysfunction") is a condition that exists when sensory signals do not get organized into appropriate responses. Pioneering occupational therapist and neuroscientist A. Jean Ayres, PhD, likened SPD to a neurological "traffic jam" that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly. A person with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses, which creates challenges in performing countless everyday tasks. Motor clumsiness, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, school failure, and other impacts may result if the disorder is not treated effectively.
Symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder, like those of most disorders, occur within a broad spectrum of severity. While most of us have occasional difficulties processing sensory information, for children and adults with SPD, these difficulties are chronic, and they disrupt everyday life.
What Sensory Processing Disorder looks like
Sensory Processing Disorder can affect people in only one sense – for example, just touch or just sight or just movement – or in multiple senses. One person with SPD may over-respond to sensation and find clothing, physical contact, light, sound, food, or other sensory input to be unbearable. Another might under-respond and show little or no reaction to stimulation, even pain or extreme hot and cold. In children whose sensory processing of messages from the muscles and joints is impaired, posture and motor skills can be affected. These are the "floppy babies" who worry new parents and the kids who get called "klutz" and "spaz" on the playground. Still other children exhibit an appetite for sensation that is in perpetual overdrive. These kids often are misdiagnosed - and inappropriately medicated - for ADHD. These are what we call "Sensory-Seekers".
Sadly, misdiagnosis is common because many health care professionals are not trained to recognize sensory issues.
Emotional and other impacts of Sensory Processing Disorder
Children with Sensory Processing Disorder often have problems with motor skills and other abilities needed for school success and childhood accomplishments. As a result, they often become socially isolated and suffer from low self-esteem and other social/emotional issues.
These difficulties put children with SPD at high risk for many emotional, social, and educational problems, including the inability to make friends or be a part of a group, poor self-concept, academic failure, and being labeled clumsy, uncooperative, belligerent, disruptive, or "out of control." Anxiety, depression, aggression, or other behavior problems can follow. Parents may be blamed for their children's behavior by people who are unaware of the child's "hidden handicap."
Effective treatment for Sensory Processing Disorder is available, but far too many children with sensory symptoms are misdiagnosed and not properly treated. Untreated SPD that persists into adulthood can affect an individual's ability to succeed in marriage, work, and social environments.
How Sensory Processing Disorder is treated
Most children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) are just as intelligent as their peers. Many are intellectually gifted. Their brains are simply wired differently. They need to be taught in ways that are adapted to how they process information, and they need leisure activities that suit their own sensory processing needs.
Once children with Sensory Processing Disorder have been accurately diagnosed, they benefit from a treatment program of occupational therapy (OT) with a sensory integration (SI) approach. When appropriate and applied by a well-trained clinician, listening therapy (such as Integrated Listening Systems) or other complementary therapies may be combined effectively with OT-SI.
Occupational therapy with a sensory integration approach typically takes place in a sensory-rich environment sometimes called the "OT gym." During OT sessions, the therapist guides the child through fun activities that are subtly structured so the child is constantly challenged but always successful.
The goal of Occupational Therapy is to foster appropriate responses to sensation in an active, meaningful, and fun way so the child is able to behave in a more functional manner. Over time, the appropriate responses generalize to the environment beyond the clinic including home, school, and the larger community. Effective occupational therapy thus enables children with SPD to take part in the normal activities of childhood, such as playing with friends, enjoying school, eating, dressing, and sleeping.
Ideally, occupational therapy for SPD is family-centered. Parents are involved and work with the therapist to learn more about their child's sensory challenges and methods for engaging in therapeutic activities (sometimes called a "sensory diet)" at home and elsewhere. The child's therapist may provide ideas to teachers and others outside the family who interact regularly with the child. Families have the opportunity to communicate their own priorities for treatment.
Treatment for Sensory Processing Disorder helps parents and others who live and work with sensational children to understand that Sensory Processing Disorder is real, even though it is "hidden." With this assurance, they become better advocates for their child at school and within the community.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
As A Parent (Especially A Mother) Trust Your Gut
Chase was about 18 months when we started to notice things that were "different" from other kids his age. Our main concern at that point was that he was not progressing in speech at all and had in fact lost the few words he was starting to say in the months prior. We expressed concern to his pediatrician and he told us to "give it some more time, he was still young". As the months went on, and still no new words, we continued to press his pediatrician for answers or guidance and he KEPT telling us "he's a boy, boys can be late talkers compared to girls, give him 'till he's 2". So we did...and then arrived baby #2...our sweet boy Miles...one month before Chase's 2nd birthday.
Everyone kept saying Chase would revert anyway with a new baby, "just give him time to adjust" or "he's just being stubborn", but Chase and I knew deep down that something wasn't right. I spent MANY MANY hours laying awake at night, researching and reading online, crying, and praying to God to please let him start talking. Because that was all I cared about at that point; hearing Chase say a word - ANY WORD. I knew there were other things to be concerned about developmentally, but all I wanted was to hear him talk. His pediatrician STILL would not say the word (Autism) or give us any guidance as to what to do or where to go?! In fact, he brushed off our concerns of Autism all together.
