Hammock Chair - Swing Therapy For Autism

A hammock chair could be one of the best gifts you can give a child with autism. The hammock chair holds the child tight while they rock back and forth. The improvement can be immediate. Even after fifteen minutes, the results can be dramatic, lasting throughout the day. Autistic children crave deep pressure such as brushing, even though they will have tactile defensiveness. They may feel like they are off balance and the reason why is due to vestibular dysfunction. This is the area of the brain that controls seeing, touching, and hearing. A dysfunctional vestibular system can cause panic attacks, leading to the famous autism tantrums.

A great portion of occupational therapy for autism focuses on sensory integration and one of the greatest tools is the swing. People with various autism spectrum disorders such as Autism, PDD, ADHD, Asperger's, proprioceptive dysfunction, and tactile defensiveness will benefit from the use of a swing (hammock chair) as part of their therapy.

The motion of swinging restores balance to the vestibular system, providing proprioceptive input (deep pressure) and helps autistic spectrum children feel more "in balance". The swinging motion soothes, relaxes, and improves concentration. Children who have difficulty focusing on tasks such as math and reading may find it easier to concentrate while sitting in a hammock chair as their bodies sway with a soothing motion.

Setting up a hammock chair for a swing in the home is easy and inexpensive. It can be hung from a hook and put up and taken down in seconds. It may be used indoors or outdoors. The same swinging motion and benefit may achieved from a smaller size hammock hung high enough from one central point to be a swing or the child may enjoy just lying in the hammock and swinging. A hammock without a spreader bar will envelop and and cradle the child closer, achieving the closer feel they need.

Autistic or not, don't we all love the feeling of relaxing in a hammock or hammock chair?

For a large variety of autistic friendly products, see http://www.relaxinghammocks.com/autistic-friendly-products.html.

Author: Lisa Zartman

http://www.relaxinghammocks.com. Great selection of hammocks, hammock chairs, and stands, with a complete page of autistic friendly products.

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Heavy Work Activities for Proprioceptive Input in the Classroom - For Kids With Sensory Issues

All children, but particularly those with sensory processing disorder, can benefit from movement activities in the classroom that provide input to the proprioceptive receptors in the joints and ligaments. In addition to providing exercise, these types of "heavy work" movements make it easier for the child to focus and attend. For the child with SPD, it's vital to get proprioceptive and deep pressure input throughout the course of the day as part of what's called a "sensory diet" of activities. It is not enough to get plenty of exercise and calming input before or after school, or during one session of OT. Most children with SPD need to be encouraged and guided to get the input they need throughout the course of the day.

There are many ways to help kids get this input within an ordinary classroom and school building. The child who is a sensory seeker will likely eagerly participate and even find her own ways to get the input she senses her body needs (be sure to guide her in finding appropriate activities, though). In contrast, the child with sensory issues who is underaroused or a sensory avoider may have to be reminded to follow the sensory diet the OT has set up. In either case, while it is great to provide opportunities for input, a child who isn't disciplined or self-motivated enough to carry out a sensory diet on her own will definitely need guidance to ensure that it happens. Given that the alternative is a child who is unfocused, becoming more anxious and agitated, and moving toward sensory overload and a fight-or-flight panic reaction such as aggression or total withdrawal, implementing a sensory diet during the school day during the school day is crucial.

When you integrate these activities into the classroom routine, and other children may participate as well, it helps the child with SPD to not feel quite so different or singled out. If the child is the only one doing the activity, give it a positive spin. Let her be the "playground equipment monitor," carrying the balls and equipment to and from the playground, or the "whiteboard monitor" who erases the whiteboard at the end of each day. You might even have a team of kids, including the children with sensory issues, in charge of washing desks or helping the janitor, and give them an honorary name such as the "clean crew." All of these strategies will reduce the stigma for the sensory child who must have an in-school sensory diet in order to stay focused.

Remember, the child who is focused on the discomfort in her body and her urge to move may be polite and obedient, appearing to pay attention when, in reality, her mind is not on what the teacher is saying. By incorporating a sensory diet tailored to the sensory child's specific, unique needs by a sensory smart school or private OT, you make it far easier for her to focus on what we would all like her to focus on: learning! If the child is verbal, be sure to include her in the setting up of a sensory diet. What works for one child may not work for another.

