Official Diagnosis, Round 1

After meeting with the psychologist, occupational therapist, and the school district team we have an official diagnosis - Sensory Processing Disorder.

While I don't think this will be our last stop on the road to answers, it does give us a great starting place. They identified that he is a sensory seeker, especially in the vestibular and proprioceptive areas. (Try saying proprioceptive three times fast...)

He has avoidance behaviors in a few areas, mainly with auditory issues. For Rocket Boy, mechanical noises are especially hard - vacuums, the garbage disposal, hairdryer, our clanky car, etc. He also has some tactile avoidance, mainly with sticky/gummy textures or foods.

The school mentioned that he has evidence of some very advanced problem solving skills and is advanced in some other areas as well. They noticed some of his scripting and rote conversations and stimming, which at the very least was affirming to me that I am not imagining things. They noticed attention issues as well, but they were able to bring him back to task pretty easily.

The psychologist says that the testing shows "autism-like behaviors" driven by sensory issues and possible ADHD. While they don't diagnose ADHD in children this young, she sees sure signs of it especially given the strong family history. I'm not sure that she ran the full assessment that should have been done (actually, I am sure she didn't as she said so herself) but for now we are at a point where we can get OT help and see what improvements we see.

We are working on making some simple changes at home to help with his seeking behavior. I made a DIY "crash pad" for him with a sleeping bag and extra pillows and blankets. I plan to make a post soon showing this little project. While it needs a little tweaking, it works as a quick fix for a kiddo who CAN.NOT.STOP.JUMPING. He really seems to love it and our couch is getting a little break.

We changed around our Christmas lists to include a lot of sensory items, and I'm hoping to pick up a mini trampoline on Black Friday. Trying to explain to family that we need things like fidgets and weighted blankets instead of another electronic toy is a bit difficult, but hopefully they will follow the list anyway.

Speaking of Christmas - here is a little peak at taking card photos with my two Rockets:

Slime Time!

 

Last night I decided that Rocket Boy needed some slime. Why? Mainly because slimy/squishy/sticky is a hard tactile challenge for him. And partially because I really wanted to play with some slime too. 

So I started out hoping to make an "edible" slime with fiber powder and water. Well, I missed the note that you have to buy the type with psyllium in it. So after microwaving a bowl of fiberous water for...forever...I realized my issue. 

So I searched and searched for a slime recipe that didn't need borax and that I already had the ingredients for. Luckily I found a recipe from Fun at Home with Kids - using only glue and laundry detergent.

You can use any washable school glue, clear or white. But the detergent you use is specific - for Americans, just look for Seventh Generation Free and Clear (any concentration works). For those overseas, check out the link above from Fun at Home with Kids for the specific detergent you can use. Luckily for me, Seventh Generation Free and Clear is the detergent we use on a regular basis!

The directions are simple - pour the glue in a bowl, then add the detergent a tablespoon at a time, stirring after each. I used 4oz of glue, and about 5 tablespoons of detergent. You will know when you have the right amount of detergent - it will stop sticking so much and be the perfect gooey slime texture.

I added a good amount of silver and blue glitter to the slime, and called it "snow slime." It's snowing here already so snow is on Rocket Boy's mind right now. He started with a spoon and only a few pokes with his little finger.

To encourage him to really dig in, I added some marbles to the slime and told him he had to rescue them. That really helped him get his hands into it and explore the texture. He learned how to manipulate this fun material - letting it slowly fall, quickly pulling to snap off small bits, and learning how to get the marbles out cleanly. This slime really is a lot of fun to play with! 

This was a really fun and new experience for Rocket Boy and one I will take out again in the coming days and weeks. I liked the fact that this slime is non-toxic (though NOT "edible") - the glue is non-toxic and the detergent is non-toxic as well. I have played with slime made from borax before and found it really harsh on my hands, so I loved that this slime recipe didn't have that effect. Apparently the chemical reaction that takes place is the same as the borax recipe with the same ions, but I think because the detergent is diluted already, it makes it less harsh. 

I hope that this recipe works well for all of you, and don't forget to Pin this for later!

Sensory Foam!

This day started as a meltdown morning for the whole family. We all woke up on the wrong side of the bed. After a nap/quiet time reset, I decided to make a quick sensory table.

Usually, sensory tables have a way of calming down Rocket Boy, and it keeps him occupied for more than two seconds at a time. Today we tried sensory foam, which I had not made before. Rocket Boy loves bubble baths, but those bubbles are always short lived and we have had more than one instance of him dumping an ENTIRE bottle of bubble bath behind our backs to try to rectify this issue.

