To Wordpress that is. My web-designer insisted I make the move - so there I am headed. So, if you'd care to follow me to http://www.jenniferhurst.com/ you'll find the link to my blog and we'll continue the adventures there!
Thanks for reading and visiting!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday's with SPD: What is Stereognosis?
“Huh?” was my first intelligent response when Diane, the occupational therapist who works on my children’s sensory needs, explained Stereognosis to me. She had to repeat herself as I was confused and apparently it was obvious on my very expressive face (don’t ask me to play poker).
“Stereognosis is the ability to identify an object by touch,” she said simply. It’s not that I didn’t understand her the first time – it’s just that the whole concept of not being able to tell what an object is by only feeling it was a whole new concept in regards to my children’s sensory issues. Besides that, the word itself is strange and I had to repeat it to myself several times and have her spell it for me so I could pronounce it correctly.
“So what do you do for it?” I asked, wide-eyed as I tried to imagine what kind of games and activities she must have in her bag of tricks.
She smiled knowingly and produced a large wad of green goop, the kind you find in the toy department. It’s not the slimy, slippery kind. It’s more like play dough that sticks together and doesn’t easily pull apart. Inside she had hidden several small cubes with letters on each side (like the game Boggle). Diane gave the wad of goop to my second son who worked to get each of the cubes out. It took him several minutes, but eventually he found ten cubes. With those ten cubes, Diane helped him spell the word HERMIT CRAB, and then he wrote the word down on a sheet of lined paper.
As a supplemental activity to help the boys develop their sense of stereognosis, Diane suggested using a shoebox filled with rice and hide objects inside. The boys are to try and identify the object before they extract it from the box. My boys love this game. But I’ve learned that it’s best played on a bed sheet because rice gets all over the place and it’s easier to clean up afterwards by just grasping the four corners and funneling it back into the shoebox.
Next time: Handwriting games
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday's with SPD: Chewy Sticks, Fuzzy Pom-Poms, and sucking yogurt through a straw
Diane handed me a long list of items that she suggested I use for my 2nd son who craves oral sensory stimulation. I cringed at the long list of sugary chewy items, such as gummies, Atomic Balls, Sour Candies, etc. But, then I came to the non-edible items and felt much better. Things like the plastic tubing you use in an aquarium or for your refrigerator's water dispenser is perfect for chewing on. I purchased a two foot long piece from a local hardware store and after sanitizing it, cut some of it into 3 inch lengths and the rest in 6" inch lengths.
The 3 inch pieces I stuck on the ends of the pencils, as both my boys are wont to chew the ends off, including the metal part, and the rest I stuck in a kitchen drawer to hand out when I notice my 2nd start to chew on his shirt sleeves or suck his thumb. My first son isn't so needy now, but he was a die-hard thunmbsucker for years before we got a habit appliance to get him to stop. If only I had known about SPD when he was littler. Both of my boys are Hyposensitive.
The other items on the list included:
How do you know if your child has an Oral Sensory need? This website (http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/) has been a great resource for me and the following is from that website.
Oral Sensitivities:
When talking about children with SPD, we refer to two different types of oral sensitivities... hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity.
As you may have already seen from the Sensory Processing Disorders Checklist, children with oral hypersensitivities - also called oral defensiveness - will exhibit many, or all, of the following characteristics:
dislikes having teeth brushed and/or face washed
has a limited food repertoire and/or may avoid certain food textures - especially mixed textures
will take their food off the fork or spoon using only their teeth, keeping their lips retracted
will gag easily when eating and may only get food down by taking a drink with it
may exhibit signs of tactile defensiveness such as; disliking being touched, avoiding messy play - glue, play doh, mud, sand, finger paints, etc. - , or, may not pick up eating utensil or food with a grasp that involves the palm of his hand
In Contrast, Children With Hyposensitivities Will Exhibit Many, Or All, Of The Following Characteristics:
they love and crave intense flavors, i.e., sweet, sour, salty, spicy and usually become "condiment kids"
may actually avoid mixed textures as well since it is difficult to chew and swallow properly when you can't "feel" the food in your mouth correctly
they are the messy eaters; getting food all over their face and/or leaving bits of food in their mouths at the end of a meal
they often take large bites and stuff their mouths, or even "pocket" food in their cheeks
are inclined to not chew their food thoroughly before swallowing (at risk for choking)
drool excessively beyond the teething stage
and, they always seem to have something in their mouths; toys, pens, pencil tips, gum, candy, or inedible objects (i.e., paper clips, rubber bands, shirt sleeves and collars, strings...anything!)
