Sensory Saturday: Shaving Cream!

I buy shaving cream by the case. Literally. Shaving cream is one of those "go to" activities that is a must in any sensory diet. There's something about that creamy yet fluffy stuff that kids just go nuts over. I buy the fragrance free kind. LM has never had a problem with sensory or tactile defensiveness so he just jumps right in. For the more sensitive child you can spread the shaving cream on a tray and try encouraging them to use one finger to draw with and then gradually move to spreading it with their whole hand.

Shaving Cream Artist: A simple tabletop activity - spread a thin layer of shaving cream on a plate and let your child draw shapes, letters, squiggles ... be creative! Let them "erase" and start over again. This is a great one to introduce new concepts. LM is doing simple addition now and we always practice in shaving cream drawings.

Shaving Cream Car Wash: A little messier ... we often do this in the bathtub. Take a small car and cover it completely with shaving cream. Child first uses his hands to get as much of the suds off. Give your child a washcloth to finish washing the car. We use a lot of language with this one. Make up a story to encourage pretend play. "Daddy and LM drove this car through the mud and now its all dirty!" - make all sort of car sounds and squeaky cleaning sounds. Ask "WH" questions ... "What are you cleaning now?" "Oh! Good job cleaning the wheels!" "Who got this car all dirty?" "Daddy and me!"

Window Washer: Getting high on the messy scale with this one, but great now that summer has arrived! We go outside and spray shaving cream on the sliding glass door. Encourage your child to use great big arm movements to spread shaving cream way up high and left to right crossing midline. This is a great gross motor skill and LM gets heavy work activities out of it by pushing his arms against the door. We taught LM the concepts of UP and DOWN when he was younger this way. "Reach up, up ,up ,up!" "Slide down, down, down, down". Of course you can draw in the shaving cream too - I sometimes even add a squirt of nontoxic washable paint to the shaving cream. And when you're done, time to clean up. Take out the hose or spray bottles (I'll take any opportunity to get some fine motor activities in too!) and give him a washcloth or a squeegee. In this case kids think the clean up is just as fun!

Sensory Saturday: In the Kitchen

I know there are a hundred articles about cooking with your kids, but I figured I'd put a sensory spin on this one. From homemade pretzels to fruit smoothies, my kids love to cook. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your time in the kitchen.

LOOK THE PART:
Besides having fun playing dress up, giving LM an apron and chef's hat transitions him into this activity. I remind him that now that he's "Chef LM" he needs to have quiet hands and wait his turn. I bought a kid's sized apron, but we make a new hat every few weeks. Easy to do and gets some fine motor cutting and stapling activities in too.

1. Cut a piece of white poster board 4 inches wide and measure length to child's head.

2. Staple ends closed to form a crown.

3. Take white tissue paper, fold a few times to give it strength and attach to the inside of the crown to make a tall column.

PREP WORK:

Think about your favorite cooking show where they have all the ingredients set out in small dishes. You can talk about the recipe and count ingredients or work on sequencing (first crack the eggs, then pour the water). Let your kids help with this part. Set out the bowls and help them use measuring cups and spoons. Kids can crack eggs into a small bowl (and you can pick out the shells LOL), or grease a baking sheet. If you have more than one child this is great for turn taking as well. Each chef gets assigned an ingredient to prep and then add to the dish.

COOK WITH ALL YOUR SENSES:

Use this opportunity to discover all your senses. Describe the food ... it's color, it's shape. How does it smell? What does it feel like ... wet, bumpy, sticky? What do you hear ... an egg cracking, a timer ticking, water boiling? And best of all, how does it taste?

DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET A LITTLE MESSY:

Let the kids get their (clean) hands into the food. Who needs Play-Dough when you have the real thing? Let the kids explore what different ingredients feel like. Let them stir and pour, and try not to worry about a few spills.

IT'S THE PROCESS NOT THE PRODUCT:

In other words, the food doesn't have to be gourmet. While this is a great way to introduce your child to new foods (they'll like it more if they helped make it!) "cooking" frozen waffles together is a great activity too. It's about spending time together and experiencing new things.

There are a bunch of great "kid-friendly" recipes. Here's one of our favorites.

BANANA CATERPILLARS

2 medium bananas

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup flaked coconut

4 raisins

thin pretzel sticks

1. Peel and slice each banana into 10 slices. Make caterpillar by spreading slices with almond butter and pressing slices back together.

