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Post by Kristin on Oct 1, 2005 22:46:04 GMT -5
Clarice used to do it when she was mad, or felt like I wasn't paying enough attention to her. I'd put her in her crib for her nap, and check on her only to find crib, clothes, hair, walls, etc. covered! I finally quit reacting to it, and just quietly cleaned it up. She eventually turned to trashing her room instead. She used to break hangers as she pulled all of her clothes out of the closet, drawers, and mixed it with toys, etc. It's amazing how fast one can trash a room! Luckily she's outgrown that too. These days her little sister gives her plenty of attention and that relieves me of the burden of having to be in sight of her at all times. I still have to keep close tabs, but at least I can be listening from the next room. Hang in there! Clarice was 4 when I was pregnant and I wasn't sure the two of us would still be friends by the time I had the baby. I learned to use respite to rest, and be a bit less of a super mom. Kristin
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Post by newmom on Oct 2, 2005 9:19:58 GMT -5
I hope you can figure this out soon. I find myself thinking about you even when my computer off! Anyway, I kind of like the video idea myself. You would only have to watch him as he fell asleep (usually like 10 minutes) at night, not the whole time he was sleeping. If you saw him do it you could go right in there, maybe break the habit? Maybe your friend could loan you the video thing to just try for a week and see if it has just become a behavior you could break (like touching the VCR, etc). Did your friends child have any self stim. problems? I'm thinking maybe it is just a 3 year old problem too, like you said discovering himself. I have noticed my son putting his hand in his diaper on occasion, nothing too often but he does it on occasion as well. I usually just distract him, but that would be hard to do if you can't see him doing it! It doesn't seem like you are putting the consequences on yourself for watching him anymore than you would be by cleaning the sheets,etc. yourself. If you are against just taking care of the mess/problem yourself have you maybe had him "help" with the clean up? I LOVE the idea of putting on the sleeper backwards, where did you hear of that?! GREAT idea! Good luck. You must be exhausted being pregnant and doing endless laundry!
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Post by PaigesMom on Oct 2, 2005 13:53:46 GMT -5
MB -
You are funny with the duct tape. I use that AND velcro regularily around here - for everything!! My husband pretends like he doesn't know me, lol.
And no, I dont make popcorn for the whole neighborhood - yet anyway - my kids are still to young to have all of those friends over.
Laura - I hope you find a solution. Paige still goes thu "times" where she always has her hands down her pants. Since she never poops, even w/Mirilax and enemas, I dont have to worry about her getting her hands in *that*, but she's always scratching around down that way!!
Debbie
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Post by justinsmom on Oct 3, 2005 10:25:30 GMT -5
Laura hugs girl, but been there done that, add Justin to the chocolate covered raisin finger painting group. He has outgrown it though. We took out the carpet, put in linoleum, put up the plain white shower paneling-he could use dry erase markers on it to draw or write. The carpet got warn out from the cleanings and the walls were down to drywall, put a refrigerator lock on the closet doors. Whenever we walked in and saw the mess we would just keep the attitude we had prior to his fingerpainting, hi big guy how was your nap, as for the bathing part no toys and no fun soap just an extra long boring bath and an extra long toothbrushing episode with a regular toothbrush not his blinking lights battery firetruck toothbrush. Don't get me wrong it was sooooooooo hard at first not to show or exhibit any kind of emotion but he was LOVING the rise he was getting out of mom and dad. We did the pj's on backwards, but have to say our little guy figured his way out of those as well, he would keep picking at them in the crouch area until he ripped them and then here we went again. We were told it was a sensory thing, he would put anything in his mouth so we had the oral sensory going and he loved to touch and get into everything so yet another sensory issue. We watched him through his window at naptime whenever we heard a noise, if he was up to no good we would go get him and have him play with cool whip or redi whip, jello, playdoh etc. After awhile he was getting it the episodes were getting better and he was now yelling EWWWWWWWWWW through his door, we would open it he ran to the diapers and wipes shaking his head and saying shreeeeeeew. So now we didn't know perhaps it wasn't a sensory issue rather the fact he just didn't want that in his pants and the stench was just too much for him . Hope it helps and hugs
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Post by Many on Oct 3, 2005 16:57:45 GMT -5
Sounds like MB has a very good idea with the hand washing thing for 10 mins. Let us know if it works.
Many
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Post by laurasnowbird on Oct 3, 2005 21:36:19 GMT -5
Can you believe this? All this great advice, and he hasn't done it since I posted. Not that I'm sorry, LOL!
