Sensory "Tips of the Day " for the Month of October Courtesy of LifeSkills

**** In honor of National Sensory Awareness Month, Sandy Wainman of LifeSkills in Winter Park, will be adding a "Tip of the Day" for each day of October. Please see the "Tips" below to help you get started. Send your questions to sensory@earthlink.net. Answers will be posted on the 3rd of each month in her "Dear Sandy" Column. You can call LifeSkills at 407-629-9455.

A “Sensory Processing Disorder” causes someone to be too high or too low.
Our goal: to achieve “Just Right” (calm, ready-to-learn, good behavior, and social skills)

**** TIP OF THE DAY...
Day 1 - Symptom of Overload: CLINGY
Try: Hold child tightly and rock gently;
A quiet, cozy, very tight space

Day 2 - Symptom of Under-stimulation: HYPER, NEVER STOPS, SPINS, MOVES
Try: Setting aside a "movement space"; Slow down action (i.e. climbing) by holding him back alittle/ make muscle work harder and give a chance for that muscle action to be felt

Day 3 - Symptom of Overload: IMPULSIVE
Try: Repetitive, rhythmical rocking in a rocking chair or glider; Frequent breaks with whole body moving; walking back and forth,pushing hard against hands and feet or whole body

Day 4 - Symptom of Under-stimulation: FIDGETS, CAN'T SIT STILL
Try: Starting the day with heavy muscle work, bear walk, crib walk, push-ups

Day 5 - Symptom of Overload: ANXIOUS, ANGRY, FRUSTRATED *
Try: Blowing - vibration, whistles, or bubbles; Resistive pushing,
pulling. Heavy muscle work; climbing, moving on all 4s, resistive exercises

* same symptoms (ANXIOUS, ANGRY, FRUSTRATED) can also be symptoms of Under-stimulation. Try the same list of actions, as above.

Day 6 - Symptom of Overload: HITS, BITES, PUSHES instead of USING LANGUAGE
Try: Minimize or stop talking, lower voice and noise, decrease lighting
A quiet, cozy, very tight space.

Day 7 - Symptom of Under-stimulation: UNMOTIVATED, DOES NOT STAY WITH TASK
Try: Table or circle time - ball seat or rocker board; Give intense spicy, sour, or chewy food

Day 8 - Symptom of Overload: RUNS AWAY AND HIDES
Try: Providing a quiet, cozy, tight space; Minimize or stop talking; use calmers only

Day 9 - Symptom of Under-stimulation: MORNING IS A DISASTER, HARD TO GET STARTED
Try: Starting the morning with heavy muscle work; pushing or pulling
heavy loads; Set aside a "movement space"

Day 10 - Symptom of Overload: SAYS "NO" TO EVERYTHING, PUSHES AWAY
Try: Do not force eye contact or unwanted touch. Use natural or dimmed lighting

Day 11 - Symptom of Under-stimulation:UNCLEAR ARTICULATION,FACE “SAGGY” or "HOLLOW"
Try: Providing gum or other chewy food; Offering a "chew toy"

Day 12 - Symptom of Overload: UNREASONABLE, OVERLY SENSITIVE,IMPULSIVE,QUICK TEMPERED
Try: Repetitive horizontal or vertical movement (bouncing on a ball swinging); Use natural or dimmed light.

Day 13 - Symptom of Under-Stimulation:EATS SOFT FOODS ONLY(CHICKEN NUGGETS,PIZZA, MACARONI)
Try: Introducing intense spicy, sour, or chewy foods slowly; Every day, do a mouth-strengthening exercise – like 20 chews on left and 20 chews on right with a “chewy” tube

Day 14 - Symptom of Overload: PICKY EATER, GAGS WHEN EATING
Try: Providing a calming environment during meals, give a resistive item for “gnawing” before mealtime;Using natural or dimmed light

Day 15 - Symptom of Overload: DOESN’T SEEM TO HEAR
Try: Sucking through a narrow straw for drinking room temperature liquids for calming; A quiet, cozy, very tight space

Day 16 - Symptom of Under-Stimulation: BREAKS TOYS, PENCILS, CRAYONS,USES TOO MUCH FORCE IN HUGS, SPILLS, SPEAKS LOUDLY
Try: Encourage weight-bearing activities: push-ups, working prone over a ball; Wake up hands by rubbing palms together, clapping and tapping hands before

Day 17 - Symptom of Overload: COMPLAINS ABOUT NOISES, COVERS EARS
Try: Listen to rhythmical, repetitive music through a headset; Using natural or dimmed lights

Day 18 - Symptom of Under-Stimulation: POOR HANDWRITING, GRASPS PENCIL TIGHTLY
Try: Animal walks: bear walk, crab walks to precede fine-motor activity, Sit at table on ball or T-stool

Day 19 - Symptom of Overload: DOESN’T FOCUS, IS DISTRACTABLE
Try: Horizontal movement: walking back and forth to precede focus time, Calm for applesauce, jello, thick shakes

Day 20- Symptom of Under-Stimulation: SLUMPS, SLOUCHES, LIES DOWN, RESTLESS
Try: During the school day, provide heavy muscle work and movement breaks; Sit on a ball or T-stool or a moving, unstable surface. Work from tummy position

Day 21 - Symptom of Overload: DOESN’T FALL ASLEEP
Try: Horizontal or vertical moving: repetitive, rhythmical, resistive: rocking chair,glider,walking back and forth,any pushing hard against hands and feet or whole body; Providing a consistent night time routine of calming activities.

Day 22 - Symptom of Under-Stimulation: DARE DEVIL, DOESN’T LEARN FROM GETTING HURT
Try: Use a ball to sit at desk or table to provide movement throughout the day; In classroom on tummy: horizontal or vertical moving:repetitive,rhythmical,resistive: rocking chair,glider,walking back and forth,any pushing hard against hands and feet
or whole body

Day 23 - Symptom of Under-Stimulation: CONTROLLING AND BOSSY
Try: Start the day with muscle work; Bear walk, crab walk on a colored-tape line

Day 24 - Symptom of Under-Stimulation: INCONSISTENT FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT
Try: In classroom: on tummy for bean bag/or floor;Establishing a morning routine involving movement and heavy work

Day 25 - Symptom of Under-Stimulation: CHEWS ON SHIRT AND INEDIBLES, TOUCHES EVERYTHING
Try: Use resistive, chewy food (cold or safely hot); Provide a “chewy”/non-food item for “gnawing”

Day 26 - Symptom of Overload: Meltdown
Try: Stop talking; Provide deep pressure (lying on floor, in a safe, low-stim location, rhythmically given or self-providing deep pressure to skin and intensive
muscle use

Day 27 - Symptom of Overload: Parent is upset with child.
Try: Calm yourself first (airline mask-on first theory); Do not use spanking as your calmer; Wait to teach your lesson until child is calm and able to listen.

Day 28 - Symptom of Overload: Child in unreasonable state
Try: Not to spank because it provides a deep pressure response (and deep pressure is wanted by child for calming). Minimize talking, use calmers only.

Day 29 - Symptom of Under-Stimulation: Dealing with an intelligent, but low-producing child
Try: Assume an unresolved issue; Give benefit of doubt that child wants to be/feel successful(this symptom could also indicate “Overload”; try same actions)

Day 30 - Recess taken away as a punishment
Try: Substituting another meaningful consequence; Work in conjunction with teacher as help to identify likes/dislikes

Day 31 - Spinning/moving constantly
Try: Recognizing these movements as seeking so need child to move slowly and feel the intense muscle work of full weight bearing (hanging, pushing hard, creeping, wheelbarrows).