Post by jelanismom on Oct 8, 2008 14:54:47 GMT -5
I wrote an email to Jelani's OT regarding Jelani's oral sensory issues and I want to post this incase it may be helpful for anyone whose child is is doing this too...
Jelani is teethgrinding more in public and really not as much anymore at home. I did get a vibrating toothbrush with softbristles (spongebob-his favorite) and after a couple weeks of trying, he refuses to let me help him brush with it. He hates it. But what's *good* is he tolerates a regular softbristle tooth brush more now, and allows me to brush. He opens his mouth right away when he sees me coming with it.
His oral motor stimming (mouth tapping) is also more in public, less at home. Every day when I pick him up I see him taking the long walk from his classroom to the school gate tapping away non-stop. He really craves this. In the stores he taps away and I say "hands down" but he taps even more and smiles at me, like as if to say "heh mom, I can tap all I want" But then he does put his hands down for like 20 seconds, no tapping...then he's back at it. People think he's waving at them. Is there anything else besides the oral vibrating thing you ordered that I can get myself? The teeth grinding is so much less now at home... I'm so happy for this. I haven't asked Mrs.Low yet if Jelani is still grinding in school. But his constant mouth tapping is really so inappropriate in a social sense that others (kids) are noticing and I'm hoping with your ideas I can help him stop. I want Jelani to have one less card stacked against him and be able to form friendships and not have kids asking why does he hit his face like that?
His OT replied with some good ideas and I want to share this with you all...
"Alot of the mouthing issues are developmental. He is doing better in the classroom with teeth grinding, especially when he is busy doing something with his hands. He grinds his teeth more when he is waiting to do something or wanting to do something (attention getting). I worked with him today and he did not tap his chin even once. My activities are very oral motor focus this month.. we made a spider with cracker and pretzels and cheese.. he ate a piece of cracker and enjoyed it. Crunchy food always help with sensory regulation and oral seeking behaviors. I will ask Ms. Low to use vibrating toothbrush with him in the class as well since that is going well… can you please send one to school. We can also try social story…. Not putting hands in our mouth.. and learning what could replace that behaviors… for example, squeezing hands with ball, and remember…. Any of deep pressure activities, such as joint compression to the face, body, arm and legs would help calm our body down; use a weighed blanket at home for calming, or weighted lap cushion would also help provide the proprioceptive inputs. Proprioceptive receptors are little receptors stores in our muscles and joints.. whenever we are doing pulling, pushing, crashing activities to our bodies, we are providing inputs. Receiving appropriate proprioceptive input thru out the day would help us organize our bodies, and knowing our body perceptions, and for sensory regulation. Jelani is getting a lot of this type of inputs in school, so you might want to consider doing that at home as well. Hope this would help! Thanks and have a good day. "
V.S., MOT, OTR/L
Jelani is teethgrinding more in public and really not as much anymore at home. I did get a vibrating toothbrush with softbristles (spongebob-his favorite) and after a couple weeks of trying, he refuses to let me help him brush with it. He hates it. But what's *good* is he tolerates a regular softbristle tooth brush more now, and allows me to brush. He opens his mouth right away when he sees me coming with it.
His oral motor stimming (mouth tapping) is also more in public, less at home. Every day when I pick him up I see him taking the long walk from his classroom to the school gate tapping away non-stop. He really craves this. In the stores he taps away and I say "hands down" but he taps even more and smiles at me, like as if to say "heh mom, I can tap all I want" But then he does put his hands down for like 20 seconds, no tapping...then he's back at it. People think he's waving at them. Is there anything else besides the oral vibrating thing you ordered that I can get myself? The teeth grinding is so much less now at home... I'm so happy for this. I haven't asked Mrs.Low yet if Jelani is still grinding in school. But his constant mouth tapping is really so inappropriate in a social sense that others (kids) are noticing and I'm hoping with your ideas I can help him stop. I want Jelani to have one less card stacked against him and be able to form friendships and not have kids asking why does he hit his face like that?
His OT replied with some good ideas and I want to share this with you all...
"Alot of the mouthing issues are developmental. He is doing better in the classroom with teeth grinding, especially when he is busy doing something with his hands. He grinds his teeth more when he is waiting to do something or wanting to do something (attention getting). I worked with him today and he did not tap his chin even once. My activities are very oral motor focus this month.. we made a spider with cracker and pretzels and cheese.. he ate a piece of cracker and enjoyed it. Crunchy food always help with sensory regulation and oral seeking behaviors. I will ask Ms. Low to use vibrating toothbrush with him in the class as well since that is going well… can you please send one to school. We can also try social story…. Not putting hands in our mouth.. and learning what could replace that behaviors… for example, squeezing hands with ball, and remember…. Any of deep pressure activities, such as joint compression to the face, body, arm and legs would help calm our body down; use a weighed blanket at home for calming, or weighted lap cushion would also help provide the proprioceptive inputs. Proprioceptive receptors are little receptors stores in our muscles and joints.. whenever we are doing pulling, pushing, crashing activities to our bodies, we are providing inputs. Receiving appropriate proprioceptive input thru out the day would help us organize our bodies, and knowing our body perceptions, and for sensory regulation. Jelani is getting a lot of this type of inputs in school, so you might want to consider doing that at home as well. Hope this would help! Thanks and have a good day. "
V.S., MOT, OTR/L
I think he'd love it there. The entire place is sensory based. Call em. ( I know its not exactly what ur looking for but thought hmmm this may be an in there and they are good at tweaking the paperwork so he could get in)
