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SN children

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Original poster

SPD and brushing....

19 replies

pucca · 30/07/2010 16:59

I have had the OT here this morning and she brought with her a brush to try on ds, she showed me how to do it and the joint compressions included...ds loves it! she said to start with to do it every 90 mins..

Has anyone else tried this? what differences did you notice? and when?

Thanks

OP posts:

LimaCharlie · 30/07/2010 17:41

I haven't but a friend of mine had the exact same experience as you when she first tried it - sadly life gets in the way so she's not really had the time to devote to doing it regularly

vixen1 · 30/07/2010 22:25

Hiya, I've just started the Wilbarger technique with my son. 2 days after starting I lost the blummin' brush! Grrrr.

I've got another one now though and we do it every two hours. He loves it! Not really seen any noticeable improvements yet though...

I'd love to hear how it's going...!

Original poster

pucca · 30/07/2010 22:58

Lima...Yep I think that is one major problem with it - time!

Vixen1...Oh no to losing the brush, we should definitley keep updating on here as may help others I will report anything I find has altered.

OP posts:

mumgoingcrazy · 31/07/2010 19:56

We've done this twice now, the 1st for a 6 week block and the 2nd for a top up month.

It was absolutely fantastic and transformed DD2. She was 10 months the 1st time we did it, she was severely tactile defensive and had never touched anything and would never be touched. After the 6 week block she pretty much had a normal tactile sense. She then had some illness and a couple of ear infections and then the sensitivity would come back so we did the top up month 6 months later.

We had to do it 6 times a day, it is hard at first to try and fit it all in, but once you're in a routine and in the swing of it the changes are amazing. DD2 used to change on a daily basis. I think all in all we got the brushing and joint compressions done in 5 mins in the end.

Good luck, I would highly recommend it.

Original poster

pucca · 31/07/2010 20:08

Oooh thanks mumgoingcrazy...that is very good news!

OP posts:

devientenigma · 01/08/2010 00:41

We are also body brushing, something he's needed really for years!! After doing everything but this, he is now letting us do this for a few minutes. Even though it's a small breakthrough it's huge to us. We are also seeing a small difference with him especially his temper/mood. We are brushing at least twice a day paying more attention to hands, feet and face. Like MGC dd he is extremely tactile defensive. I definatly recommend this and again Pucca...good luck.
MGC Hi, hope you are all doing well xx

mumgoingcrazy · 01/08/2010 19:44

So glad this is helping your DS Devie, this is really good news, especially his temper!!

Any closer to brushing his teeth?

It amazes me how all this sensory integration can transform our DC. Hope you see some more good changes xx

tallwivglasses · 01/08/2010 23:03

I've heard about this.

Does anyone have any more information/links about it?

devientenigma · 02/08/2010 07:10

Hi MGC, no it just seems to be calming his temper at the minute. We still have our battles but they don't last hours like they used to. He's keeping his socks and shoes on more, though his clothes are coming off just as much.
Teeth brushing, apart from now being able to hold the toothbrush for 30 sec, he's still not brushing them, however holding the brush is an improvement.
He's also been doing a lot with the OT in school around tactile and his other problems. Alongside the listening program, so unsure as to wether it's just the brushing that's making the difference.
It's also been decided that he needs a weighted blancket and vest, though they are reluctant to do this for his heart condition.
Anyway hopefully it's a start.
Is your DD doing well, are you all ok?? did you ever get on facebook lol??

tallwivglasses, did you want info on spd or the brushing or both??

tallwivglasses · 02/08/2010 10:44

Both please. I'm a bit embarrassed because I don't know what spd stands for!

mumgoingcrazy · 02/08/2010 19:39

SPD is sensory processing disorder. A very good book is 'The out of sync child' and also the 'out of sync child has fun' is good as this has loads of activities to target whichever senses your child has a problem with.

Our OT set us up with the brushing, ours was done with blocks of it, but some people use it as part of a sensory diet. It depends on the child I think.