2. Sprinkle half of coconut over each caterpillar and press lightly with fingertips to coat.

3. Attach 2 raisins to one end with a little bit of almond butter to form eyes.

4. Break pretzel sticks into small pieces and press between banana slices for legs and antennae.

Sensory Saturday: In the Kitchen

I know there are a hundred articles about cooking with your kids, but I figured I'd put a sensory spin on this one. From homemade pretzels to fruit smoothies, my kids love to cook. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your time in the kitchen.

LOOK THE PART:
Besides having fun playing dress up, giving LM an apron and chef's hat transitions him into this activity. I remind him that now that he's "Chef LM" he needs to have quiet hands and wait his turn. I bought a kid's sized apron, but we make a new hat every few weeks. Easy to do and gets some fine motor cutting and stapling activities in too.

1. Cut a piece of white poster board 4 inches wide and measure length to child's head.

2. Staple ends closed to form a crown.

3. Take white tissue paper, fold a few times to give it strength and attach to the inside of the crown to make a tall column.

PREP WORK:

Think about your favorite cooking show where they have all the ingredients set out in small dishes. You can talk about the recipe and count ingredients or work on sequencing (first crack the eggs, then pour the water). Let your kids help with this part. Set out the bowls and help them use measuring cups and spoons. Kids can crack eggs into a small bowl (and you can pick out the shells LOL), or grease a baking sheet. If you have more than one child this is great for turn taking as well. Each chef gets assigned an ingredient to prep and then add to the dish.

COOK WITH ALL YOUR SENSES:

Use this opportunity to discover all your senses. Describe the food ... it's color, it's shape. How does it smell? What does it feel like ... wet, bumpy, sticky? What do you hear ... an egg cracking, a timer ticking, water boiling? And best of all, how does it taste?

DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET A LITTLE MESSY:

Let the kids get their (clean) hands into the food. Who needs Play-Dough when you have the real thing? Let the kids explore what different ingredients feel like. Let them stir and pour, and try not to worry about a few spills.

IT'S THE PROCESS NOT THE PRODUCT:

In other words, the food doesn't have to be gourmet. While this is a great way to introduce your child to new foods (they'll like it more if they helped make it!) "cooking" frozen waffles together is a great activity too. It's about spending time together and experiencing new things.

There are a bunch of great "kid-friendly" recipes. Here's one of our favorites.

BANANA CATERPILLARS

2 medium bananas

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup flaked coconut

4 raisins

thin pretzel sticks

1. Peel and slice each banana into 10 slices. Make caterpillar by spreading slices with almond butter and pressing slices back together.

2. Sprinkle half of coconut over each caterpillar and press lightly with fingertips to coat.

3. Attach 2 raisins to one end with a little bit of almond butter to form eyes.

4. Break pretzel sticks into small pieces and press between banana slices for legs and antennae.

Sensory Saturday: Pack and Play Ball Pit

When LM was 2 year old (and not yet diagnosed)I took him to a friends birthday party at a local kids gym. The party program itself was a recipe for disaster: 20 toddlers shrieking, wide open spaces, no transitions between activities, and worst of all: me. An "unseasoned" mom new to this whole diagnosis, neurotic because LM was alternating between tantruming and spinning in circles.

But then a breakthrough. It was "freeplay" time and they opened the ball pit. (I'll add a sidenote here: I was totally THAT mom who believed the chain email I got about the disgusting germ infested toxic dump that is a kids ball pit - it took everything in me not to snatch him out!)So LM dove in and did this dolphin-like spin/dive/swim and for the first time had some interaction with another child. At least he looked in her direction and sort of played a "ball toss" with her. I won't say that the rest of the party was great, but there was a huge difference in his activity level after this.

A week later we started OT in a sensory gym and I learned all about the wonders of the ball pit. The ball pit is one of those super great activities that can both awaken AND calm senses depending on the needs of the child. I'll also add that its the one activity that a child instinctively knows what they need to do to regulate themselves in. Even as a 2 year old with no language (expressive or comprehensive) and the play skills of a 3 month old, LM knew just how to "use" the ball pit.

After seeing how much LM loved it and understanding the sensory benefits we decided to set up a ball pit at home. We went out and bought a mid-priced inflatable one. It was junk. It looked cute and had characters, but was much too shallow for even a small 2 year old to really "submerge" in. Next we got a small kiddie pool and bought 300 extra balls. Defenitely better, but took up a lot of room and the balls went flying everywhere when LM statred playing. And my neat-freak husband was twitching with all the balls everywhere.

