The therapy place in Hastings is AWESOME!!!!! We were supposed to be there one hour - we were there TWO hours and Sam still didn't want to leave. It was a very interesting time to say the least. The OT (occupational therapist) was fantastic and basically evaluated him the whole time to figure out a 'sensory diet'. I was fascinated watching what Sam would do or wouldn't do and why. She had him go down a slide into a tub of dry beans. He absolutely would not go into the beans (I was shocked) she asked him to put his feet in, he said 'NO', then she asked him to put his hands in and he said 'No, look I'm all clean'. Interesting. She put him in a material swing hanging from the ceiling (totally enlcosed so he was 'cradled' inside) and asked if he liked it - he said "No it's gross!" - I laughed but he ended up liking it. I noticed she never let him back out of things, they would count to 30 and then he could get out - or they would come back to it if he was very resistant. THEN, he got to ride a horse. It was amazing to see how absolutely calm he became and then of course they go to go faster - which Sam is all about. She told me they call his type 'crashers and bangers' - due to his seratonin levels he feels the need to crash into things, bang things, hit his head, throw things, etc. It is a sensory thing - not necessarily to be naughty.
I am to use a brush technique on him every two hours to help in stimulating "calming" receptors in the skin, sending calming messages to the brain. I also have to do joint compressions which gently stimulates the same calming effect in his muscles and joints. It will take time to see how this helps him - nothing is an overnight 'cure'. More to come......
Now to the horrible night I had by myself with the kiddos. Gonna make this quick as it is 11:30pm all ready - last night got up with Nasya twice and Sam got up 3 or 4 times. Each time he was in a half sleep/wake state of frustration wanting to rock, and of course it was a huge battle because it was never fast enough. It was not pretty and VERY frustrating. Much of the time he was crying loudly for daddy to come home and the rest of the time he didn't know what he wanted. It was a VERY long and grueling night to say the least. I maybe got two hours of sleep. So, on that note I'm going to bed. Daddy's home and he WILL help out tonight whether he likes it or not!! Welcome home daddy:-)
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