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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

Spinning Stimming Success!

17 replies

MrsFROSTgetful · 06/02/2005 14:58

L age 8 has AS and paces around constantly- usually with gameboy in hand- talking constantly about it etc....and then if sat down is a wriggler-always twisting so that one foot is always on the grount....an OT spoke at a meeting i went to about why ASD kids may be like this- so i have been 'seeking' a way to 'harness' this need...without stopping him as i understand it is a stim at times.

so the other day i was in town and saw a gadget aimed for people to exercise on...for £3.

Hard to describe- but is simply 2 plastic discs (approx 12" across) which are joined in the middle with a bolt- which you then stand on and you are meant to twist from side to side (needless to say my co-ordination is useless....so i gave up!0.....BUT for L this has made a real difference.

when he is 'very active' i get him to stand on it next to a worktop in the kitchen and he manages to lean against the cupboard and twist slightly- and play the game boy- and chat as usual....but is not wandering up and down- making me dizzy- nor getting dangerously in the way when i cook- i have several times been burnt because suddenly he IS RIGHT THERE- and i have been opening the oven- or seeing to the fryer etc.

also at meal times i place it by the base of his chair and he puts the one foot on it that he usually has on the carpet - then he twists it around every now and then- but his bottom remains seated!!!!

sometimes its a case of "if you can't beat them - join them'

only thing i would say is this could be a dangerous gadet....i know as i cannot stay balanced on it!! However- if the child is leaning on a table-or holding on to something- it is great!

OP posts:

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Eulalia · 06/02/2005 15:47

Sounds interesting Mrs F. My ds is a bit like this and unless absorbed in something will run around the room, bounce on the sofa or just sort of throw himself around. I don't think this would work for him though as his balance isn't that good probably due to his very flat feet. We do have a bouncer for him (you know the things used to be called 'Space Hoppers') but they are rather big and get in the way.

By the way I was on a thread the other week talking about how long we'd all been on Mumsnet. I did a search and found I'd been on since July 2000 and there was a thread with you and me on in Aug 2000 in Beh/Dev I think.... long before the days of the Special Needs Section!!

Davros · 06/02/2005 20:00

Mine's also a "mover". I got him some good things for Xmas from Letterbox. Ball with a sort-of platform round it (like Saturn), you put one foot on each side and try to balance. Little pair of foot pedals, no bike attached, he seems to like these. BIG exercise ball and someolne else got him a bean-shaped ball from Tesco. I am now working up to a free-standing hammock and an exercise bike! Oh yes, had a trampoline for donkeys but had to replace baby ELC one with a better one but not much room so got a 4ft one from Amazon which is great.

heartinthecountry · 06/02/2005 20:35

ROFL - davros I just read your post and was about to write something really ridiculous about not knowing that donkeys needed trampolines ( i have just drunk a LARGE glass of red wine) and then realised you were talking about donkey's years!!! Thank goodness I realised in time BTW how long has the SN section been running?

coppertop · 06/02/2005 21:02

Glad I'm not the only one who had visions of bouncing donkeys! I blame it on sitting through Shrek 3 times today (ds1's latest obsession).

I remember my little sister had one of those Saturn-shaped ball thingies. I was truly cr*p at trying to stay on it.

Ds2 is always jigging about, even in his sleep. I shall be storing these ideas up for later.

The SN board was already here when I joined (July 2003) but I think it was still fairly new.

MrsFROSTgetful · 06/02/2005 21:17

Eulaia....this is soooo weird....but i was thinking about YOU today....wondering if you still post on here etc...as i've been away for a few months....and there you go!!!!

has it really been THAT long?????

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anniebear · 06/02/2005 21:48

heartinthecountry

Dont worry, I was sitting for ages trying to work out what a trampoline for Donkeys had to do with anything. Never heard of one using one before!!!!!!!!!!!! Only when I read what you had put did I understand!!!

Now have hilarious vision of loads of donkeys all on a trampoline!!!

anniebear · 06/02/2005 21:49

and I hadn't had a large glass of wine!!!!!!

MrsFROSTgetful · 06/02/2005 21:53

yes annie...until heartin the c put that explanation i was in hysterics too!!!

i've got a chest infection at the moment- so when i start laughing too much- i start sounding like i have a 'smokers cough'....and i've never smoked in my life!!!

thanks to davros i have been alternating between chortling/choking for the past few mins!!!

spose should be greatful i'm not
"eeeeeeee-aw-ing!!!!!!"

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Davros · 06/02/2005 21:53

Yes, we have a donkey called Ned who comes in to use the trampoline....... sorry, didn't read my post carefully!

anniebear · 06/02/2005 21:55

Davros

No need to say sorry!!! I haven't laughed so loud in ages, thought I would wake up the girls!!!!

MrsFROSTgetful · 06/02/2005 21:59

yes davros....this has really been a great few minutes!!! don't say sorry!!!!

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coppertop · 06/02/2005 22:02

Dh's beer must have just kicked in (no pun intended) because he too is now sniggering at trampolining donkeys!!!

MrsFROSTgetful · 06/02/2005 22:05

my DH is 'tutting" at me as he's trying to watch the golf on tv....and i keep bursting into giggles!

back of the class we go again!

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coppertop · 06/02/2005 22:08

Dh is the boy sitting just in front of us who is trying really hard not to join in but (thanks to the beer) is sniggering with us.

Eulalia · 07/02/2005 14:35

Mrs F - yep we are a pair of oldies . Nice to see you back again.

Davros - another one who misread your post (without the wine) . Can I ask how old your ds is, I remember he is a few years older than mine. I was kind of hoping that my ds may grow out of his hyperactivity but maybe not?! Those pedals sound good. Balls don't work as he just throws them.

HIC - I think Speical Needs has been running for about 2 years, maybe a bit less.

Davros · 07/02/2005 16:50

Heeeehaaaaw! My DS is 9.5 yrs old now. He is just as physical as ever but I am doing better on channeling his need to move with some of these ideas. Now he is bigger he climbs a lot less, I think mostly becuase he is too big. But he has started sliding down the bannisters again, full length, head first, on his back, he always comes up with a lot of variations on a theme.

Eulalia · 08/02/2005 10:08

Oh well, maybe there is no point in buying a new sofa then. Trouble is dd is just the same so we have both of them bouncing about. She's 2.9 now and getting worse if anything. She was climbing on stacked dining room tables at her group yesterday and wanted to launch herself off the top - a good 4 foot drop. I really need one of those soft climbing areas inside our house.

I used to love bannisters too as a kid but couldn't do it head first!

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