Re: Looking for ideas to help my son

[Guest guest]

Hi Ric,

Regarding the stimming and the fabric sensitivity - these are things that may

increase, decrease or change over time while you are working on his diet and

supps programme, but alongside your biomed I would highly recommend finding an

OT - probably private, but you may be lucky in your NHS area - who is

experienced in 'Sensory Integration' and getting a full assessment of his

sensory profile.

A good OT can tell you if they need more input or less - some kids need

compression clothing to wear so they know where they are and dont have any

'light touch' on their body. The buttons themselves may or may not be the issue

- it could be their weight pressing the fabric against his body? That sounds

extreme but if every single one of his skin receptors is firing, he will be able

to feel the breeze just from someone walking past as if it were a touch?

My son was obsessed with labels in his clothes - due to tactile defensiveness,

and over time this overlapped into his need for controlling his environment and

became an OCD where he has to cut labels off anything from chairs to tea towels

to visitors' clothing! I think if we had understood from the beginning what his

motivation and underlying reason was it may have helped and possibly not have

spiralled so far out?

With stimming activities - these are very often things that kids automatically

do which 'reset' their systems. There is lots of research going on in this

field but it does seem many stimming activities fire up specific areas in the

brain that need extra stimulation and the kids are automatically trying to

balance their neural activity. Although stims often get in the way of learning

or life in general and we all tend to seek to reduce them, I think if you can

get underneath it, there may be some kind of input he is seeking that you can

give him much more intensely in a different way with the right equipment - its

not always expensive. All kids are different, but for example - longs strips of

thick velcro for a satisfactory alternative to 'ripping', or dynabands, or

legweights - theres all sorts of things - but there definitely needs to be a

solid investigation underneath as to what areas are overreactive and which are

underreactive so you dont inadvertantly trigger and overstimulate.

the Out of Sync child by Carol Stock Kranovitz is a useful read - there are

lists in there that help group behaviours into likely sensory areas of interest

- thats the first one I read - though there are many more books out there now.

Also look at the sensory integration network - they have some good specific

books on there also,

Mel

[Guest guest]

Thank you very much, MelI'm already taking a look at the book...

I'm a big fan of Son-Rise (the first words of my son and his greatest gains in playing and socializing were due to this type of approach). However, I'm a bit afraid of following their approach for this type of things - the " joining " - as I think it might encourage him to do it more.

What do other senior moms/dads think about this?Best regards,Ric 

 

Hi Ric,

Regarding the stimming and the fabric sensitivity - these are things that may increase, decrease or change over time while you are working on his diet and supps programme, but alongside your biomed I would highly recommend finding an OT - probably private, but you may be lucky in your NHS area - who is experienced in 'Sensory Integration' and getting a full assessment of his sensory profile.

A good OT can tell you if they need more input or less - some kids need compression clothing to wear so they know where they are and dont have any 'light touch' on their body. The buttons themselves may or may not be the issue - it could be their weight pressing the fabric against his body? That sounds extreme but if every single one of his skin receptors is firing, he will be able to feel the breeze just from someone walking past as if it were a touch?

My son was obsessed with labels in his clothes - due to tactile defensiveness, and over time this overlapped into his need for controlling his environment and became an OCD where he has to cut labels off anything from chairs to tea towels to visitors' clothing! I think if we had understood from the beginning what his motivation and underlying reason was it may have helped and possibly not have spiralled so far out?

With stimming activities - these are very often things that kids automatically do which 'reset' their systems. There is lots of research going on in this field but it does seem many stimming activities fire up specific areas in the brain that need extra stimulation and the kids are automatically trying to balance their neural activity. Although stims often get in the way of learning or life in general and we all tend to seek to reduce them, I think if you can get underneath it, there may be some kind of input he is seeking that you can give him much more intensely in a different way with the right equipment - its not always expensive. All kids are different, but for example - longs strips of thick velcro for a satisfactory alternative to 'ripping', or dynabands, or legweights - theres all sorts of things - but there definitely needs to be a solid investigation underneath as to what areas are overreactive and which are underreactive so you dont inadvertantly trigger and overstimulate.

the Out of Sync child by Carol Stock Kranovitz is a useful read - there are lists in there that help group behaviours into likely sensory areas of interest - thats the first one I read - though there are many more books out there now.

Also look at the sensory integration network - they have some good specific books on there also,

Mel

[Guest guest]

Hi.

It's probably a sensory issue. I've heard some people say the feel of fabric

helps them relax.

