OrganicAnn Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 If you have a sensory avoiding child, you gradual get them adjusted to the sense. Like highly sensitive to sound, you develop coping strategies and work to have your child to become less sensitive to sounds. So you would think the opposite would be true for sensory seeking kids. Is it? If a kid wants sensory input - like certain textures on skin or in their mouth. Do you try to get the kid to not want the sensory stimulus or do you give them want they want with the thought that they will eventually be 'full' of the sense/simulation. Hope that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Kids who are sensory seeking have a legit need and they will find a way to fill it. Usually we can help them with a more appropriate means (ie: chewing a chew tube instead of clothes) but we should never try to extinguish the behaviour unless it is very dangerous. Even a child who bangs their head needs that; we simply cushion the surface so it won't cause damage. The reason you should not try to extinguish is because if you do, the child will usually find a worse or more inappropriate way of meeting that need... then the parent is wishing the child would go back to the previous method. ;) May I ask what the child is seeking? My boy is both hypo and hyper sensitive in every sense. He can seek-seek-seek then without warning he avoids-avoids-avoids. Makes life interesting and keeps me on my toes. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnL Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 :iagree: My son is primarily a seeker, although he does occasionally avoid. His seeking behaviors can get risky, if we let them. For example, it is okay for him to climb the tube slide at the park. It is NOT okay for him to pick the lock on the tv room window and climb out on the roof. Climbing is one of his seeking things, so I try to let him climb as much as I can. I let him do things I'd never let my younger son do! Because my SPD kid needs the input and he is actually just that good at it. If the behavior is specifically chewing, there are "chewies' that you can get them that are safe. My son only chews occasionally, giving himself hickies and has even bitten me a few times. But kids that chew every day have been known to chew their clothes. They usually have a few wet spots on their shirts and have even been known to chew a hole right through their shirt. Getting a designated chewie is a much nicer alternative for everyone. Whatever the behavior, our family's experience shows us that it's better to find a safe, acceptable way for our son to fill that seeking need. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 My Oldest is an avoider and my youngest is the seeker. My seeker likes to chew on her fingers or soft squicshy things....I have to keep an eye out b/c she will put small toys like squinkies in her mouth and chew them. She also flaps and jumps up and down and is otherwise constatnly moving. She also likes to be upside down alot. It looks rather exhausting. We tried to have her do other things but it made things worse. So as long as it's not dangerous we leave her be. My eldest runs away from anything over stimulating. Most loud noises dont bother her to much but she will not listen to her ipod with ear buds in unless it is very low. We have her listen to ocean sounds b/c it helps relax her in a over stimulating environment. Helps keep her calm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineMama Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I have 2 seeker/avoiders. They both seek touch stimuli and chew a lot - they both have chewelry and chew A LOT OF GUM. One seeks touch and wants to be touched all the time. one doesn't like being touched. Both struggle with sound noise (especially chewing noises). We also do "touch therapy" which means they must have something like a stress ball, playdo or silly putty and use it for at least 15 minutes a day. For the chewing, we try to seat them across the table from the loud chewer in the family and we work to reduce loud noises or allow them to find a quiet place. What has helped us the most is coming up with a very STRONG sensory diet w/the help of an O.T. - we do ball therapy, weight therapy, touch therapy and chew therapy all at once for between 5 and 25 minutes. I also require about 15 minutes a day of jumping on the trampoline. Before we did, we had bloody fingers and bruised bodies from chewing, tearing cuticles, picking on things, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyinMD Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 My younger ds is a sensory seeker. If his sensory needs are not met then he just finds dangerous things to do. His preschool teacher has even commented how ds can always find the most dangerous thing wherever they are. We try to provide a lot of things to provide sensory input for ds. When he gets his needed input he is much calmer and easier to handle. About a month ago we got ds a 55" trampoline and set it up inside. He spends a great deal of time jumping each day. Even dh who wasn't thrilled with the new addition to our already crowded main floor agrees ds is calmer. Ds also has a steamroller machine that provides the deep pressure he craves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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