MB, the ten minute handwashing might work, although he asks to wash his hands. The duration might get to him though, as well as us controlling his movements rather than him handwashing. That has serious potential. . Kristin - first I have to get respite, THEN rest, what a concept!
Newmom, I can't remember where I first heard of the backward sleeper ideam but I thought it was brilliant too. Having him help clean up is an idea I had thought about, but he LOVES to be helpful, and he might consider that a reward. And you're right, I was totally exhausted with the constant laundry coupled with the lack of sleep at this stage of the game. We are adding an addition to our house, and I'm going to have a FIRST FLOOR laundry. Oh, the luxury! LOL!
Jello! How are you girl? I've missed you! Sounds like our friend Justin was as intent on driving you crazy as our Ethan is. I think there is something to the whole sensory thing, and am waiting to hear from the OT that Lori Overland works with about some ideas for that. I am amazed that he hasn't done it for days, and I'm not quite sure what to think of that, except that we've been watching him like a hawk. How are you and Chuck and the kids doing, anyway?
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Post by Betty & Ian's Mom on Oct 3, 2005 22:42:38 GMT -5
Sorry I haven't read thru all the replies, but will do so when I have time to, I'm sure there are great advice here.
But boy can I relate to you Laura !! Not as bad as your situation, but Betty does the same thing, Ian even did it to!! But both of them have eaten it !! Betty did it the other day while watching tv!! It was all over her hands, hair, chest, hands and legs and her teeth were brown !! And she smelled awefull as she ran into the bathroom by me smiling & laughing !!! We do the duct thing to, but back then Ian never figured out how to get it off, Betty neither hasn't figured it out either, but I dread the day she does. Actually the other day I switched to clear packageing tape, hopefully she won't figure that out. Wish I could be more help !!
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Post by CC on Oct 3, 2005 23:17:27 GMT -5
YIKES Jeanette Eat It?? OMG I can't even imagine dealing with that girl HUGS to you K, gals this may be a silly question on my part BUT I honestly am confused here a bit I see some saying it may be a sensory issue? Hmmm K, explain that to me PLEASE My understanding of sensory issues least with my guy were things he could not tolerate, KWIM?? Like when he was tiny he never liked to get anything on his fingers, or cutting his hair, or loud nosies. Sooo are you guys saying by this that sensory issues can also be that they like the feel of something lots and keep doing it Wouldn't that fall more under a self stim kind of thing?? Could someone explain to me PLEASE CC ~
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Post by laurasnowbird on Oct 4, 2005 7:07:54 GMT -5
Boy, Christie, leave it to you to ask the hard questions. Hard to explain, that is, LOL! Sensory Processing Disorder or Sensory Integration Dysfunction can manifest itself (again, this is how I understand it) by either sensory avoidance or sensory seeking. Ethan actually does some of each! We used to have SERIOUS issues with haircuts, fingernail cutting, etc., but have overcome that due to the SI therapy we have done in years past. Sensory seeking can be lots of things, and a few examples might be smearing doo-doo, and hair twirling. Some experts theorize that some sensory seeking is an attempt at self-regulation. In Ethan's case, when he is overtired, he will suck on his tongue or twirl his hair. Sometimes he will chew on books or dangle shoes by their laces. Anyway, there are lots of behaviors out there, but anything that's a little weird you should seek some help for. Let's be honest, sitting on the floor dangling a shoe is not "normal" behavior and if you saw it in a typical child you would think something was up. MANY uninformed OT's will tell you that "kids with DS do stuff like that". Nonsense. It may be more prevalent in our population for reasons that no one quite understands yet, but it is NO excuse for dismissing it, because it can certainly be helped. Now, after writing all this, I found a link that does a much better job of explaining it than I can. www.spdnetwork.org/aboutspd/whatisspd.html Keep in mind that I discovered sensory integration dysfunction when Ethan was quite young, and we saw some autistic traits. As we tried to determine exactly what drove those behaviors and figure out it Ethan was autistic (mind you, he was only about 10 months old) we discovered that kids with DS can have autistic traits and sensory processing disorders that did not necessarily mean they were autistic per se, just have some autistic tendencies. Ethan is thankfully not autistic, but he does have some significant sensory issues. A sensory diet and the listening therapy have helped him tremendously. I'm sure I'm not doing a good job of explaining this, so please feel free to ask me to clarify whatever I've muddled, LOL!
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