Curricula and Learning Links - Special Needs
Sensory Integration Disorder
The following discussion appeared on HomeschoolChristian.com's message boards. Parents discuss the advantages of using a sensory integration diet as spoken of in The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz, as well as how to help focus a child with special needs.
What is sensory diet? One parent offered this definition: A sensory diet is a "catch phrase" to describe giving your child sensory stimulation to desensitize the child or to encourage the child (depending on the needs). It includes activities that would be textile in nature (playing in shaving cream, taking a shower), help with balance and motion, offer opportunities to swing or hang, offer opportunities to be wrapped up tightly, or have their body brushed, possibly eat and chew foods of different textures, etc.
Why would you need this? Again, she says, "Some children have immature neurological systems at an age where they should be more coordinated. So, they often don't get enough stimulation (they are the kids who are louder or touch more) or they get too much stimulation (normal sounds hurt them or normal touch irritates them). Also, they often have trouble with the vestibular system (the system that tells you where you are in space) which would show up as being very clumsy or, at the other extreme, afraid of movement.
Several parents offered ideas of things that have worked.
Cut down the number of problems for each subject in school. It's easy to get overwhelmed when you have a whole sheet of math problems to do! Try photocopying a couple problems at a time or using a dry erase board to break up the task. Using different colored dry erase markers for each step in the problem can help with sensory development as well.
Chewing gum gives your child an outlet for his or her energy while focusing on tasks.
Beat the clock! Set a timer and let the child try to finish his work before the time runs out. You can also try having him work for short bursts interspersed with short breaks. On a bad day this could be 5 minutes work, 5 minutes play; on a good day it could be a full 15 minutes work with 15 minutes play!
Martial Arts! One parent says, "My son started martial arts a year ago in January. It is the best thing I have ever done. It is worth every penny! This child who hates being touched half the time is sparring in class, go figure. He has two wonderful teachers, both young (17 and 25) men, but they are great with the kids. The whole process has helped him with body awareness, discipline, and sticking to something (he gives up on himself very easily). It also gives us another outlet to work of steam at home. We have bought gear and we practice at home.
Hanging Center to apply the needed pressure to his joints. I hung a chin-up bar across his doorway.
Large gym ball in place of his chair when he is doing deskwork that doesn't allow for much large motor movement. This is supposed to allow him motion without losing focus.
T-stool
Hotdog activity using our futon. This involves rolling him up and rubbing him as though we are applying ketchup, mustard, etc.
Brush to brush him. Corn silk vegetable brushes are recommended.
Corner pillow place
Cool mist vaporizer with lavender oil in it to help her relax.
Human chalk board where she lays on her tummy and we write on her back. Anywhere from secret messages to math problems. She has to guess what we are writing.
Hula hoop for spacial awareness. We all take turns going through the hoop trying not to touch the sides.
Massage therapy at night right before bed helps her shut down too...as well as our nightly time of reading.
Beads on a LONG string or twine for better tracking on convergent vision.
Appliance boxes to make tunnels for the kids to play in. The concept is NOT to touch the sides of the box as you crawl through the maze.
Weighted vest by getting an old vest at a thrift store and just making a lot of bean bags and sewing and safety pinning them all over the vest.
Walking barefoot opened up his world in a fun way so he could participate in a lot of things without having to worry so much about his feet.
Hammock swing on the swing set in place of one of the swings so we could do some of the other pressure/swinging/propreoception stuff outside.
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