LM was napping in his pack and play playpen and I had an epiphany. How about a ball pit in the pack and play? It was perfect. Deep enough to hold 400 balls that didnt spill out the top and enough room for LM to dive and roll in. And an added bonus: I could lift and shake the whole thing making "waves". The PNP ball pit is still the most used "toy" in our house and the first thing our playdate friends run for. It's the perfect multifunction toy.

The best part is that LM knows to go play in his ball pit for a few minutes when he needs to calm down. Giving him this self-regulation opportunity is priceless and a huge step towards getting him to manage on his own. If I had a must-have list, this would be at the top.

Happy Saturday!

Sensory Saturday: Pack and Play Ball Pit

When LM was 2 year old (and not yet diagnosed)I took him to a friends birthday party at a local kids gym. The party program itself was a recipe for disaster: 20 toddlers shrieking, wide open spaces, no transitions between activities, and worst of all: me. An "unseasoned" mom new to this whole diagnosis, neurotic because LM was alternating between tantruming and spinning in circles.

But then a breakthrough. It was "freeplay" time and they opened the ball pit. (I'll add a sidenote here: I was totally THAT mom who believed the chain email I got about the disgusting germ infested toxic dump that is a kids ball pit - it took everything in me not to snatch him out!)So LM dove in and did this dolphin-like spin/dive/swim and for the first time had some interaction with another child. At least he looked in her direction and sort of played a "ball toss" with her. I won't say that the rest of the party was great, but there was a huge difference in his activity level after this.

A week later we started OT in a sensory gym and I learned all about the wonders of the ball pit. The ball pit is one of those super great activities that can both awaken AND calm senses depending on the needs of the child. I'll also add that its the one activity that a child instinctively knows what they need to do to regulate themselves in. Even as a 2 year old with no language (expressive or comprehensive) and the play skills of a 3 month old, LM knew just how to "use" the ball pit.

After seeing how much LM loved it and understanding the sensory benefits we decided to set up a ball pit at home. We went out and bought a mid-priced inflatable one. It was junk. It looked cute and had characters, but was much too shallow for even a small 2 year old to really "submerge" in. Next we got a small kiddie pool and bought 300 extra balls. Defenitely better, but took up a lot of room and the balls went flying everywhere when LM statred playing. And my neat-freak husband was twitching with all the balls everywhere.

LM was napping in his pack and play playpen and I had an epiphany. How about a ball pit in the pack and play? It was perfect. Deep enough to hold 400 balls that didnt spill out the top and enough room for LM to dive and roll in. And an added bonus: I could lift and shake the whole thing making "waves". The PNP ball pit is still the most used "toy" in our house and the first thing our playdate friends run for. It's the perfect multifunction toy.

The best part is that LM knows to go play in his ball pit for a few minutes when he needs to calm down. Giving him this self-regulation opportunity is priceless and a huge step towards getting him to manage on his own. If I had a must-have list, this would be at the top.

Happy Saturday!

Sensory Diet

LM's sensory diet has become such a natural part of our lives, that I forget not everyone is familiar with what a sensory diet is. First of all, it's not a food diet. First referred to as a "diet" by OT Patricia Wilbarger (of Wilbarger brushing protocol fame), a sensory diet is a variety of activities designed to be incorporated into your child's day to help regulate his senses. Just as we need meals to nourish us, and snacks to get us through our day, a person with any type of sensory processing disorder needs specific activities to continually regulate their 7 senses. (Yes, I wrote 7: touch, taste, hear, see, smell, vestibular and proprioception)

LM is typically a sensory seeker - he is under-responsive to touch and movement, he can get "hyper" to the point of total distraction, has some personal space issues, and just craves movement in general. We started a sensory diet when he was 2, now at 5 it's a way of life and he's very good at knowing what activities he needs and when he needs them.

An OT with Sensory Processing Disorder training should evaluate your child and work with you to put together an individualized diet. It takes some initiative and planning to get into the routine of activities several times a day, but it becomes natural very quickly. The best part is that the results are almost immediate.

Here's a few of our favorite sensory diet activities. I'll blog about each of them individually with more info, but this will give you an idea.

A mini trampoline and a ball pit. These are both great because LM has access to them throughout the day as he needs. No setting up required and no mess. These are our two most used activities. By the way if you have a toddler, - no need to go out and buy an expensive ball pit, and don't waste your money on the blow up plastic ones - they're too shallow anyway. We took our old pack and play playpen and filled it with about 350 balls (bought at target). Jumping and rolling around in the ball pit address the proprioceptive and vestibular senses.