I wanted to make sure I covered all my bases, so I took Chase to have his hearing checked. A friend referred me to a lady who used to run the KITE Center for kids with Autism (which had just recently closed due to lack of funding). I went to her house for an "initial assessment" to see if she could do anything to help. We sat in her tiny office with the door closed while she tried to get him to point to pictures, play with certain toys, repeat words, for an hour...he was NOT HAVING ANY OF IT. Then she "tested his hearing" but couldn't get an accurate reading because he wouldn't cooperate. She had us come back the next week so she could try her assessments again and charged me $150 for her time. A week later she emailed me a couple of paragraphs with her suggestions which basically said that Chase had "behavior issues" that we needed to address and that we needed to have a strict routine at home and work on these behaviors before she could help him. I was IRRATE! These issues were NOT due to his behavior...I believed with all my heart it was something more than behavioral problems.
We were at a loss and no one would tell us what to do! So I took him to the West TN Hearing and Speech Center to have his hearing tested for real (which it turned out to perfectly normal) and was FINALLY given some useful information. The girl who did Chase's hearing test talked to me about his delays and why we were having his hearing tested and told me to get one of the fliers at the reception desk and call TEIS; that they would come out to our house and do an assessment for free and determine if Chase needed any types of therapy! Hallelujah! A small breakthrough! WHY COULDN'T CHASE'S PEDIATRICIAN HAVE TOLD US ABOUT THIS PROGRAM??? This is something I still struggle with and don't understand.
TEIS came to our house the summer after Chase turned 2 and did their best to do some assessments on him to determine where he stood developmentally. He wouldn't cooperate for most of them, but they saw enough to decide that he needed Speech, Developmental and Occupational Therapies. And so those therapies began. We didn't have a formal diagnosis at this point but I hoped and prayed that with some therapy he would catch up to speed. We started seeing Stephanie Tong from LeBonheur Children's Outreach Program 2x a week, for an hour each time, (in our home) for speech. Miss JoEtta Staton came to our house once a week, for an hour, for Developmental Therapy. They were both so sweet and helpful. JoEtta told me about a program at the Therapy and Learning Center (formerly the Kiwanis Center) for children with special needs. This daycare program is very hard to get in to and very good, but if a child is receiving therapies through TEIS they get priority and bumped to the top of the list. Chase got in the first of September and began going 3 days a week. He was still getting speech twice a week at home and began getting his developmental and occupational therapies at TLC while he was there 3 days a week. The therapists were all great, and I cannot say enough WONDERFUL things about his teachers Miss Kecia and Miss Leslie in the green room. They helped him so much, but it was still not enough for us to settle on.
***On a side note, shortly after we found out about TEIS I switched to a different pediatrician. I had gone to our new one one day when Chase was sick because our regular pediatrician wasn't in that day. I mentioned to the new Doctor a few of my concerns about Chase and his lack of talking and his response was "Well, I'm not equipped to diagnose anything, but I can tell you from the few minutes I have been in this room with Chase that he shows several signs of Autism." I switched to this doctor from that day forward. I appreciated his honesty and for validating my concerns. I wasn't crazy after all!
I tirelessly researched more online and decided to make an appointment at Vanderbilt with a developmental pediatrician to have Chase formally assessed. It was going to be 4-6 months before we could get in...the LONGEST 4 months of my life!!!
December 4, 2012
I will always remember this day. Chase, myself and little Chase drove to Nashville for his visit with Dr. Zachary Warren at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. They told us the appointment would last anywhere from 2-4 hours...and it did. I was physically sick and a nervous wreck leading up to that day and all throughout the visit. We had filled out pages and pages of questionnaires prior to the visit and still they asked us hundreds more questions about Chase's development, behaviors, etc. Then they performed a series of activities and tasks with him to see what he knew and what all he could do. After what seemed like an entire day in that exam room Dr. Warren came back in with his official diagnosis...AUTISM. We knew it.
I couldn't even cry. I wanted to. He asked if we had any questions. I had a million, but couldn't think of one. He asked if we needed a minute alone. I just wanted to leave. As soon as we got in the car the tears came. I'm still not sure what they were for. Sadness. Relief. Fear. I was overwhelmed with every emotion, but the one that hit me the most was LOVE. A deep, protective love for my sweet baby Chase. I knew, even before that visit, that I would do ANYTHING for this child, but now God was putting us to the test. I will never forget pulling out of the parking garage at Vanderbilt and Chase said, "We are going to have to move to Nashville. Chase can't get the help he needs in Jackson".
And so the process began...
Everyone kept saying Chase would revert anyway with a new baby, "just give him time to adjust" or "he's just being stubborn", but Chase and I knew deep down that something wasn't right. I spent MANY MANY hours laying awake at night, researching and reading online, crying, and praying to God to please let him start talking. Because that was all I cared about at that point; hearing Chase say a word - ANY WORD. I knew there were other things to be concerned about developmentally, but all I wanted was to hear him talk. His pediatrician STILL would not say the word (Autism) or give us any guidance as to what to do or where to go?! In fact, he brushed off our concerns of Autism all together.
