The Body Sock

The box with the goodies arrived yesterday: some good stuff for sensory integration! See, my boy has officially been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, specifically in the area of modulation. The most simple explanation that I can use with children and adults alike is that his motor has a hard time regulating, it is either running too fast (over aroused/stimulated) or too slowly (under aroused/stimulated). Our goal is to keep him at center where learning and productive socialization can occur. Some sense experiences assault him, some sense experience call out to him as his life blood: he needs them to survive. I have to be ever vigilant to see where he is at on the continuum and try to provide the input he needs, either stimulating input to rev up his engine or calming input to shift him down a couple of gears. It's an art. It's a work in progress. He looks normal (most of the time) except when he's flipping out because his sock seam feels like gravel or he's diving onto department store floors because his body needs the sensory input (I wonder if he could wear Moon Shoes his entire childhood :)  ). For years and years I could not figure him out. I thought he was an intensely active boy. I thought he was the most stubborn creature I had ever met, besides his father or a rock. I thought he was on a path to a not so good place, despite my constant prayers, tutoring, discipline, affection, gifts, treats, ad nauseum. Nope, the child's nervous system was at fault. It had trouble regulating (thus called Sensory Modulation Disorder). His sympathetic and para sympathetic nervous systems were dis- ordered, disorganized. 
Now to explain the journey of discovery and give credit to my fellow sojourners.  My hugest heartfelt thanks to Heather Schweigert Taylor whom was brave enough to share her troubles openly on Facebook about her son and the diagnoses he was given. Up until that point, I had never heard of Sensory Processing Disorder. I had read about everything else under the sun trying to find my son within each description, but always coming out empty handed and more befuddled than before. So, thank you Heather, it is because of you, that I have found the missing pieces to my boy's puzzle. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. It is your courage that inspires me to share my story in hopes of passing on the "lightbulb" moment of recognition. 
After becoming enlightened and hungrily reading all that I could get my hands on, I searched for an Occupational Therapist with Sensory Integration Therapy certification, for unfortunately, there are very few.  God blessed that search also. My childhood friend and birthday buddy's name appeared on the screen :Necole Sphar Hubbard. WHAT??????!!!?!!???? I jumped out of my seat in a frenzied moment of disbelief and called her. Her sweetness answered and a few days later, she spent hours listening to me and offering not only her friendship and her expertise, but also her affirmation. I wasn't crazy. My child wasn't crazy. We had a neurological condition that can be greatly helped and overcome with occupational therapy: I can handle that. So to you, Necole Sphar Hubbard, thank you for being my friend and thank you for wearing your OT hat. You were like water pouring into my dry and weary desert. 
The next week my Dad had invited up a great couple to their summer camp. It just so happened to be Necole's lovely parent's. Her mom who is an Occupational Therapist Assistant!  (Thank you to Melissa Sahr Kaus for that excellent intel!) It also just so happened that my family and I had the week free and made ourselves, with all of our quirks, available to intrude on their peaceful week at the River. Lynn Sphar, you put hand's to words and actions into reality.  Thank you for working with me, thank you for showing me what sense my son was reacting to, thank you for giving me coping and healing strategies. You are my OT mother. 
That was the path to discovery. The path and it's struggle traverse much terrain and exert much stress, but the most blessed part of this entire thing is that new neural pathways can and will be formed through OT!! Brody loves it!!! He's only had an hour and a half cumulative as of now and I can see tremendous growth. He did not meltdown when we couldn't swim (transitions can be extremely upsetting). He wants to wear jeans, button-up shirts, ties, more than one kind of sneakers (he would only wear soft, elastic waists and tshirts up until now), he is less resistive to bathing and nail trimming, he is less resistive to teeth brushing and even requested a hair cut. Previously a hair cut would turn him into a whirling dervish, red faced, screaming and bawling his eyes out. I understand now that it was the buzzing of the clippers, the sound and the vibration, the hair falling and itching and having to sit still while he was being bombarded with all of these sensations simultaneously, not to mention the fluorescent lights' glare. He used to go into sensory overload. Not anymore, praise God! Over the summer I did what I could in the way of homemade OT, but holy cow, those professionals are gifted. They have a true talent. Thank you Francine LeClerc, OT, you are my anchor in the school system. I can see you rejoice with each of Brody's accomplishments. You are an answer to prayer.


I did not plan on laying this all out this morning, but I have to think that someone will benefit. This is the best website I have found: http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorder-checklist.html
 My point this morning was to tell you a very inappropriate, but hilarious situation. The box arrived with all of the goodies, one of which was a body sock:

Let your little one explore the space they occupy with this Lycra/Spandex body sock.
Body socks increase spacial awareness through balance and resistance, allowing children with sensory
dysfunction to more effectively use their body, leading to less falls, more coordination, and overall
increased confidence in daily activities.   

Another benefit the body sock offers is deep pressure input.  Deep pressure is often sought out by
many children on the autistic spectrum.  Incorporating this therapy into their daily sensory diet can
help to minimize self-stimulating behavior (such as rocking or mouthing) and increases a child's
ability to concentrate and organize therefore allowing the child to respond more efficiently to both
academic and social stimuli.

Body Socks provide wonderful therapy to children with Autism as well as those diagnosed
with PDD, Asperger's, Tuberous Sclerosis, ADD/ADHD, or any other disorder causing sensory
dysfunction.

The opening can be worn in the front or back and has a snap fastener.  Per child's preference the
sock can be worn over entire body or with head showing.  

He loved it and he decided he'd like to up the ante and try it out on the trampoline. My boy is athletic. This child is talented and SO strong. As he did front flips and back flips seamlessly (ha ha- get it? seams bothered him previously) he asked me if I could do them.  Before I could answer he said, "Oh, probably not, because you have those, (hands cupped, motioning to his chest) and that would hurt!" and then, like the boy he is he gave himself such a kick out of saying "BOOBS! BOOBS! YOU HAVE BOOBS!" that he wouldn't shut up until I tackled him and threatened him with my Croc. Even in humorous situations sometimes he can't stop laughing. He's so funny and fun. He's my boy and he was fearfully and wonderfully made. He was made perfectly, just as God designed and planned. This situation is to glorify God, I know that beyond a doubt. I also know that God is a God of order, not disorder, for the Bible tells me so.