Smoothies. We make smoothies every morning. It's usually orange juice and bananas with a bunch of supplements. I make them extra thick and give LM a straw to drink with. A great oral motor activity, this "wakes up" his taste and smell senses as well.

Massage. We incorporate massage often throughout the day for different reasons. While getting LM dressed I use baby powder (corn starch) and massage his feet, hands and legs. It's a quick vigorous massage, (think getting blood flow moving) and it gives him the sensory input he's looking for. Also makes wearing shoes less of an issue. At night or during the day if he needs to quiet down I take out a scented lotion and do a slower massage to his arms, legs and back. I sing to him very slowly, very quietly ... and both of us relax.

Heavy Work. You've seen me refer to heavy work before. These activities also address the proprioceptive system and help calm and regulate senses. Look back at some of the Sensory Saturday activities - most of them have heavy work ideas.

Shaving cream. A favorite around here, we buy it by the case! Besides being played with in every bath and shower, it's great for teaching letters and numbers as well. Spread some out on a cookie sheet and "draw" in it.

Need more info? Stay tuned for more detailed blogs about each of these activities and more. And in the mean time ... check out the Sensory Smarts website. It's fantastic! http://sensorysmarts.com/sensory_diet_activities.html

Sensory Diet

LM's sensory diet has become such a natural part of our lives, that I forget not everyone is familiar with what a sensory diet is. First of all, it's not a food diet. First referred to as a "diet" by OT Patricia Wilbarger (of Wilbarger brushing protocol fame), a sensory diet is a variety of activities designed to be incorporated into your child's day to help regulate his senses. Just as we need meals to nourish us, and snacks to get us through our day, a person with any type of sensory processing disorder needs specific activities to continually regulate their 7 senses. (Yes, I wrote 7: touch, taste, hear, see, smell, vestibular and proprioception)

LM is typically a sensory seeker - he is under-responsive to touch and movement, he can get "hyper" to the point of total distraction, has some personal space issues, and just craves movement in general. We started a sensory diet when he was 2, now at 5 it's a way of life and he's very good at knowing what activities he needs and when he needs them.

An OT with Sensory Processing Disorder training should evaluate your child and work with you to put together an individualized diet. It takes some initiative and planning to get into the routine of activities several times a day, but it becomes natural very quickly. The best part is that the results are almost immediate.

Here's a few of our favorite sensory diet activities. I'll blog about each of them individually with more info, but this will give you an idea.

A mini trampoline and a ball pit. These are both great because LM has access to them throughout the day as he needs. No setting up required and no mess. These are our two most used activities. By the way if you have a toddler, - no need to go out and buy an expensive ball pit, and don't waste your money on the blow up plastic ones - they're too shallow anyway. We took our old pack and play playpen and filled it with about 350 balls (bought at target). Jumping and rolling around in the ball pit address the proprioceptive and vestibular senses.

Smoothies. We make smoothies every morning. It's usually orange juice and bananas with a bunch of supplements. I make them extra thick and give LM a straw to drink with. A great oral motor activity, this "wakes up" his taste and smell senses as well.

Massage. We incorporate massage often throughout the day for different reasons. While getting LM dressed I use baby powder (corn starch) and massage his feet, hands and legs. It's a quick vigorous massage, (think getting blood flow moving) and it gives him the sensory input he's looking for. Also makes wearing shoes less of an issue. At night or during the day if he needs to quiet down I take out a scented lotion and do a slower massage to his arms, legs and back. I sing to him very slowly, very quietly ... and both of us relax.

Heavy Work. You've seen me refer to heavy work before. These activities also address the proprioceptive system and help calm and regulate senses. Look back at some of the Sensory Saturday activities - most of them have heavy work ideas.

Shaving cream. A favorite around here, we buy it by the case! Besides being played with in every bath and shower, it's great for teaching letters and numbers as well. Spread some out on a cookie sheet and "draw" in it.

Need more info? Stay tuned for more detailed blogs about each of these activities and more. And in the mean time ... check out the Sensory Smarts website. It's fantastic! http://sensorysmarts.com/sensory_diet_activities.html

Sensory Saturday: Slice and Bake Cookies

I'll start this by saying the creative side of me usually shies away from "commercial toys" as I get a big kick out of finding new functions for everyday items. But I'll make an exception for this Sensory Saturday because my family LOVES LOVES LOVES Melissa and Doug's Slice and Bake Cookies.

