Today wraps up the 5 Day Adoption series, I hope you discovered a few helpful ideas and encouragement. Â Here are all the post for the entire week:
    Monday:  Staying Organized During an Adoption
     Tuesday:  Special Needs Adoption
    Wednesday:  Adoption Challenges
    Thursday:  Homeschooling and Adoption
    Friday:  Adoption and Sensory Issues
Several of our children have been evaluated for potential sensory issues, and one is receiving sensory therapy in the form of horseback riding therapy {love!}. Many of our children have some sensory quirks, so we try to incorporate activities into our day to help with regulation. Â Here is a great explanation of Sensory Processing Disorder.Â
It makes a lot of sense that many children who were adopted can have sensory issues, particularly children who spent any time at all in an orphanage or less than optimal care in a foster home. Â So many of the things that parents naturally do with their infants are so important for development. Â Rocking, swaddling, tummy time and skin to skin contact all help to develop the vestibular system. Â As more is learned about sensory issues the genetic component is coming into play as well.
While sensory therapy is great, and essential for many children, there are many activities that can be done at home. Â For starters a clean diet goes a long way in helping the body function properly. Â I’m big on nutrition, particularly for children who have had a less than optimal start in life. Â Even though our diet is far from pristine my goal is always to improve. Â I don’t think a family has to go totally organic either, just whole, fresh foods.
An excellent book for learning more about sensory issues is The Out of Sync Child and the companion book, The Out of Sync Child has Fun. Â The companion book has a whole slew of activities that can be done at home. Â I also have a list of ways to keep kids active in winter and some ideas would be good for sensory seekers. Â My kids particularly enjoy swinging on a rope we have in our basement, the rope gets used each and every day.
Another book I found helpful is Smart Moves: Why Learning is Not All In Your Head. Â Not necessarily a sensory book, but it makes a strong correlation between movement and the brain.
Little bodies were built to move and providing sensory activities that coincide with being a sensory avoider or a sensory seeker can go a long way in the overall regulation of a child. Â A well regulated child is a child primed for better behavior, better learning, and more appropriate bonding. Â All in all a happier kid!
Further resources:
Great list of activities to do at home
Weighted blankets may help with sleep issues
The site Special-ism has a whole section on sensory issues
Be sure to peruse the January Hopscotch and see what other homeschooling bloggers are sharing.
Great information and resources!! And great series!Thanks.
Thanks for this info and all the resources. I am looking forward to doing more research.
Our son Isaiah was 48 hours old when we met him. He was in the NICU for severe prenatal drug addiction and was born early due to a drug overdose causing the placenta to disrupt from the uterine wall (emergency c-section). So, his start to life was less than ideal.
That being said, my husband and I took turns in the NICU holding him for 8-14 hours a day for his entire time there, so he bonded with us and we did all we could when he came home to swaddle him, hold him, wear him…(he made it necessary anyway since he was so fussy).
He was officially diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder at 12 months (he is almost 16 months now) and is in therapy once a week for this. It has helped a LOT, but there is still a long way to go. He is so far behind developmentally (he just learned to play peek a boo at 15 months), but is making progress and we are so overjoyed in the the little things he does.
He got a trampoline for Christmas and it helps so much. I am excited to read your links to find out more ways we can help him at home.
Sorry this is so long….just a lot to say!
Thanks Lori!
Julie, it sounds like you have done and are doing some great things with your son! I know what you mean about rejoicing over the little things. Thanks for reading, I hope you find the links helpful and are able to incorporate some of the items into your daily routine. I found I was doing some things and didn’t even realize how good they were! Have a great weekend!