Devie, still not on facebook

DD2 doing very well at the moment, she can now walk using her walker, yippee!! Her balance is still really poor but she can now say 4 word sentances and just seems much more with it all round. We're doing our 4th lot of Therapeutic Listening at the moment too. How's your Listening program going??

MrsYamada · 02/08/2010 23:19

We started brushing quite recently, ds finds it calming and likes the compression side of it. It could be coincidence but I feel he has been more manageable since we started. We do it in the morning and evening and maybe once in between. We were told not to do it if it interfered with something he was enjoying but he quite likes it done when he's watching a video or something. Does anyone who does it notice a difference if they then don't do it? I just wondered as sometimes on the weekend we have lapsed a bit and I've noticed him being more difficult - but not sure if this is just a weekend thing or the lack of brushing (either way have decided not to lapse anymore). Also, the brushes we use are like surgical scrub brushes with a foam back and they seem ok, but ds likes to be brushed quite firmly so I was wondering if anyone could recommend something a bit sturdier?

mumgoingcrazy · 03/08/2010 20:49

I'm afraid I don't know the answer but am bumping for you!

We only used the surgical brushes, although we did press firmly. It seemed to do the job but then we had to do it 6 times a day. I think it varies for every child. HTH

tallwivglasses · 03/08/2010 21:14

6 times a day?? Blimey. And thanks for the explanation, mumgoingcrazy. Must brush up on my acronyms (sorry)

MrsYamada · 03/08/2010 21:35

Thanks, I think the actual brush bit is ok-ish but where it's only foam backed sometimes when we brush briskly it's quite hard to keep hold off and sort of snags. I'll get back to the OT as I think she said to try these to start off and then see.

I think I need to try and do it in the middle of the day too, they were trying to do it in school after lunch but the holidays have sent our routines a bit askew.

devientenigma · 06/08/2010 11:38

HI MGC,
Unsure as to how the listening program is going as this was done in school. However he was aggressive when the OT had been in school to work around the mouth (obviously lol).
I think the brushing is helping and maybe that with another round of listning program when back to school, we may start to get somewhere.
The past few am's he has been able to quickly wash his face with a flannel!!!!!!!!!!!
So he is progressing....I know it's small and slow to others but if they knew him they would understand why.
That's great about the sentences!! well done MGC dd, so is she conversing??
Well done with the walker...my ds had a rollator when he was 5yo...he put his head down between the handles and got it stuck!! So beware, if it's the same.
Take care x

vixen1 · 06/08/2010 20:15

Just wanted to report that I MAY be seeing some benefit (although I may just be being hopeful).

DS has frequent meltdowns which are unpredictable and start so suddenly they are impossible to "catch" and resolve.

Since doing the brushing I've noticed that he hesitates for a second before his meltdown - this is just long enough for me to intervene and sometimes even resolve a tantrum before it starts!!!!!

I know it sounds really small but I'm sure most of you mums of ASD children in particular will know how significant it really is!!!

YIPEEEE

MrsYamada · 06/08/2010 22:54

Hi, where do you all get your brushes? I got some of the E-Z surgical ones (or something like that - foam backed things) from the OT who started us off but we are down to one and won't really be seeing her until September at least. I looked online for the Wilbarger brush but could only find overseas stockists - anyone know a UK supplier?

HairyMaclary · 07/08/2010 08:11

Just a question on this, my DS is 5 and has cerebral palsy, there is a certain amount of other stuff going on as well, not sure what though. I've noticed recently that he has started putting everything in his mouth again, toys, pencils, paper, tissues etc...

He is cognitively normal and talks well, I've tried talking to him, telling him to stop, taking whatever it is away from him etc. I once told him that that is the sort of thing babies do and he got very upset saying he wasn't a baby (which is not what I said, but obviously what he heard!) I'm beginning to think that it's a sensory thing, there are a few odd sensory things going on, I think he feels much less pain than he should, tooth brushing is ok but not great.

From your collective experience is this the sort of thing that brushing could help with? Or is his need not great enough? Have you anything else to suggest, is it worth me getting the out of sync child book?

Thanks and sorry for the essay!

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