They're great quality of course - M&D do wooden toys like no other. The set consists of 12 round cookies with a piece of (very strong) velcro on each side; 12 decorated "frosting" pieces with a square of velcro, a baking pan with 12 velcro squares, a cardboard tube container, an oven mitt, a wooden spatula and a wooden knife.

I hope you all have already discovered the wondrous sensory joy that is velcro. If not, remind to blog about it, it's worth a whole entry on its own! So back to the cookies ... the cookies are beautifully minimalistic. Maria Montessori would approve for sure. There's a nice weight to the set, and that alone starts giving some great sensory input. LM dove into the box and started velcroing cookies together and then pulling them apart. Again, hooray for super duty velcro, he really had to get a good grip and then use some muscle to get them apart. RRRIIIIPPPP ... ah, a satisfying sound as well! I gave him some suggestions on how to expand this activity - next we tried to "unscrew" them. (Think Oreo cookies). Then my favorite part. We stacked the 12 cookies on top of one another and laid them on their side like a log. Time to slice with the wooden knife. There was a good amount of resistance and LM really had to push down on the knife. We're definitely incorporating this slicing into his sensory diet. He was so calm and focused.

Bear was his little helper and got to stick the cookie slices to the baking pan. Great opportunity to introduce multi-step directions and processes. "First slice the cookie, then put it on the sheet, then put it in the oven and put on the frosting last." Also a great turn-taking activity. 2-3 kids could work cooperatively. Of course the pretend play opportunities are endless. Next time we'll pull out the chef hats and aprons. They both like playing restaurant, but maybe I'll get LM to put on a cooking show demonstration. Look out Food Network, here we come!

Keep up the good work Melissa and Doug! This one is a winner!

Sing and Play the Sensory Way! ~Lea =)

PS - My favorite Melissa and Doug vendor! www.gummylump.com

Sensory Saturday: Slice and Bake Cookies

I'll start this by saying the creative side of me usually shies away from "commercial toys" as I get a big kick out of finding new functions for everyday items. But I'll make an exception for this Sensory Saturday because my family LOVES LOVES LOVES Melissa and Doug's Slice and Bake Cookies.

They're great quality of course - M&D do wooden toys like no other. The set consists of 12 round cookies with a piece of (very strong) velcro on each side; 12 decorated "frosting" pieces with a square of velcro, a baking pan with 12 velcro squares, a cardboard tube container, an oven mitt, a wooden spatula and a wooden knife.

I hope you all have already discovered the wondrous sensory joy that is velcro. If not, remind to blog about it, it's worth a whole entry on its own! So back to the cookies ... the cookies are beautifully minimalistic. Maria Montessori would approve for sure. There's a nice weight to the set, and that alone starts giving some great sensory input. LM dove into the box and started velcroing cookies together and then pulling them apart. Again, hooray for super duty velcro, he really had to get a good grip and then use some muscle to get them apart. RRRIIIIPPPP ... ah, a satisfying sound as well! I gave him some suggestions on how to expand this activity - next we tried to "unscrew" them. (Think Oreo cookies). Then my favorite part. We stacked the 12 cookies on top of one another and laid them on their side like a log. Time to slice with the wooden knife. There was a good amount of resistance and LM really had to push down on the knife. We're definitely incorporating this slicing into his sensory diet. He was so calm and focused.

Bear was his little helper and got to stick the cookie slices to the baking pan. Great opportunity to introduce multi-step directions and processes. "First slice the cookie, then put it on the sheet, then put it in the oven and put on the frosting last." Also a great turn-taking activity. 2-3 kids could work cooperatively. Of course the pretend play opportunities are endless. Next time we'll pull out the chef hats and aprons. They both like playing restaurant, but maybe I'll get LM to put on a cooking show demonstration. Look out Food Network, here we come!

Keep up the good work Melissa and Doug! This one is a winner!

Sing and Play the Sensory Way! ~Lea =)

PS - My favorite Melissa and Doug vendor! www.gummylump.com

Typical

*sigh*

Last night we took LM to our local elementary school for a "read aloud" night. They invite the upcoming Kindergartners to come to the classroom to hear a story, get to know each other and get familiar with the school.

It's really a great program. For typical children. For a child with sensory processing issues, for my child, its another big obstacle.

An obstacle that has been on my mind for weeks. I can't stop talking about it, stressing over it, imagining it. How can I prepare LM? What would it be like?

Well, it was bad.

There was noise, there were distractions, there were 20 typical 4 and 5 year olds sitting on a rug. And then there was LM. Pacing the room, counting and talking, trying to make sense of his world. And as much as the whole program didn't make sense to LM, LM didn't make sense to the typical parents.