And check in regularly to be sure that she's really getting the benefit of the activities set up for her, and make it a goal to have her advocate for herself and meet her sensory needs in a socially acceptable way.

Here are some easy ways to get proprioceptive and deep pressure input within a classroom and school environment (of course, the playground and gym offer plenty more activities during recess and gym time, too):

* Move stacks of books

* Deliver items from one classroom to another place in the building (especially if it requires carrying something and climbing stairs)

* Stack items, such as reams of paper, books, or storage bins

* Erase blackboards and whiteboards

* Move chairs or tables, put chairs on top of tables at the end of the day and take them down at the beginning of the day

* Wash desks or cafeteria tables

* Set up and put away folding chairs and tables

* Carry bins of lunchboxes into and out of cafeteria

* Empty wastebaskets, sweep, mop

* Sharpen pencils with an old-fashioned, crank pencil sharpener

* Assist gym teacher or playground supervisor with taking out and putting away equipment such as bags full of balls, mats, scooters, etc.

* Do laps around the gym or playground

* Climb stairs

* Cut cardboard and heavy paper card stock

* Do pushups against the wall

* Do chair push ups (holding the chair on either side as you sit, then pushing up to lift the body)

* Bounce while sitting on an exercise ball (loose or in a holder)

* Press legs against a lycra band stretched around chair or desk legs

* Sit on an inflatable cushion such as the Disc O' Sit

* Walk up a ramp or incline such as a wheelchair ramp or hill on the playground

* Hold open heavy doors, or open them for individuals entering or exiting the building

* Push or drag boxes, carts, or furniture across carpeted floor.

Nancy Peske is a professional writer and editor and the mother of a child diagnosed with sensory processing disorder and multiple developmental delays. She is the coauthor of the award-winning book Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues and has been active in the special needs community since 2002. She sends out a weekly newsletter of practical tips for parents and provides helpful information on SPD on her website at http://www.sensorysmartparent.com

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Autism - Proprioception and Sensory Needs - What I Do to Help My Son Settle and Sleep

My four year old is a bundle of energy. He flits from one thing to the next without a breath. Diagnosed with Autism and also ADHD he has many of the usual difficulties faced by children with this diagnosis. When I talk about proprioception in relation to my son I am talking about some of these challenges.

Proprioceptive is about knowing where we are in our space. Most of us can tell if we are standing straight or leaning, near an object or farther away. For Billy this is not always the case. Before his diagnosis and before I had any sort of understanding of his world, he drove me crazy... Don't get me wrong, I love this little boy to the extreme, however - not one night went by without he ended up not only in my bed, but trying to sleep so pressed against me that I had to hold myself from falling out. Day after day, he would run around and around our house with countless bumps and falls. His constant need to feel surfaces against him as he ran would result in all sorts of injuries. As a mum it was horrible to see him bumping himself all the time, but because at that time I did not understand what he needed, the attempts to help him were not enough. Reading books and working with our OT has changed things for the better and once I began to understand my sons condition I could be more proactive. Taking a look at what I had been doing, I realised that I was on the right track, but I had to do more.

Problem - Billy needs to concentrate to gain sensory input from the world around him. Nuro-typicals do not.

The answer - Give him what he needs.

These are some of the strategies that I am using with Billy.

Swinging Hammock - Billy has a hammock that is attached under our veranda with both ends tied in the one spot. This means the hammock is like a pocket for him to climb into. He gets in on his tummy and can spin himself around, back and forth, side to side. While he is doing this he is getting a pressure feedback against his skin and body that is sending messages to his brain and allowing his system to relax and not have to think about where he is.

Trampoline - Trampolines are great in so many ways. Billys has a cover over it and he can go out there when ever needed. Sometimes he is so unsettled at night that he asks to go out and jump just to help him relax. He has a 2 minute timer that he takes with him. When the timer goes off he comes back in and settles down. The netted trampolines provide an enclosed place to play and also is a spot we use for his activities. Billy has many crash mats that we use for him to jump into and these can be put onto the tramp and he can jump around in them while bouncing. Like everything, you need to be careful while on the trampoline with children.

Crash mats - As I mentioned "crash mats" can be used anywhere. We have them on our veranda as well as in Billys room. They are mainly bean bags filled with foam offcuts but the ones that work best are the big ones made from old dooner covers. Just get offcuts from places like clark rubber and fill the cover, then sew it up. Make sure that there is enough foam in the bag for it to be safe to jump on and also provide a good safe area for them to play in while using it. Make sure little kids are not able to get under the crash mats especially while the big kids are using them.