I wanted to make sure I covered all my bases, so I took Chase to have his hearing checked. A friend referred me to a lady who used to run the KITE Center for kids with Autism (which had just recently closed due to lack of funding). I went to her house for an "initial assessment" to see if she could do anything to help. We sat in her tiny office with the door closed while she tried to get him to point to pictures, play with certain toys, repeat words, for an hour...he was NOT HAVING ANY OF IT. Then she "tested his hearing" but couldn't get an accurate reading because he wouldn't cooperate. She had us come back the next week so she could try her assessments again and charged me $150 for her time. A week later she emailed me a couple of paragraphs with her suggestions which basically said that Chase had "behavior issues" that we needed to address and that we needed to have a strict routine at home and work on these behaviors before she could help him. I was IRRATE! These issues were NOT due to his behavior...I believed with all my heart it was something more than behavioral problems.
We were at a loss and no one would tell us what to do! So I took him to the West TN Hearing and Speech Center to have his hearing tested for real (which it turned out to perfectly normal) and was FINALLY given some useful information. The girl who did Chase's hearing test talked to me about his delays and why we were having his hearing tested and told me to get one of the fliers at the reception desk and call TEIS; that they would come out to our house and do an assessment for free and determine if Chase needed any types of therapy! Hallelujah! A small breakthrough! WHY COULDN'T CHASE'S PEDIATRICIAN HAVE TOLD US ABOUT THIS PROGRAM??? This is something I still struggle with and don't understand.
TEIS came to our house the summer after Chase turned 2 and did their best to do some assessments on him to determine where he stood developmentally. He wouldn't cooperate for most of them, but they saw enough to decide that he needed Speech, Developmental and Occupational Therapies. And so those therapies began. We didn't have a formal diagnosis at this point but I hoped and prayed that with some therapy he would catch up to speed. We started seeing Stephanie Tong from LeBonheur Children's Outreach Program 2x a week, for an hour each time, (in our home) for speech. Miss JoEtta Staton came to our house once a week, for an hour, for Developmental Therapy. They were both so sweet and helpful. JoEtta told me about a program at the Therapy and Learning Center (formerly the Kiwanis Center) for children with special needs. This daycare program is very hard to get in to and very good, but if a child is receiving therapies through TEIS they get priority and bumped to the top of the list. Chase got in the first of September and began going 3 days a week. He was still getting speech twice a week at home and began getting his developmental and occupational therapies at TLC while he was there 3 days a week. The therapists were all great, and I cannot say enough WONDERFUL things about his teachers Miss Kecia and Miss Leslie in the green room. They helped him so much, but it was still not enough for us to settle on.
***On a side note, shortly after we found out about TEIS I switched to a different pediatrician. I had gone to our new one one day when Chase was sick because our regular pediatrician wasn't in that day. I mentioned to the new Doctor a few of my concerns about Chase and his lack of talking and his response was "Well, I'm not equipped to diagnose anything, but I can tell you from the few minutes I have been in this room with Chase that he shows several signs of Autism." I switched to this doctor from that day forward. I appreciated his honesty and for validating my concerns. I wasn't crazy after all!
I tirelessly researched more online and decided to make an appointment at Vanderbilt with a developmental pediatrician to have Chase formally assessed. It was going to be 4-6 months before we could get in...the LONGEST 4 months of my life!!!
December 4, 2012
I will always remember this day. Chase, myself and little Chase drove to Nashville for his visit with Dr. Zachary Warren at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. They told us the appointment would last anywhere from 2-4 hours...and it did. I was physically sick and a nervous wreck leading up to that day and all throughout the visit. We had filled out pages and pages of questionnaires prior to the visit and still they asked us hundreds more questions about Chase's development, behaviors, etc. Then they performed a series of activities and tasks with him to see what he knew and what all he could do. After what seemed like an entire day in that exam room Dr. Warren came back in with his official diagnosis...AUTISM. We knew it.
I couldn't even cry. I wanted to. He asked if we had any questions. I had a million, but couldn't think of one. He asked if we needed a minute alone. I just wanted to leave. As soon as we got in the car the tears came. I'm still not sure what they were for. Sadness. Relief. Fear. I was overwhelmed with every emotion, but the one that hit me the most was LOVE. A deep, protective love for my sweet baby Chase. I knew, even before that visit, that I would do ANYTHING for this child, but now God was putting us to the test. I will never forget pulling out of the parking garage at Vanderbilt and Chase said, "We are going to have to move to Nashville. Chase can't get the help he needs in Jackson".
And so the process began...
PRESS ON in 2014
“Forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forward to that which lies ahead, I PRESS ON toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
“PRESS ON” constitutes a Christ-followers motivating battle cry for victorious living. Make PRESS ON your mantra for 2014. Regardless of your difficulty or success, determine to PRESS ON. -Pastor Jay Wolf
http://hopeheals.com/
“PRESS ON” constitutes a Christ-followers motivating battle cry for victorious living. Make PRESS ON your mantra for 2014. Regardless of your difficulty or success, determine to PRESS ON. -Pastor Jay Wolf
http://hopeheals.com/
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