Unfortunately the program is only a half hour. 20 minutes into it LM was getting better, getting more comfortable. The teacher held up the book and LM read the title, author and publisher before she could. The typical parents gasped. I forget that it's not "typical" for typical kids to be reading at a second grade level when they're in preschool.

Then they had milk and cookies. The typical kids scrambled, LM waited his turn and said "No thank you, I'm allergic" when the teacher offered him milk. The teacher looked stunned. I forget that it's not "typical" for typical kids to have had years of social skill training and remember to use their manners with strangers.

"How's your cookie, LM?"
"I think it has flax seeds"

Oh, that's right. Typical 4 year olds don't know all about supplements. Or the planets, or nouns and vowels and math and ...

Well, then it was time to go. LM hadn't made any friends, acted kind of weird, and other than sitting fairly well (on the chair I pulled out for him while the typical kids sat in the floor), I thought the night was pretty disastrous. I should probably mention that I hadn't made any friends either. I couldn't really chat, I couldn't really take my eyes off LM. So I gathered up the little man, and started to slip out the back door.

"Excuse me, LM's Mom?"

Uh oh. The principal. I was prepared with all my answers, yes, he's in a special ed. program now, yes, we've looked at your contained classroom, no, we don't think it's appropriate for him, yes, we think he can be mainstreamed with an aide (you just didn't get a good sense of him tonight I swear) ... but she didn't ask me any of that.

Instead she told me LM was exceptionally bright and I was doing a great job at anticipating his sensory needs and facilitating his progress. She reminded me to make sure that sensory accommodations are written into his IEP, and told me she looked forward to watching his progress. And I said, well, nothing. I was speechless.

And with that, LM turned around, called out "Bye everyone!" and the kids called back, "Bye LM!" Best friends? No, probably not, but it's a darn good start. So another obstacle overcome. And another member of LM's fan club. Weeks of stressing over this and it went just fine. I couldn't wait to tell Daddy when we got home, he'd be happy to know that I can stop obsessing. So I walked in with smiles instead of the anticipated tears.

"It went great!"
"Uh, what went great?"

Typical.

Sensory Saturday: Weighted Backpack Capes

These are a favorite in our house! A while ago LM started filling his backpack with "treasures" and wearing it around the house. What a great alternative to a weighted vest! We definitely noticed the calming effect it had on him.

So recently we were at a play date with a whole lot of little girls. And if there's one thing that little girls know how to do best, it's play dress up. Much to my delight, LM wanted to join in on the fun. Pretend play is still one of his biggest struggles, so at first he just donned a tutu and walked around the room. (We're progressive like that!) I could tell that he was trying to calm himself and organize his thoughts by pacing the room, all the while watching the girls play. Hmmm, how could I facilitate this?

I spotted a backpack and started filling it with wooden blocks. He put it on, took one more lap, and sat down for "tea time" with the ladies. Success! But next he wanted to know if he could wear a princess dress. "Well, you could ... (as I search around for something else) but how about a super hero cape instead?" I picked up a velour baby blanket, pinned it onto the straps of the backpack, and Voila! a weighted super hero cape! LM grinned and took off to save the universe. In fact, "princess and super hero" play dates are still our most successful social interactions.

So that's the story of the backpack cape. I love it for its obvious sensory benefits, but the pretend play opportunities are endless too.

Have fun!
Lea

Happy People Smile

I'll let you in on a secret. I started blogging almost two years ago, and it was a huge #FAIL.

I think, like is always the case in life, timing is everything. When I go back and read those posts I see a different family. A scared mom putting on a happy face, a lost little boy trying to make sense of his world, a marriage in trouble, and a baby whose infancy was rushed just so his neurotic mother could "start seeing some milestones." Ouch. Not the prettiest picture. I thought I was holding it all together. Little did I know when I wrote the last post of that blog that my "breaking point" was just days away.

So here goes ... this is the last post of my first blog. The post that forced me to really look at the state of my family and finally seek out some counseling and get my life (and head) in order. In a way, it's the best thing I've ever done. You might think a concerned friend pulled me aside and asked "how are you coping?" or a family member gently suggested I speak with someone ... but no. When I look back, I realize it was all about this last post. Pretty amazing. Here goes ....

"So today was 'one of those days' ... I was feeling down, ... overwhelmed with life and underwhelmed with motivation. The weather was dreary, I was drearier ... you get the picture. I must have sighed loud enough to disturb LM from lining up his toys (another blog for another day) and this is how our conversation went ...