It's wonderful that your son can make long sentences though - I wish my son

could do that!

Temple Grandin, who is a very accomplished woman with autism, has a website

where she answers parents' questions about typical autistic behaviours. She

replies directly on the site to questions that are posted. There's a FAQ page,

I believe, which shows all the questions that have been posted by people and her

answers, or you can post your own question. She's very interested in sensory

issues in particular.

HTH

>

> Sorry for the long email, I was planning to send a small email about the

> stimming, but since I was already wrtitting about it...

>

> Feel free to comment, send references, etc... I really need some ideas to

> explore.

>

> -------------

> Lately, my son has shown 2 issues that I would like to understand better:

>

> 1 - Whenever he has a shirt or trousers with buttons he will start

> (unconsciously) rolling the buttons with his hands, saying " buttons,

> buttons, buttons " . I've talked with him several times and made

> him promise me that he would not do it... whenever he starts doing it

> again, I will tell him " what have you promissed to daddy?? " sometimes he

> will stop it, sometimes he will repeat it just playing with me .

>

> 2 - sometimes he also starts (unconsciously) rubbing his trousers with the

> thumb and forefinger... First I tought he was touching his penis, but later

> I understood he is not touching it, but just rubbing the fabric and feeling

> it with his fingers.

>

> Do you have any ideas about what it might be?

>

> -------

> My son is 3Y5M, verbal (5-6 word sentences and 5-6 cicles) and quite social.

>

> Based on the latest analysis, the most relevant conclusions are:

> - some Yeast;

> - Mercury (hair and urine analysis), Lead, Arsenic per hair analysis;

> - extremely high sodium and potassium per hair analysis- adrenal fatigue?

> - Krebs cycle metabolites are a mess... - adrenal fatigue?

> - High cystein and homocystein per urine analysis; low homocystein and high

> ammonia per blood analysis.

>

> Does anyone have any explanation for the difference between high

> homocysteine in urine and low homocysteine in the blood?

> --------

>

> At the moment he is on:

> - GFCF diet;

> - Cod Liver Oil (once in the morning),

> - Essential Multi (2-3 times a day),

> - Essential 4 (2-4 times a day),

> - Kirkman Yeast-Aid powder (2 times a day),

> - MB12 lollipops (once each 2 days),

> - Magnesium sulfate cream (evening)

> - Probiotics (evening).

>

> I'm also slowly introducing DMG to see if the verbal communication

> improves...

>

> We will have a round of nistatin and Biofilm Defence next week as there

> were extremely high values of Arabinose and we think it might be that

> candida is hiding behind a biofilm.

>

> Do the supplements and scheduling seem ok?

>

> I'm also planning to change from Yeast-aid to GSE as the taste of Yeast-aid

> is " very bad, daddy " . Should I give it on a daily basis, or only when yeast

> flares? Probiotics only 3-4 hours later, correct?

>

> Thanks a lot everyone,

> Ric.

>

[Guest guest]

www.templegrandin.com

> >

> > Sorry for the long email, I was planning to send a small email about the

> > stimming, but since I was already wrtitting about it...

> >

> > Feel free to comment, send references, etc... I really need some ideas to

> > explore.

> >

> > -------------

> > Lately, my son has shown 2 issues that I would like to understand better:

> >

> > 1 - Whenever he has a shirt or trousers with buttons he will start

> > (unconsciously) rolling the buttons with his hands, saying " buttons,

> > buttons, buttons " . I've talked with him several times and made

> > him promise me that he would not do it... whenever he starts doing it

> > again, I will tell him " what have you promissed to daddy?? " sometimes he

> > will stop it, sometimes he will repeat it just playing with me .

> >

> > 2 - sometimes he also starts (unconsciously) rubbing his trousers with the

> > thumb and forefinger... First I tought he was touching his penis, but later

> > I understood he is not touching it, but just rubbing the fabric and feeling

> > it with his fingers.

> >

> > Do you have any ideas about what it might be?

> >

> > -------

> > My son is 3Y5M, verbal (5-6 word sentences and 5-6 cicles) and quite social.

> >

> > Based on the latest analysis, the most relevant conclusions are:

> > - some Yeast;

> > - Mercury (hair and urine analysis), Lead, Arsenic per hair analysis;

> > - extremely high sodium and potassium per hair analysis- adrenal fatigue?

> > - Krebs cycle metabolites are a mess... - adrenal fatigue?

