When sensory gets in the way of one thing a child wants to do

[Dmmetler]

This is such a minor issue-but it's really affecting DD8.

 

DD likes to cheer and likes to tumble, and her classes in these areas, with great coaches, have really helped her as far as her sensory issues go. But there's one thing she can't handle-she can't manage "walking down the wall" to do a backbend- she's got the flexibility and the strength, but it just plain wreaks havoc with her sensory perception.

 

It's now to the point that she's stressed herself 3/4 of the way to a meltdown before she even gets to the point that the class is working on that skill. Her coach is more than willing to let her work on something else-but it really upsets DD to not be able to do it. And socially, it's not exactly a good thing to meltdown in class each time.

 

The general consensus is that it's sensory-one of my friends is a former gymnastics coach with a child with sensory issues, and she says that it's something that's just plain hard for a lot of kids-and the feelings in your head and ears really do make you feel quite strange until you get used to them-so she's not surprised that it's hard for DD-she also says that, in the grand scheme of things, it's not a required skill and can be worked around (which is the same thing DD's coaches are saying) since DD isn't likely to go beyond a recreational level in her sports anyway (motor skills wise, she's just plain never likely to be at the skill level needed to go farther, and the system she's in will let her stay recreational through age 18).

 

 

I'm very afraid she's going to decide that she just plain can't and give up entirely on something that she loves and enjoys so much otherwise-over one skill that her brain says she can't do, which her coaches are willing to work around.

 

Does anyone have any advice?

[swellmomma]

How is she with bridges from the floor?

The walking down the wall is to get them into a bridge from standing.  The pressure in the head is the same with both.  So does she do bridges from the floor? How does she cope with the sensation at that time? 

Also an idea.  Can she watch tv or just have a conversation while hanging off a sofa? Like hanging upside down.  So feet/legs up the back of the sofa, back across the seat and head off?  That can build up a tolerance for that pressure in the head too.

[Tiramisu]

I wish I could help. Sometimes it seems that their motivation to do something can override the sensory perceptions that make them want to avoid certain things, but sometimes not, or sometimes it takes too long and the opportunity is missed.

 

Not that this is about me but I'll take the chance to vent because I'm having the most awful sensory week in a long time with one of mine and while we're getting where we need to go, it's with frequent meltdowns, at least twice a day. It's very exhausting. With my last hypersensitive one, it was getting better around this age, but I'm not seeing much positive change in this one. Same outfit everyday. Freaks out when I wash it because it doesn't feel the same. Camp this week and next. Dealing with people who don't know us enough to know we're actually sort of normal. And then having to explain to the counselor that the clothes are actually clean and the redness on her neck and chest are only from brushing her hair and adjusting her shirt, since she's been going through a period of skin reactivity on top of the sensory stuff.Ugh!

[Dmmetler]

She's very solid at bridges on the floor, and walkovers off the foam pac-man thing or a mat on the floor (or my sofa, or the bed....).It's simply the bending backwards that bothers her (and feeling like she's going to hit the wall).  Her cheer coach put her in the intermediate group this summer, knowing that DD didn't have her backbend from standing (which was officially required for intermediate) both so DD wouldn't be stuck working on forward rolls and cartwheels-but also so hopefully she'd get motivated to try it-which hasn't exactly been successful.

[geodob]

You have probably heard of the 'Mid-line', which refers to the connection between the left and right sides of the body.

Though we have 2 other Mid-lines.

One is the vertical Mid-line and up/down.

Where the Mid-line is just below the rib cage. 

But we also have front/back Mid-line as well. 

So that from what you've written, it raises the question of whether she hasn't fully developed her front/back connection?

 

While vision can be used to some degree, to cope with an under-developed left/right or above/below connection.

This doesn't apply with front/back, as we can't see behind us.

 

Yet just as exercises can be used to develop the left/right and above/connection.  They can also be used for the front/back connection

[Barbara H]

As the coaches say the skill can be worked around it seems to me the major problem right now is more related to needing better coping strategies for being upset. Not when she's melting down, but at another time is she able to be involved in some thinking exercises about this skill?

 

Just a very rough idea, but what about she fills out a sheet of paper with two columns. Column One: Skills I Have Been Able to Learn  Column Two: Skills I have been taught but haven't mastered.  Maybe another time she could list things she can do when she is upset about the backbend. It might be something like.... I can: 1. Choose to work on a different skill  2. I can say to myself I've learned 67 skills and this is just one - maybe next time. 3. I can ask my coach for help. 4. I can work on my cartwheels instead.  etc.  The key is that she sees that she has options other than melting down.

 

My other thought is to simply try not to make it a big deal and dwell on the possible sensory explanation. "Yeah, lots of kids struggle with how that one feels but they that one but learn it later, either way the coaches say you don't need it right now." Yes, the problem may be sensory based, but personally I would not dwell on that. If it is heavily emphasized that she can't do it for sensory reasons, that may make her less able to nudge herself and do it when she is ready.

 

 

[LMV]

Is she ok with coaches spotting her into (and perhaps up out of) a backbend on the mat away from the wall?  From what you have shared it sounds like she might be.  That may be a better approach to skill mastery if she already has the strength and flexibility required to make the skill.  Walking down the wall is one way to slowly train the flexibility (and to an extent with some kids some of central core strength) but if she really has these she may need to just do some and develop some muscle memory that way. If the coaches can and will spot I'd advocate that they let her try some that way.

[Tap]

Is she a strong swimmer? What about practicing doing a back dive off of a pool?