LM: "Mommy sad."

Me: "No, Little Man. Mommy's happy. Mommy's always happy when I'm with my boys."

LM: "Happy people smile Mommy."

Me: Wow. Just Wow.

So there you have it. Take it from a 3 year old with extensive social skill training. Happy People Smile."

And there you have it. Diagnosed with depression by my autistic toddler. There's one for the Psych journals, huh?

La La Later ...

Lea

La La Love It! ... Model Me Kids iPhone App

La La LOVE It! ...

Model Me Kids Going Places iPhone App

http://www.modelmekids.com/iphone-app-autism.html





Oh the dreaded haircut. LM has worked through a whole lot of his sensory issues, but the haircut is still our nemesis. We've tried them all ... specialty kids salons with race car chairs, Daddy's barber (but don't you want to be a BIG boy? Uh, nope.), Mommy's salon with tons of lollipop bribes, even the backyard with Daddy wielding the buzzer.

It always ends the same: A screaming kid and a lousy haircut.



As I was searching through the App store on my iPhone, I came across Model Me Kids.
Based on their DVD series, Model Me Going Places, this app is designed to familiarize children with locations that may be challenging, and to help teach appropriate behavior in these places through peer modeling. LM *loves* the iPhone and uses it every chance he can get, so I was fairly confident that this just might be a winner.



He watched the social story before we got into the car, and I used the dialogue from the video to talk it over with him as we drove to the barber. I must admit, in the past I have "ambushed" him and not told him where we were going until we walked in. Not the best strategy I know, but the hysterics usually start as soon as the word "haircut" is uttered. To my surprise and delight, LM actually walked in on his own accord. Again, I used exact dialogue to prompt him, and he sat in the chair and put on his cape with minimal fussing.

There were still tears when the buzzer started, but no full blown meltdown. We stopped once and he held the iPhone and watched the whole video again. The barber was actually able to give him a little bit of a "hairstyle" instead of the usual shave-it-all-off-so-we-don't-have-to-do-this-again-anytime-soon haircut.


Huge success! The Barber was impressed, I was relaxed, and LM? Well, the Little Man was as handsome as ever. Thanks Model Me Kids!


La La Later ...

Lea

Tales of a Literal Child

If I ever write a book about my first born, it will surely be titled Tales of a Literal Child. (I can see all of you "Aspie Moms" nodding your head in understanding) For everyone else, allow me to explain.

Now would be a good time to introduce you to my "cast of characters". Little Man (LM for short) is my oldest son. At 13 months old we began to suspect significant developmental delays. At 2 years old he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. By 3 and a half years old he was starting to talk, but only stringing 2 words together or labeling objects. Thankfully with the help of wonderful therapists, a strict sensory diet and days filled with Floortime, we now have a very bright, very interactive and very very talkative 5 year old on our hands. Bear is his little brother, a very typical 2.5 year old who loves to be his big brother's sidekick. Bear's journey has certainly been easier than LM's but he also "put in his time" as part of the Baby Sibs Project at Yale University. We travelled to the Child Development Center in New Haven once a month for the first 15 months of his life. Remind me to blog about this later as it's a phenomenal program. So those are our children, a 5 year old professor and a 2 year old Ivy League grad. No shortage of blog material in this household! =o)

I've learned to love all of LM's quirks, but my favorite by far is the literalism. From our aptly named pets, (Fish our-last-name) to his philosophical day to day commentary, the Little Literal Man keeps us laughing. I thought I'd share one of my favorites.

We were recently on vacation with his cousins, sharing a cozy cabin in the woods. This was our breakfast conversation:

Me: How did you sleep R?

R: Fine.

Me: How did you sleep T?

T: Ok, I was a little hot.

Me: How did you sleep, Bear?

Bear: *ignores me while he chows down on his blueberry pancakes* (typical!)

Me: How did you sleep LM?

LM: On a bed with a pillow.

I should note that with this dry delivery comes an underlining "Well duh? How did you sleep?" To which I can only answer, well ... On a bed. With a pillow. duh.

La La Later ...
Lea

Sensory Saturday: Exam Table Paper

Who knew a roll of paper could elicit such joy? (And as much as the kids enjoyed playing with it, I'm speaking of my joy... we occupied ourselves for almost 2 hours straight on a rainy Saturday morning!) If you're not familiar with exam table paper it's that super thin, crinkly, somewhat translucent paper that sticks to your you-know-what when you go to the doctor.