Blankets - Squash Squash Squash - Billy and his brother love this game. Just pack some blankets under them and then also on top - make sure you only cover their mid section so that their head and legs are free. Light pressure only is needed, but make a lot of noise about it. I tend to say silly things like 'Im a squissy monster, I'm going to squish you" - They laugh at me and love it. Billy tells me he likes to be a Billy sandwich, meaning that he is in the middle of the blankets.

Obstacle games - These ones are great, you get them down on the floor going under things, using all fours (this is great locality sensation for their system and also has many other benefits in the cognitive functions) climb around and in between objects, make a pillow mountain to climb over and then do a puzzle while laying under the coffee table. (anything you can come up with that will challenge them safely.)

Weighted toys - Weighted blankets and toys are fairly new to me. Since diagnosis I understand much more, but before that when someone suggested a weighted blanket I thought the idea was ridiculous because my children never liked to have any covering on them to sleep at all and if they did it had to be the exact one that they had chosen. It did not make sense to me that a child that did not like anything to touch him, should have a heavy weighted blanket on him to help him sleep. - Then I found out what was really the issue with Billy and his brother. It is actually the light touch of the sheet or blanket that is the problem. It is not that they don't like anything touching them, it is that they don't like to light touch of things. It took no time for Billy to take to his weighted blanket. Not only that, he also has a 2 kilogram weighted snake that he runs with around his neck and also has beside him while he sleeps. Running with the snake does not stop him, but you would be amazed as to how much slower and safer he is with it on. ( It also has the added benefit of making him tired carrying it around ) Billy still sleeps with his favourite blanket and it has to be the right way around and very exact, however he also has the weighted blanket over the top. He still ends up in my bed, but thankfully not as often.

There is no 1 magic cure, working with your child to figure out what they need is the key. Don't worry if you are asking the right questions, just keep asking and listen to what they tell you. Many times I have heard my son trying to explain what he is needing but only since I have tuned into his needs am i really hearing him.

If you are reading this right now, you are already trying to understand your child and therefore are well on the way to providing them with their needs. Keep up the good work.

Suzanne

Tell me your child's story, visit my web site and click Blog. http://www.forourspecialsomeone.com

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Swing Therapy For Autistic Children

Most of us have no problem combining all our senses. For autistic children (and grownups) however, it's a mighty challenging task. Processing stimuli from the senses of sight, smell, sound, touch, taste, balance and body is overwhelming. Those suffering from autism will often withdraw to avoid over stimulation, or try to sort out the input from their senses with self-developed soothing mechanisms and repetitive behaviours.

A significant amount of occupational therapy for autism focuses on sensory integration through specially designed programs. Some of the greatest tools for sensory integration therapy for autism type disorders are various types of swings. People with various autism spectrum disorders such as Autism, PDD, ADHD, Asperger's, proprioceptive dysfunction and tactile defensiveness will benefit from using swings as part of their therapy.

Additionally, children and adults with Sensory Processing Disorders (also called Sensory Integration Disorders), especially those with proprioceptive or vestibular dysfunction, should definitely have swings or therapy hammocks as a crucial element of their treatment.

The benefits of the hammock can be two-fold. Children who find the smooth, swaying motion soothing, will relax and unwind while using it. However, children who have a vestibular dysfunction will feel uneasy while in the hammock and might initially protest its use. For them, hammock therapy is more about regaining equilibrium and learning to tolerate vestibular stimuli.,

The motion of swinging restores balance to the vestibular system, provides proprioceptive input (deep pressure) and generally helps autistic-spectrum children feel more "in balance". The soothing motion of swinging soothes, relaxes and increases concentration. Children who have trouble focusing on tasks such as reading or math, might find it easier to concentrate sitting in a hammock chair, their bodies engaged in a soothing motion.

Setting up a swing in the home is easy and does not require a large investment. A hammock, hammock chair, hanging bag or a therapy platform swing are all relatively inexpensive, easy to find and do not take up a lot of room. Making a platform swing out of a hammock is an easy do-it-yourself project, with instructions available in our blog. Put one in the child's room, playroom or family room for a retreat or a therapy corner for an autistic child.

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