I'm sneaking in one more post before Christmas - the holiday season throws me off my normal routine, including blogging.
One of the biggest changes around our house lately has been the instillation of some new sensory items - and they are REALLY helping.
I made a crash pad, though it needs some tweaking. But I found an old sleeping bag, stuffed it with all the spare pillows and blankets, and it sits at the end of the couch. This way Rocket Boy can jump off the couch onto it. It has seriously saved my couches from further abuse. He jumps off one spot instead of jumping up and down all day on the poor couches.
The other addition has been a trampoline. We came by the trampoline through family - for free! My sister-in-law got it as a gift for one of her children but they have a large outdoor trampoline so they never even opened it. I mentioned our SPD diagnosis and things were looking for in conversation, and she offered the trampoline to us.
These two items are only the start of our sensory collection but we have already noticed a huge difference in behavior. His aggression towards Rocket Baby has almost totally disappeared which is a huge stress reliever for the whole family (probably especially for R.Baby!).
We have started to do "roll-ups" before bed and now he asks for them.
Basically we just roll him in a medium sized fleece blanket (with his
head out) and then I rock with him - big rocking motions. He starts out
rigid but then he starts to relax and is all ready for bed.
Next on our list is a Sensory "sock", which is on its way to us, is going to be a hit I think. Rocket Boy has a major obsession with wrapping up in blankets and this sock will hopefully give him his own little cocoon without messing up my bed. We are also going to look into getting a weighted blanket and a fidget seat.
The holidays are causing some over-stimulation and craziness in our house, like it does for most people. But all in all, I think he is handling things well. Thanksgiving was with a different group and in a new place this year, which made him get a bit anxious and we had to leave early due to the behavior that brought to the surface. We are hosting Christmas dinner this year, which will either be easier (his own space) or way too overwhelming...we shall see.
I will ask you to insert some awesome pictures in your mind of Rocket Boy jumping like crazy on a trampoline and of our Christmas tree...because I don't have time to edit them right now. Happy holidays everyone!