The Little Man (LM) gets all the credit for this sensory play day. I brought a roll home as a much cheaper alternative to easel paper, expecting the boys to draw and paint on it. Little did I know, exam table paper is a sensory extravaganza!

LM got his grubby little hands on it and right away built a road. He started on one end of the den, gave it a push ... and voila! a 20 foot road appeared. First he carefully walked toe to toe (like a balance beam) the length of the road. Little Bear of course was quick to follow. Hey! added bonus: the paper makes a crinkly sound! I asked them if the paper made different sounds if they walked, jumped or crawled down the road. To their sensory delight, it sure did.

Those who know me know that I'm singing a La La Language song every chance I can get, and this was an activity that called for a song!

Ha Ha This A-Way

Bear is walking, walking, walking,

Bear is walking all day long.

Ha Ha this a-way Ha Ha that a-way

Ha Ha this a-way, all day long.

(hey LM - how do you want to go down the road?)

LM is skipping, skipping, skipping,

LM is skipping all day long.

Ha Ha this a-way ...

("Bear is smiling! How does he feel? Yes! He feels happy! Happy people smile!)

Bear is smiling, smiling, smiling,

Bear is Happy all day long.

Ha Ha this a-way ha ha that a-way

Ha Ha this a-way, all day long.

Whew! We walked, ran, skipped, hopped, crawled ... even rolled down our Sensory Street. I love to use this song as often as possible for a bunch of reasons. From a sensory standpoint you're getting heavy work and gross motor skills. Social interaction is encouraged when 2 or more kids are playing this together. Have the kids take turns, wait on line, follow the leader, or partner up and walk down together. I use every opportunity to reinforce emotions and social skills, so reminding LM of smiling, happy and laughing fits well here. And oh! the language possibilities with this song! This is a great one for kids at every developmental level. From CV and CVCV (consonant/vowel "Ha" "Ha Ha") combinations to introducing action verbs (Walking, running, jumping, smiling) to asking "Wh" questions (What do you want to do? Who is jumping?) ... this is one of my favorite language enrichment songs!

"Ha Ha" was fun while it lasted, but came to an end in a full blown tug-of-war battle, the paper now twisted and a boy on each end. (I'll let you in on a daily dilemma in my home ... should I be the socially responsible parent and stop this "bad behavior" or cheer them on because they've come up with another fab sensory play activity? I bet you know the answer!) I let it go on for a little while knowing that the heavy work would calm LM down. Success ... they both collapsed in a pile of giggles.

We then unrolled another 10 feet or so of paper, gave them each an end and pretended it was a parachute. The paper filled with air and billowed up with a satisfying crackling sound.

We practiced shaking fast, slow, high and low ... check back soon for some great parachute songs.

Next we took some time to explore the different textures we could make with the paper. Fine motor work and heavy work combined when we crumpled, squeezed, twisted and tore the paper.

Hmm ... now what to do with all these balls of crumpled paper? How about a "snowball fight"? Lots of fun to throw, even more fun hiding ducking and dodging. And of course, when we're through, the Clean Up song. But this isn't our ordinary clean up. Today we pulled out the wastebasket and had a paper ball toss. Never one to miss out on an opportunity to count, LM counted all 27 balls. Bear did pretty well too - joined in and counted to 12.

LM did the finishing touches and rolled the rest of the paper back onto the roll. A fine display of intrinsic muscle coordination if I do say so myself. Hooray for OT! By now we were ready for stories and naps. What a Sen(sory)sational morning!

And to think, I just thought we'd break out the crayons. Hey - we never did do any drawing! Well, there's always tomorrow.

La La Later ...

Lea

Welcome!

So I've finally joined the world of blogging. My friends are saying "It's about time" because several times a week I stop what we're doing and say, "This would make a great blog post! I should blog about this!" Time to just do it.

I've spent months trying to come up with a great title. "Happy People Smile" and "Tales of a Literal Child" (Don't you worry - lengthy explanations will be blogged soon!) were the front runners, but in the end, La La Language is who I am. My hope for this blog is to share resources about early childhood developmental delays and invite you to join my family's journey.

I'm eager to share experiences with parents and would really welcome professionals with resources to share. Each week you will find a sensory activity; a language enrichment song or activity; an article related to autism, adhd, sensory processing disorder, auditory processing disorder or developmental delay; a product or program review (aptly named La La LOVE it!), and a healthy dose of my witty children's antics.

La La Later ...
Lea