The 3 inch pieces I stuck on the ends of the pencils, as both my boys are wont to chew the ends off, including the metal part, and the rest I stuck in a kitchen drawer to hand out when I notice my 2nd start to chew on his shirt sleeves or suck his thumb. My first son isn't so needy now, but he was a die-hard thunmbsucker for years before we got a habit appliance to get him to stop. If only I had known about SPD when he was littler. Both of my boys are Hyposensitive.
The other items on the list included:
- Vibrating Toothbrush (which I gave them for Christmas - love it!)
- Crunchy fruits and veggies
- Sucking yogurt through a straw (but since we deal with allergies - Diane showed us how to play a game with fuzzy pom-poms you get from a craft store. Suck up a pom-pom on the end of a straw and crawl across the floor to drop it into a container. Repeat).
- Blowing bubbles
How do you know if your child has an Oral Sensory need? This website (http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/) has been a great resource for me and the following is from that website.
Oral Sensitivities:
Signs, Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment
When talking about children with SPD, we refer to two different types of oral sensitivities... hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity.
As you may have already seen from the Sensory Processing Disorders Checklist, children with oral hypersensitivities - also called oral defensiveness - will exhibit many, or all, of the following characteristics:
In Contrast, Children With Hyposensitivities Will Exhibit Many, Or All, Of The Following Characteristics:
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Aloha Fridays: "No, Dad. It's ALL wet!"
Easter Sunday, 1992.
Amouli, American Samoa
My 9 year old brother, Rick (not his real name), woke up bright and early Easter Sunday with a very important message for my parents.
"Dad," he said as he approached my parent's bed. Dad cracked an eye to peer at Rick.
"What?" he groaned.
"My bed is wet," Rick whispered.
"Just put a towel over it and go back to bed," Dad grumped and rolled over to go back to sleep.
"No, Dad. It's ALL wet," Rick persisted.
Dad groaned and wondered how much water the kid had drunk the night before. How could his whole bed be wet? Dad sat up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. Splash - splash.
"What the . . .?" Dad stared in shock at the 4 inches of water covering the floor. In his half-sleep state, he gawked at Rick as if somehow this child was responsible for the amount of water on the floor. As soon as Dad's neuron's started firing correctly, he realized this wasn't a matter of an over active bladder, but the result of excessive rain on the mountain behind us that had sent a flash flood through our house.
I was asleep on my large purple pillow of a mat on the floor by the front door when Dad came into the living room hollering at us to get up that we had been flooded. Drowsily, I threw an arm over the puffy side of my mat and splashed water with my open hand. It woke me up instantly and by the time I had gotten to my feet, the rest of my siblings were awake and exclaiming in excitement over the water.
It was a beautiful day, but when we stepped outside to survey the rest of the village that lay 4 feet lower than our house, a neighbor wallowed through the flood to ask if we were okay. We were indeed better off than most of our neighbors, but all our beds were soaked.
I helped dragged everyone's sleeping pillows out of the house and heaved them onto the clothesline to dry. Then we spent the rest of the morning cleaning the mud and debris out of the house which included water logged rats, hermit crabs, bugs, garbage and the like. Needless to say, the Easter Bunny didn't visit us that year.
Mom tried to come up with something positive about the whole situation, but, I don't remember what it was. I do remember that the younger kids had a blast playing in the muddy water in our front yard.
Amouli, American Samoa
My 9 year old brother, Rick (not his real name), woke up bright and early Easter Sunday with a very important message for my parents.
"Dad," he said as he approached my parent's bed. Dad cracked an eye to peer at Rick.
"What?" he groaned.
"My bed is wet," Rick whispered.
"Just put a towel over it and go back to bed," Dad grumped and rolled over to go back to sleep.
"No, Dad. It's ALL wet," Rick persisted.
Dad groaned and wondered how much water the kid had drunk the night before. How could his whole bed be wet? Dad sat up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. Splash - splash.
"What the . . .?" Dad stared in shock at the 4 inches of water covering the floor. In his half-sleep state, he gawked at Rick as if somehow this child was responsible for the amount of water on the floor. As soon as Dad's neuron's started firing correctly, he realized this wasn't a matter of an over active bladder, but the result of excessive rain on the mountain behind us that had sent a flash flood through our house.
I was asleep on my large purple pillow of a mat on the floor by the front door when Dad came into the living room hollering at us to get up that we had been flooded. Drowsily, I threw an arm over the puffy side of my mat and splashed water with my open hand. It woke me up instantly and by the time I had gotten to my feet, the rest of my siblings were awake and exclaiming in excitement over the water.
It was a beautiful day, but when we stepped outside to survey the rest of the village that lay 4 feet lower than our house, a neighbor wallowed through the flood to ask if we were okay. We were indeed better off than most of our neighbors, but all our beds were soaked.