> > - High cystein and homocystein per urine analysis; low homocystein and high

> > ammonia per blood analysis.

> >

> > Does anyone have any explanation for the difference between high

> > homocysteine in urine and low homocysteine in the blood?

> > --------

> >

> > At the moment he is on:

> > - GFCF diet;

> > - Cod Liver Oil (once in the morning),

> > - Essential Multi (2-3 times a day),

> > - Essential 4 (2-4 times a day),

> > - Kirkman Yeast-Aid powder (2 times a day),

> > - MB12 lollipops (once each 2 days),

> > - Magnesium sulfate cream (evening)

> > - Probiotics (evening).

> >

> > I'm also slowly introducing DMG to see if the verbal communication

> > improves...

> >

> > We will have a round of nistatin and Biofilm Defence next week as there

> > were extremely high values of Arabinose and we think it might be that

> > candida is hiding behind a biofilm.

> >

> > Do the supplements and scheduling seem ok?

> >

> > I'm also planning to change from Yeast-aid to GSE as the taste of Yeast-aid

> > is " very bad, daddy " . Should I give it on a daily basis, or only when yeast

> > flares? Probiotics only 3-4 hours later, correct?

> >

> > Thanks a lot everyone,

> > Ric.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Sounds like he might be trying to improve the proprioception in his hands - I would treat this as a positive opportunity rather than a negative - try giving him a sensory diet especially for his hands several times per day - you need to play with him to do this at first and make it a positive, fun experience. Also perhaps make the most of trying to improve fine motor skills at this point since he seems to be seeking input to forefinger and thumb with bead threading, pictures made with beads on a board (sorry can't remember the name of this activity). Other things to try might be:1. A box of textured things - velvet fabric, fine sandpaper, textured balls, anything small and interesting to feel 2. A big box of rice

with small toys, coins, marbles hidden in it 3. A feely bag where he has to identify things in the bag either by telling you or pointing to a matching object in front of him, include hard and soft items4. A range of Occupational therapy putties (different strengths) to dig hidden marbles out of5. Playing with flour - also drawing in flour spread on a black surface. Making bread dough. Playing with finger paint. Playing with fine sand. Playing with/ Rolling balls from clay - much nicer to feel than playdoh although messier6. Running hands over a shallow box full of marbles or anything which gives feedback to the hands. 7. Try construction toys with beads and joiners or magnets with rods and ball bearings8. You could also brush his hands - look up Wilbarger's brushing protocol (it is for the whole body but you could find a way to e-mail her and ask if it can be done

just with hands and what joint compressions should be done- catherineSubject: Looking for ideas to help my sonTo: Autism-Biomedical-Europe Date: Tuesday, 31 July, 2012, 20:50

Feel free to comment, send references, etc... I really need some ideas to explore.

-------------Lately, my son has shown 2 issues that I would like to understand better:1 - Whenever he has a shirt or trousers with buttons he will start (unconsciously) rolling the buttons with his hands, saying "buttons, buttons, buttons". .....2 - sometimes he also starts (unconsciously) rubbing his trousers with the thumb and forefinger... just rubbing the fabric and feeling it with his fingers.

Do you have any ideas about what it might be?.

[Guest guest]

This is very worth trying imo - easy to learn, cheap and cheerful (most

kids love it) and if it works for your child it could work wonders for

sensory issues, OCD etc

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Qigong-Massage-Your-Child-Autism/dp/1848190700/r\

ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8 & qid=1344381999 & sr=8-1

Natasa

>

> > **

> >

> >

> > Hi Ric,

> >

> > Regarding the stimming and the fabric sensitivity - these are things

that

> > may increase, decrease or change over time while you are working on

his

> > diet and supps programme, but alongside your biomed I would highly

> > recommend finding an OT - probably private, but you may be lucky in

your

> > NHS area - who is experienced in 'Sensory Integration' and getting a

full

> > assessment of his sensory profile.

> >

> > A good OT can tell you if they need more input or less - some kids

need

> > compression clothing to wear so they know where they are and dont

have any

> > 'light touch' on their body. The buttons themselves may or may not

be the

> > issue - it could be their weight pressing the fabric against his

body? That

> > sounds extreme but if every single one of his skin receptors is

firing, he

> > will be able to feel the breeze just from someone walking past as if

it

> > were a touch?

