sensory input

 Seth was diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disfunction at 10 months old.  He had trouble with organizing the input he got from all of his senses.  Visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular....the list goes on, it's a challenge.   He struggles day to day with activities and learning because of his sensory issues.  The greatest book that I have read thus far is "Raising a Sensory Smart Child" written by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske.   It is a must read for any parent who thinks that their child may have sensory issues.  We knew from day 1 Seth had issues because the slightest noise would wake him.  He hardly slept as an infant and would scream for hours on end.  When it came time for baby food, he couldn't handle the textures.  So we ended up seeing an OT and that was the start of the journey we've been on ever since.  My point for this post was to share what we do day to day in our house to give Seth the input he needs to function better.  There is alot to learn about Sensory Integration and it was all very foreign to me....research, research, research is the best thing you can do.  But when you come to the point of diagnosis, you then have to discover which senses are hypersensitive and which are hyposensitive to your child.  Seth craves deep vestibular and proprioceptive input.  We have a mini trampoline in our house with a handle, for him to  jump on.  We have a swing hanging in the doorway for good linear movement.  He loves to be swaddled tight in a blanket and rocked.  I inflate a twin sized air mattress and plank it to our couch.  He climbs up and rolls down (by far his favorite activity) this gives him the most beneficial input.  I hide wooden puzzle pieces in sand and bean filled buckets, which helps with his tactile defensiveness.  He paints with shaving cream in the bath tub as tactile play as well. Even snacktime can be a source of input.  Crunchy chips, chewy snacks and a thick milkshake through a straw, are all good ways to get the sensory input he needs.  There are endless options for incorporating sensory activities in the home.   When Seth gets the input he needs throughout the day, his nervous system is much more organized and he is better regulated.  For more good activities a great book is "The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun" written by Carol Stock Kranowitz.  Feel free to comment any fun activities or tips that you use to help your child with sensory struggles!