I helped dragged everyone's sleeping pillows out of the house and heaved them onto the clothesline to dry. Then we spent the rest of the morning cleaning the mud and debris out of the house which included water logged rats, hermit crabs, bugs, garbage and the like. Needless to say, the Easter Bunny didn't visit us that year.
Mom tried to come up with something positive about the whole situation, but, I don't remember what it was. I do remember that the younger kids had a blast playing in the muddy water in our front yard.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Wednesday at the Kitchen Table: The best Kitchen Table on the Planet
What does your kitchen table look like? I'm on a quest to see what Kitchen Tables around the world look like. Aren't you curious too? I mean, what does a typical kitchen table look like in Japan? What is served for dinner on it? What about New Guinea? Or Peru? or Bulgaria? or Hawaii?
Send me your photos of your kitchen table laid out with your family's favorite meal or family activity. Tell me where you are from and share a recipe! I'm looking for Kitchen Tables from around the world - won't you share yours with us? I'd like to see some celebrity kitchen tables, too. No Martha Stewart wannabees please. Just your typical meal or family activity on your Kitchen Table.
Send your photo (and recipes if you wish) to me at jc_hurst AT comcast DOT net.
Until next time, eat well, be well and be happy!
Send me your photos of your kitchen table laid out with your family's favorite meal or family activity. Tell me where you are from and share a recipe! I'm looking for Kitchen Tables from around the world - won't you share yours with us? I'd like to see some celebrity kitchen tables, too. No Martha Stewart wannabees please. Just your typical meal or family activity on your Kitchen Table.
Send your photo (and recipes if you wish) to me at jc_hurst AT comcast DOT net.
Until next time, eat well, be well and be happy!
Tuesdays Review: FORD 2011 Explorer
My recent dream car was the 2011 Honda Odyssey. No more. After my husband brought home the 2011 Ford Explorer from work to try out for a few weeks, its goodbye Honda, helloooo Fordykins! That's my pet name for this gorgeous vehicle - Fordykins.
I am by no means a car expert. I don't know a head gasket from a transmission case, let alone know where to put the oil after I've undipped the oil tester thingy. All I do know is how to use the pedals and turn the wheel and if you show me where to put the gas, I'm good to go.
So, in climbing behind the wheel of this sleek, wide, black vehicle, the first impression I had was I felt so skinny. There is ALOT of elbow room in there. You could put three of me in the driver's seat. I wonder if Ford is trying to accommodate the extra large American market. I'm a medium sized American (the equivalent of an overweight European).
Then of course, I turned it on. I could hardly hear the motor. I put in in reverse and all of a sudden a screen on the console above the gear shifter came alive to show me what was behind me as I backed out. In color, no less, with guidelines. Sweet, I thought.
It handled beautifully. I didn't feel like I was driving a huge monstrous tank, even though it seats 7. My kids had plenty of room in the back to stretch out and nobody could complain about someone else touching them. I had to use the seat adjuster to lift me higher so I could see over the dashboard, but the seats are comfortable and heated too! And get this, the passenger and driver each get their own climate controlled area. So, my husband isn't forced to endure the furnace I like to be in when outside in this bleak winter weather.
The only thing I had an issue with, is the humongous amount of computerized gadgets and gizmos this thing has. It is literally a moving computer that can send and receive emails, and even read them to you. Once, when my husband took us on an errand and ran inside a building to meet with a business contact for a few minutes, I decided to change the station on the radio. After staring at the computer screen on the dashboard for 5 minutes, I noticed buttons on the steering wheel and remembered I could control the volume and stations of the radio there. I figured, why not, since the steering wheel had fewer buttons to push than the console, so I started pushing buttons and all of a sudden, a telephone ring filled the car. I glanced at the computer screen as the ring sounded again and to my horror the screen showed I was calling one of my husband's business associates.
"Where's the off button!" I cried as my kids started laughing, thinking it absolutely funny that the car was like a giant cell phone and Mom couldn't figure out how to cancel the call. I don't know which button I pushed to cancel it, but I disconnected before anyone answered. I never did figure out how to operate the radio. I guess I'll have to let my husband control the radio. The Ford Explorer does have a really neat gadget that I really like. You can plug your iPhone into the car and play Pandora. The vehicle has fantastic acoustics.
Overall, I was very delighted with the Ford 2011 Explorer. My husband says it gets great mileage for a vehicle its size. I don't care, he buys the gas, I just play chauffeur and if I have to spend hours in a car, I'd rather spend it in comfort. Now, if only it had a a self cleaning option with a built in fridge and microwave. Or, better yet, an auto pilot, so I can get my naps in before swim lessons.