You probably already have what you need right at home for this, which makes it easy to whip up when everyone is needing a good reset. I loath sensory stuff that takes a lot of prior planning on my part, so anything I can make from the cupboard is a win for me.

We used:

• Dish Soap (I had a Dawn brand "soft on your hands" type under the sink)
• Water
• Cornstarch
• Optional - food coloring or washable liquid watercolors
• Optional - small toys, pirate treasure, etc.

We didn't color ours today. It is snowing out, so I just called it fluffy snow. Actually...I didn't want to test how badly colors would soak into Rocket Baby's adorable cloth diaper. Ya just never know! The cornstarch could also be optional, but it does give the bubbles more staying power, without it they dissolve faster.

Put about 1/4 cup of water in the stand mixer (or use a hand mixer and large bowl) and add a squirt of soap. I know, I'm technical. Just use about the amount you would for a sink of dirty dishes. Then about 2 tsp of cornstarch. Then just turn on the mixer and let it go!

That small amount quickly ballooned up to fill my entire bowl to the top with bubbles. I made eight batches to fill our sensory table, and it only took about five minutes. Before putting the foam in, I put coins, magnet letters, and other things in the bottom of the table. This encouraged Rocket Boy to dig for treasure! He also was able to practice letter recognition as he pulled out each magnet. For those with babies around like we do, I think this is pretty baby safe. Rocket Baby did try to put some soap in his mouth, but quickly spit it out and didn't do it again. He seems no worse for the quick taste.

If I could change a couple things, next time I would use less scented soap. I quickly remembered why that soap was half-used under the sink - I hated the smell. Rocket Boy didn't seem to care since he rarely notices smells at all. Next time we might also color the foam, maybe with several colors so we can swirl and mix them!

Obviously though, the boys enjoyed this very much! You can even see on the fridge back there where Rocket Baby was trying to put a soapy magnet back on the fridge. The floor is probably a little cleaner now, but I will mop after bedtime to be sure to get any lingering soap film off.

Happy sensory play! (Pin this for later!)

Processing...

Our evaluation with the child psychologist and occupational therapist was last Wednesday.

I thought I would update right away, but honestly it was a lot to process.

And we don't know the results until this Friday.

Honestly, I am still not sure what to think of the experience or what I was told. Currently, autism of any level is "off the table" according to what the psychologist told us at the evaluation. Apparently, he is too talkative. Having met autistic children and adults and parents of autistic kids, I know very well that autistic individuals can be talkative and social. I found it really odd - and frankly wrong - to take autism out of the equation simply based on the fact that he interrupted me hundred times during the evaluation.

And then I get this feeling of guilt that I am "upset" or "confused" about autism not being a possibility - obviously as a mother I would love for a doctor to see and say he is totally normal. Except that is not what she said - she said that we are obviously looking at "something", most likely severe ADHD and SPD (sensory processing disorder). She said that many of the symptoms/behaviors can mimic autism, especially Aspergers/high functioning. Even with her admitting that his behaviors (especially in repetitive behaviors/stimming) appear autistic, she refused to use the autism diagnostic checklist during their playtime.

If she decides this is what he is dealing with (ADHD/SPD mix), the only options we have are occupational therapy (OT) and later on, medication. When I expressed my worry that while he does okay in school now (3 hours, twice a week), that he could be overwhelmed later on when it is 8 hours a day, five days a week her answer was "well, that is when you use medication".

We are already doing the other things suggested, like diet changes (he doesn't have sweets, sugar, junk, and after taking out food colorings we saw no difference though we do avoid them in general anyway). We already are using the parenting techniques she mentioned. I feel as though she heard our cry for help and answered with a generic label.

We will see what Friday holds. What her final conclusion is. If nothing else, we have gotten in touch with an OT that we like through this (who was much more helpful!) and at least she is taking his sensory issues seriously. We also get the "results" of the school testing on Friday, I thought they were helpful as well when I met with them during that evaluation.

In case you can't tell, I am still processing, I am feeling muddled. And I am feeling rather foolish that I hoped the first doctor we met with would listen to me and take his entire history into account, not just the good day he was having that day. I came in to her specifically with questions about "Level 1" Autism - because when I read those criterea, when I look at the books and the examples and the checklists, I see my boy in the pages. I can absolutely accept that it can be something else, but I at least want my concerns taken seriously.

