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| Parents of Children with Sensory Needs |
| Public online group |
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Hi everyone!
I am new to the group and have a question for you all. My son (he will be 2 next Sunday), just started OT this past week to deal with his sensory needs. She has started him on a brushing program. When I brush him he giggles, everywhere excepts for his feet he screams and yells boo boo. Anyway, she started this as a calming technique, but it has had the opposite effect...he get NASTY!!! Has anyone experienced this with brushing? Should I continue? I called the therapist and she said he would get used to it, but I feel like he is regressing and it is causing more damage then it is of benefit. Any input you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! |
| Posted by Kim on 07/18/2008 12:50 AM
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| Hello! My daughter is 2 and we just started a brushing program with our OT. I'm sorry that your son has been getting nasty afterward. Our Isabella LOVES it. She tenses all of her muscles when I do her palms/soles, but we just go through it quickly. The whole thing takes less than 3 min, and we do it every 2 hrs. I'm very sing songey when I do it, so she knows what's coming. I just say/sing Brush Brush Brushing...etc. It soothes her, and she smiles. OT said it was to help the nervous system start to make connections, and we saw results within the first few days. Bella started playing with her hands and feet which were of no real interest to her in the past. She really is starting to put some things together! Our OT said to discontinue if Bella got sick, which she did and we had to quit for 8 days, but I'm not sure about the foot thing with your son. Ask the OT more questions...can you just skip the feet for now, or not do the soles, especially if he giggles during the rest? Do you know why he says booboo for his feet? I wish you luck, and was HAPPY to hear from another brushing mommy. I'd be happy to ask our OT about it. We see her Tuesday. Take care, Kim, and I hope to talk with you soon:) |
| posted by Patricia on 07/18/2008 09:39 AM
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Hello. I have been brushing my son on and off for about 2 years. I have a few questions for you then I will tell you what our OT has told us and share our experience with brushing. Please know, I don't think you are having difficulty with this because you are doing something wrong. First, Did your son have the same response when the OT did the brushing? Second, Are you sure you are brushing correctly and firm enough? If your son had the same result when the OT did the brushing you are probably doing it the same way. If not, call your OT and ask if you can stop until the next session because you want be shown how to do it again. Both the OT's that have worked with us have said that if you don't push firmly enough it causes problems and is actually extremely irritating to the child. It is hard to know just how firm to push and your OT should watch you do it. Our first OT wouldn't even let me brush my son until I properly brushed her arms and then worked with me on my son. Are you doing joint compressions after brushing? Are you clear about the protocall and comfortable following it? If not, ask if you can stop until your next session until you receive additional instructions. I have been shown how to brush my child at least 4 separate times and by 2 OTs. I have asked about the compressions more times than that. I don't know why brushing is so hard for me, but it is.
When we first started brushing our sessions were on Friday and our OT wouldn't let me start the program until the following Monday in case I had "negative" reactions so she could discuss whether or not I should continue brushing. She told me that it causes negative behavior for some children. She also told me I could skip the palms and feet if that wasn't working for Jack because he was so sensitve in those areas. When we started I brushed Jack every 2 hours for 2 weeks. Luckily it worked wonders for him. One thing I learned along the way is that not everything works for every child.
Hang in there!! Don't feel stupid asking the OT questions even if they are the same questions over and over. Kids with these problems are difficult and it takes some trial and error to get it right with them. When Jack was 2, I never in a million years thought my child would be happy, be able to go to a store without a meltdown, eat at a resturant with out a screaming fit, or tolerate wearing most forms of clothing. It sucked big time and I was so tired and mentally worn out. But now he is 4 and I have been doing the OT thing and other interventions as best as I can (sometimes I am just too tired to work with him every second of the day and plunk him in front of the tv just to catch my breath). People who meet my son now would never guess he had the level of difficulty he had 2 years ago. He is happy a lot, can go to most stores, can wear most clothing, can eat at a limited number of resturants, and is a whole lot easier to be around. I still have to make accomodations for him to help him through some things, but it isn't nearly as much as when I first got him help.
One thing that really calmed my son was playing with dry pinto beans (go figure). It is a cheap easy thing to try. If you have a Costco near you, you can buy a huge bag. Otherwise, a small bag or two from the grocery store works great too. I have put them in a small plastic swiming pool, laundry basket (one without holes) our first OT had them in a large rubbermaid bin. You can hide toys in the beans and let your son dig for them. Or if your son is like mine, he can climb in the beans and sit in them and bury his legs with the beans. I used to rub the beans on his legs briskly after he covered them. You just need to watch to make sure he doesn't eat them and choke. Best of Luck to You!!! |
| posted by Anna on 07/18/2008 01:02 PM
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| Kim, I was thinking about you this morning. How's the brushing going? Did you continue brushing or give it up? Hope all is well with you. |
| posted by Anna on 08/29/2008 04:49 PM
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