A Hint from a Sensory Seeker's Mom

image via: http://www.oocities.org/gloriousaustraliana/

My daughter is a sensory seeker. She has painted the kitchen in ketchup, waxed her bedroom floor with skin cream and covered herself in various sticky and/or slimy substances. 
This time Sensi put Vaseline in her hair. This is a recurring problem; she has put lotion, rash cream, and other goopy things in her hair. 
I was lamenting the fact that her hair was still greasy to her occupational therapist. I had washed Sensi's hair 5 times, and used lots of dry shampoo spray; her therapist suggested using baking soda.

image via: http://www.bigoven.com/article/recipe/baking-soda

Apparently this is the new/old way to clean hair, like dry shampoo, only cheaper, and more importantly, readily available in my house. The difference is the recommended way to use baking soda to clean hair is a few teaspoons diluted in water to massage in and rinse with cider vinegar. I just dumped 2 tablespoons in her hair, rubbed it into the greasy spots, and washed her hair as usual with shampoo. Lo and behold...clean hair.

image via: http://www.hmitchellsalon.com/blog/tag/a-line-bob

If you have a sure method to clean up the messes a sensory seeker makes, please share. We all could use a little help when faced with the unique messes our sensory seekers can create.

AIT, Berard Ear Training: Week One

image via:  http://www.dakmart.com/product_info.php?products_id=4835 

We started SensiGirl's AIT listening training. It has been eventful from the get go. Sensi was okay with wearing the headphones, since she had done other listening therapy in the past. Everything started well, at around the 20 minute mark she started screaming and took the headphones off and refused to put them back on. There were many screaming refusals and we finally gave up after about 5 long minutes of trying to convince her that  she needed to complete the session.

image via:  http://www.ehow.com/how_4788335_stop-tantrum-using-positive-parenting.html 

Our listening therapist gave me a social story to read to SensiGirl about some of the possible effects of the therapy. They had explained to me before we started the therapy that there might be some regressions in toileting and behavior otherwise. What I didn't expect was the Sensi party in the wee hours of the morning. She was up singing and bouncing at 4:30 and I think stayed up until I arose at 7:30. I can't be sure though because I think I fell back asleep around 6:00. We completed the second day; saying that she would be extra sensitive is a bit of an understatement. She plugged her ears at the TV, at the sound of the mailbox clanging open and shut and the squeak in the door. She was also extra bouncy and silly and spent some time just screaming because she could.

image via:  http://www.newsline.dot.state.mn.us/archive/10/feb/24.html 

The third day, Wednesday, was tough. She was compliant enough about wearing the headphones and listening, but she was having trouble with transitions. It didn't help that we had a few extra since her brother went to his auntie's for fun and games. She also wouldn't leave the building after her afternoon session. She kept telling me "A boat, a train!" I finally made the connection that she felt sort of seasick. So I picked her up off the floor, put her in the car and headed across town to pick up Random Guy from his visit at his auntie's house. There has been a lot of screaming but when I asked her if she felt scared or sad or sick she could answer me. She said she felt sick. That is a huge step.

image: http://loscuatroojos.com/2008/06/01/still-in-hospital-dizzy-and-itchy/

Then on Thursday we had no trouble with listening or feeling sick, she was popping out 5 and 6 word sentences here and there and playing hand clapping games with her brother. The down side to the day was the gigantic melt down at bed time with flopping on the floor and kicking and screaming. She was mad that she didn't get to finish watching the Angelina Ballerina special she picked for her Netflix turn. She eventually settled down but we had to compromise on nightclothes. She kept her dress on from the day and she let me put on her p.j. pants. She went to bed singing sad melodies; eventually she cheered up and went to sleep.
Friday, we made it through the last sessions of the week. I have noticed she was tired and a bit crabby, well a lot crabby. When we picked her daddy up at the airport she said "Hi Daddy," in response to his greeting. She usually has to be prompted. She fell asleep at her usual time.

image via:  http://www.scientificamerican.com/gallery_directory.cfm?photo_id=70669B02-9E06-A500-D55E65529708E864 

Over the weekend, the Atomic Punk (DH) noticed she is speaking more, and is more apt to answer questions now. She did request to be spun in the office chair for a good half hour on Saturday. She still plugs her ears at certain songs and sounds, but she is talking more about her feelings, she said she felt fidgety.
Sunday morning she slept in, which she will do from time to time. She was much more interactive with us. She had more to say about what she watched on TV and what she was drawing. In general she was sharing her thoughts with us more.
We have one more week to go. I will write the next update after next week is over. If you have had an experience with AIT listening therapy, it would be interesting to hear how things went for you.



resources: http://www.kidsenabled.org/articles/index.php/200603/the-power-of-sound-a-therapy-worth-listening-to/
http://www.autism.com/index.php/understanding_ait_summary
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ait-institute-podcast
http://www.drguyberard.com/
http://www.georgianainstitute.org/

Taciturn Tuesday: Vertical North Shore

image by paul chesley
via: http://www.allposters.com/-sp/A-Shirtless-Rock-Climber-Scales-an-Almost-Vertical-Cliff-Face-on-the-North-Shore-of-Lake-Superior-Posters_i3918378_.htm