Everyday since the evaluation has been very hard for Rocket Boy - he is in a sensitive period right now, and everything and anything is setting him in tantrums, fear, or crying. I can see the confusion in his eyes when he can't handle the world, and it makes me even more determined to make someone listen. I'm his mom, I know him better than anyone, and I know that I have to work for him to find out what our answer is - no matter what that ends up being.

Piles and Piles of Paperwork

Wonderful news in our journey - we got an appointment for autism evaluation. The child psychologist's office called me back and we have a spot for a 3 hour evaluation, on November 5th. There will be a parent interview, child interview, a play session, and then an evaluation with the occupational therapist to look at motor skills and sensory issues. Then the next week (on the 14th) I meet with the team to discuss the findings. That same day I will also meet with the school district team to discuss their findings.

So basically, the 14th is a pivotal day for our family.

I probably won't sleep between the 4th and the 14th.

In preparation for the evaluation they have sent ahead piles of paperwork and questionaires. The GARS-3, the BASC-2, a sensory evaluation sheet, an Autism checklist from another source, a checklist from our hospital system, and the normal intake papers. On top of that, I will by typing up documents to accompany several of the sections, since my comments and concerns won't fit in the little space provided. I am all about providing everything that might be needed and covering my bases before I am even asked. I also get flustered when something emotional is going on, and I don't want to forget anything.

Rocket Boy's behavior has been in a pretty downward spiral as of late. Yesterday, he tried to choke me...yeah. My three year old put his hands around my neck and squeezed and yelled. I have no idea where he got that from. We are very careful about what he sees on TV and he has never seen that kind of violence at home. Ever. That meltdown and aggression started when I asked him to stop running his car into my leg and he threw it at me. I took the car and the meltdown commenced. He finally passed out for a nap. I had to lay down and calm down...and just cry. Hearing my little boy yell "I don't like you!" and throw things and hit me and get so physical - no mother wants to experience that.

I hope that this evaluation leads to answers and help. Rocket Boy and I need tools to help him.

Calm Down Corner

Since our visual schedule is working rather well, I decided to try a version of the visual calm-down aids I have seen online. 

We have been using "time-out" and "time-in" for a long while now. While "time-in" still works at times (when we catch a behavior spiral before it gets out of control), time-outs were not working at all anymore. It didn't matter the location or the method or the time length. It had simply lost meaning, and honestly it was driving me crazy enforcing something that wasn't working. 

So we took the advice of many a book and started fresh. Introducing "Calm Down Corner"

 

This is a corner just off the living room, but behind the baby gate (so that Rocket Baby can't interrupt). I can see and hear him he is not in isolation. In our oddly set up downstairs living area, it's really the only spot I could clear out. 

I marked out a box on the floor with tape so that Rocket Boy knows precisely where he is expected to stay (which was a problem with the previous time-out method). I added a small pillow, a SMALL blanket (anything larger than a baby blanket becomes a whirlwind weapon of doom), and a few items - one puzzle, one favorite book, and two of his calm-down glitter bottles we made together. I also added a visual aid to the wall.

The visual aid may have to change, which is the one road block we have hit. I meant for the list to be a visual reminder of things he could do, and explained he didn't have to do all of them but that he could do what he thought would make him feel calm. 

Instead...he insists on doing everything in specific order and wants me to verify each step. Needless to say that doesn't give him or I a break from the situation and raised emotions. So...I will figure out something else there. Maybe a choice board? But then that is too much when he is upset or wound up. If anyone has suggestions on that note, let me know. 

Overall though, I think the new space is working. For one, I don't always have to send him there. Several times in the past couple of days he has asked to go to Calm Down Corner when he feels out of control. That is a huge step for him, especially given he is three years old to begin with without all the other things he is dealing with. And when I do send him there to calm down, he is actually staying there and not making a game of it. 

While we need to refine the method a bit, I hope this is a positive change for us. While we still try to use "time-in" (comfort, hugs, deep breathes, etc) as much as we can, Rocket Boy tends to fight physical comfort from others when he is in the middle of a tantrum or meltdown. Hopefully this will give us a place to go when he doesn't know how to accept outside help. 

Signs of Impending DOOM

Or, you know, the start of a crazy week.

Sign One - Five million requests within five seconds of waking up. (P.S - I'm not a morning person to begin with)

Sign Two - Five million more requests in the ten minutes it took to get changed, walk downstairs, and hand out breakfast to all of us.

After this, all further signs blur together in a big mess of overactive excitement, stimming type behaviors, tantrums, and odd conversations.

Sigh, I love this kiddo. He is at the start of a bad run though, so we have to just buckle down and work through it.