> >

> > My son was obsessed with labels in his clothes - due to tactile

> > defensiveness, and over time this overlapped into his need for

controlling

> > his environment and became an OCD where he has to cut labels off

anything

> > from chairs to tea towels to visitors' clothing! I think if we had

> > understood from the beginning what his motivation and underlying

reason was

> > it may have helped and possibly not have spiralled so far out?

> >

> > With stimming activities - these are very often things that kids

> > automatically do which 'reset' their systems. There is lots of

research

> > going on in this field but it does seem many stimming activities

fire up

> > specific areas in the brain that need extra stimulation and the kids

are

> > automatically trying to balance their neural activity. Although

stims often

> > get in the way of learning or life in general and we all tend to

seek to

> > reduce them, I think if you can get underneath it, there may be some

kind

> > of input he is seeking that you can give him much more intensely in

a

> > different way with the right equipment - its not always expensive.

All kids

> > are different, but for example - longs strips of thick velcro for a

> > satisfactory alternative to 'ripping', or dynabands, or legweights -

theres

> > all sorts of things - but there definitely needs to be a solid

> > investigation underneath as to what areas are overreactive and which

are

> > underreactive so you dont inadvertantly trigger and overstimulate.

> >

> > the Out of Sync child by Carol Stock Kranovitz is a useful read -

there

> > are lists in there that help group behaviours into likely sensory

areas of

> > interest - thats the first one I read - though there are many more

books

> > out there now.

> >

> > Also look at the sensory integration network - they have some good

> > specific books on there also,

> >

> > Mel

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

If it is sensory he will be touching all different materials. My son used to

have it and we have used lots of different materials. Like silk, satin, sand

paper and all.

You can try this website

http://www.otplan.com/materials/tactile-perception.aspx

Search for tactile perception and then select all materials, you will get lots

of more ideas there.

Hope that will help. My son's tactile issue reduced a lot with providing lots

of input.

> >

> > Sorry for the long email, I was planning to send a small email about the

> > stimming, but since I was already wrtitting about it...

> >

> > Feel free to comment, send references, etc... I really need some ideas to

> > explore.

> >

> > -------------

> > Lately, my son has shown 2 issues that I would like to understand better:

> >

> > 1 - Whenever he has a shirt or trousers with buttons he will start

> > (unconsciously) rolling the buttons with his hands, saying " buttons,

> > buttons, buttons " . I've talked with him several times and made

> > him promise me that he would not do it... whenever he starts doing it

> > again, I will tell him " what have you promissed to daddy?? " sometimes he

> > will stop it, sometimes he will repeat it just playing with me .

> >

> > 2 - sometimes he also starts (unconsciously) rubbing his trousers with the

> > thumb and forefinger... First I tought he was touching his penis, but later

> > I understood he is not touching it, but just rubbing the fabric and feeling

> > it with his fingers.

> >

> > Do you have any ideas about what it might be?

> >

> > -------

> > My son is 3Y5M, verbal (5-6 word sentences and 5-6 cicles) and quite social.

> >

> > Based on the latest analysis, the most relevant conclusions are:

> > - some Yeast;

> > - Mercury (hair and urine analysis), Lead, Arsenic per hair analysis;

> > - extremely high sodium and potassium per hair analysis- adrenal fatigue?

> > - Krebs cycle metabolites are a mess... - adrenal fatigue?

> > - High cystein and homocystein per urine analysis; low homocystein and high

> > ammonia per blood analysis.

> >

> > Does anyone have any explanation for the difference between high

> > homocysteine in urine and low homocysteine in the blood?

> > --------

> >

> > At the moment he is on:

> > - GFCF diet;

> > - Cod Liver Oil (once in the morning),

> > - Essential Multi (2-3 times a day),

> > - Essential 4 (2-4 times a day),

> > - Kirkman Yeast-Aid powder (2 times a day),

> > - MB12 lollipops (once each 2 days),

> > - Magnesium sulfate cream (evening)

> > - Probiotics (evening).

> >

> > I'm also slowly introducing DMG to see if the verbal communication

> > improves...

> >

> > We will have a round of nistatin and Biofilm Defence next week as there

> > were extremely high values of Arabinose and we think it might be that

> > candida is hiding behind a biofilm.

> >

> > Do the supplements and scheduling seem ok?

> >

> > I'm also planning to change from Yeast-aid to GSE as the taste of Yeast-aid

> > is " very bad, daddy " . Should I give it on a daily basis, or only when yeast

> > flares? Probiotics only 3-4 hours later, correct?

> >

> > Thanks a lot everyone,

> > Ric.

> >

>