why do our DC.......

[nothinginthefridge]

swing on chairs, tap things repeatedly, swing their legs, need to play with blue tac etc

Going to school tomorrow and I know I'm going to get the 'he never sits still'. Just want to know if this is part of his dx or just what all DC do?

DS2 does all of the above and then some. Although he's not allowed to play with blue tac as last time he put a small piece so far into his ear that we had to go to A&E to get it out.

No explanation. Just my sympathies - we're right there with you on this one!

Here you go Yup, part of asd

There can be lots of reasons for the fidgetty behaviour.

It can be sensory seeking, ie a way of finding out information about their immediate environment and can, in some cases, be linked to poor proprioperceptive awareness.

Some children need to keep moving in order to stay alert and focussed.

For others certain movements can be a form of stim, so they find it either soothing/comforting or stimulating.

With my ds, he needs to keep moving to stay focussed and also needs constant feedback from his environment in order to know where he is etc, because he has poor proprioperception. He also has a hand stim (and other stims) that he does when he is feeling stressed or under pressure.

Ds has a wobble cushion (which doesn't help much because his bottom is never on it for long enough ) and uses a tangle toy, blutak, a silky string (which he strokes and knots then unknots) and/or other fiddle toys to help him stay focussed in lessons, but also to sit more quietly in assembly etc.

Lol Ben, cross posted.

Took me ages to type and then I find I've linked to the same page as you!

brevity is my middle name:)

My middle name is 'verbose'.

And I thought you had a double barrelled name, 'verbal-diarrhoea'

I just think of my DS as being hypo-sensitive,so sensory seeking, as part of his ASD. He'll never be fat.

Oi watchit matey!

Well just been to school and had a very pleasant surprise.

SENCO said he had reports about DS not sitting still, swinging on chairs etc. He said this is all part of poor proprioceptive awareness! He said DS may do this to enable him to concentrate. Nearly fell off my chair!

He said he had identified that he needs to do some more training with his teachers/TA's on understanding this, as they are obviously making this an issue, and in his mind it doesn't need to be.

He then went to a drawer and pulled out a fiddle toy - 'we'll give this a go', and I will go back to the teachers and get them to stop telling tales give them some more training on this issue.

I spoke to him about my concerns RE: possible ADD and ASD, he said he could see why I would think that may be the case. He said I might want to consider thinking about a diagnosis for my DS sense of identity, and it will help him as he moves up through the years at school.

What a lovely, lovely man. I could have kissed him

Lol, had to laugh at you nearly falling of your chair!

Sounds like a really positive meeting - so pleased for you that you've got a good SENCO, they are out there, but can be a very rare breed in many people's experience.

We also have a good one, having gone through several hopeless ones before the school employed this one.

Yeah, funny thing was HE was swinging on his chair when he was talking about it.

Other reasons I like him:-

he doesn't like children to be given extended homework

when telling him my son was hitting a bully back now, SENCO said good for him!

When teachers have complained that DS does only the bare minimum, he said 'what children don't?' It was nice to hear him say that and praising DS to the hilt and not blaming him for all little misdemeanours. Said that was the teachers fault for not stretching him enough!!

Sounds like we've got ourselves a good one!! Yippee!

when telling him my son was hitting a bully back now, SENCO said good for him!

LOL!

I like your SENCO :)