PLAY CAN BE LIKE WORK....

 

For kids with autism and sensory  processing disorders play can be like work.  Understandable since our Kiddos sometimes struggle with language skills, motor planning and sensory issues.These things can hinder social development.

 

Our kiddos may avoid things other children enjoy and seek out.

Ultimately effecting how they function in society and reaction to the everyday life. 

 

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.....

Parents  most of us do the best we can. None of us are perfect we all make mistakes. You don't know what you don't know .........

 

I think it's natural for mom's to not want their children to be uncomfortable. It's our job to prepare them for life. Sometimes I think we forget that when we are uncomfortable. Remember I said what you don't know you don't know. 

 

In my case when I took my daughter to do something and I got a negative response more than once I avoided the activity. Looking back that was not the best decision. I thought I was protecting her. It turns out I was not.  

Let me be clear her safety always came first, but discomfort is not dangerous.  

 

I put my daughter in a mother's day out program when she 2 or 2.5 .  Looking back at pictures of noisey events I saw my daughter with her fingers in her ears. I thought how could I have not noticed that! I paid attention to everything concerning her. HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED THAT. Well it turns out everyone missed it too. 

 

I was about to learn a foreign language!!!!!!!!

 

I first heard the phrase not knowing where your body is in time and spaces , I could not even grasp such a abstract concept.  

 

At the age of 3 my daughter stated seeing an occupation therapist. That's when I first learned about sensory intergration issues, and I had no idea how complicated things were about to get.  

 

So what is sensory intergration????

This definition comes from the book 101 Games and Activities for Children with Autism. Asperger"s and Sensory are Disorders.  

 

Sensory intergration- The neurological process by which the body and the environment is taken in,analyzed and categorized in the brain so meaning can be attached to it.

 

I understand it ,but in order to digest it ,I needed to put it in simpler terms. So it made sense to me when I thought of it in these terms.

 

Sensory intergration - The process of gathering information from the body ( reactions ) , gathering information from the environment and combining two or more of those things effectively.  

 

The author of the book I just mentioned gives a great example of what sensory intergration looks like .

She uses the visual system working with the vestibular and proprioceptive system to explain. 

 

The visual  motor  coordination  lets the person respond when a ball is  moving toward them ,and how the person extends his or her hands to catch the ball.

 

I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU ONLY HAD FIVE SENSES. GUESS WHAT I WAS WRONG.......

 

As I continue to learn about this sensory stuff, I learned we have seven senses.  

 

Vestibular - balance and motion

 

Proprioceptive  - body position 

 

Tactile - touch 

 

Visual - seeing 

 

Auditory - hearing 

 

Gustatory - taste 

 

Olfactory - smell

 

 

Now can you see why this is so complicated? 

 

The next few post I will be doing speak to our experience with sensory intergration issues. How we recognized it, and a few things that have helped. 

I want to remind you that I'm just a mom ,and sensory issues are complex. There is alot of information out there, so pace yourself. 

 

 

I would highly recommend the book 

101 Games and Activities for Children with Autism ,Asperger's and sensory processing disorders. 

By Tara Delaney , M.S., OTR.

My daughter and I have played alot of these games . In fact we still play some of them .The games are fun and helpful. 

 

Please check out my next entry to learn more .

 

 

 

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