I give the Ford 2011 Explorer, the Unicorn Award.
I am by no means a car expert. I don't know a head gasket from a transmission case, let alone know where to put the oil after I've undipped the oil tester thingy. All I do know is how to use the pedals and turn the wheel and if you show me where to put the gas, I'm good to go.
So, in climbing behind the wheel of this sleek, wide, black vehicle, the first impression I had was I felt so skinny. There is ALOT of elbow room in there. You could put three of me in the driver's seat. I wonder if Ford is trying to accommodate the extra large American market. I'm a medium sized American (the equivalent of an overweight European).
Then of course, I turned it on. I could hardly hear the motor. I put in in reverse and all of a sudden a screen on the console above the gear shifter came alive to show me what was behind me as I backed out. In color, no less, with guidelines. Sweet, I thought.
It handled beautifully. I didn't feel like I was driving a huge monstrous tank, even though it seats 7. My kids had plenty of room in the back to stretch out and nobody could complain about someone else touching them. I had to use the seat adjuster to lift me higher so I could see over the dashboard, but the seats are comfortable and heated too! And get this, the passenger and driver each get their own climate controlled area. So, my husband isn't forced to endure the furnace I like to be in when outside in this bleak winter weather.
The only thing I had an issue with, is the humongous amount of computerized gadgets and gizmos this thing has. It is literally a moving computer that can send and receive emails, and even read them to you. Once, when my husband took us on an errand and ran inside a building to meet with a business contact for a few minutes, I decided to change the station on the radio. After staring at the computer screen on the dashboard for 5 minutes, I noticed buttons on the steering wheel and remembered I could control the volume and stations of the radio there. I figured, why not, since the steering wheel had fewer buttons to push than the console, so I started pushing buttons and all of a sudden, a telephone ring filled the car. I glanced at the computer screen as the ring sounded again and to my horror the screen showed I was calling one of my husband's business associates.
"Where's the off button!" I cried as my kids started laughing, thinking it absolutely funny that the car was like a giant cell phone and Mom couldn't figure out how to cancel the call. I don't know which button I pushed to cancel it, but I disconnected before anyone answered. I never did figure out how to operate the radio. I guess I'll have to let my husband control the radio. The Ford Explorer does have a really neat gadget that I really like. You can plug your iPhone into the car and play Pandora. The vehicle has fantastic acoustics.
Overall, I was very delighted with the Ford 2011 Explorer. My husband says it gets great mileage for a vehicle its size. I don't care, he buys the gas, I just play chauffeur and if I have to spend hours in a car, I'd rather spend it in comfort. Now, if only it had a a self cleaning option with a built in fridge and microwave. Or, better yet, an auto pilot, so I can get my naps in before swim lessons.
I give the Ford 2011 Explorer, the Unicorn Award.
Mondays with SPD: Lets shake the house down!
"How loud can you jump?" Diane, our Occupational Therapist, challenged my three boys. My boys literally jumped on the opportunity to try and break the sound barrier on my hardwood floors. After a few floor jarring moments of hard jumping, Diane challenged them to "make the room bigger" by pushing on the walls. My 7 year old was convinced he had managed to make my living room a few feet wider all by himself.
Why, might you ask, are my children trying to bring my house down? Well, as Diane explained, these exercises are great for the Proprioceptive stimulation, both for Sensory Seekers and Sensory Avoiders, of which I am mother to both.
I'm struggling to keep up with the deep pressure brushing and joint compressions every four hours for both the boys. I have noticed a big difference in their behaviour when I do manage to do the DPBs and JCs. Bed time is easier, they are more calm and relaxed, and there is less "bothersome activity" that the boys engage in to peeve one another.
I'm looking into dietary changes as my second son has a sensitive system and Diane said that SPD kids tend to have weak muscle tone inside and out. So, digestion is a bit of a problem, which would explain the tummy aches after certain meals. Diane suggested pro-biotics which can be purchased at health food stores.
Why, might you ask, are my children trying to bring my house down? Well, as Diane explained, these exercises are great for the Proprioceptive stimulation, both for Sensory Seekers and Sensory Avoiders, of which I am mother to both.
I'm struggling to keep up with the deep pressure brushing and joint compressions every four hours for both the boys. I have noticed a big difference in their behaviour when I do manage to do the DPBs and JCs. Bed time is easier, they are more calm and relaxed, and there is less "bothersome activity" that the boys engage in to peeve one another.
I'm looking into dietary changes as my second son has a sensitive system and Diane said that SPD kids tend to have weak muscle tone inside and out. So, digestion is a bit of a problem, which would explain the tummy aches after certain meals. Diane suggested pro-biotics which can be purchased at health food stores.
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