Soft play as a treatment for ADHD apparently.....

[StarOfLightMcKings3]

www.ymcalsw.org/Blog/why-are-we-doing-soft-play

lol

I don't know about overcome. Perhaps. Certainly less distressing with desensitisation.

I had sensory problems as a child. I remember now that I couldn't stand sleeves of half length or certain fabrics and all my labels had to be cut out. I have no idea why but I have no problems with any of it now. I suspect some of it came with practice due to social context and peer pressure to wear certain items/styles.

Now my dd is my double. She is 4 and banging on about labels and sleeves not being right. I'm a bit 'meh' about it because she is pretty NT. I think with children with ASD they can become obsessed about it and are not regulated by the social aspect. i.e. couldn't give a fig if everyone was staring at them scream the place down in the supermarket.

Let's face it, most of us must have experienced sensory overload in the shops recently, when you have to either leave or grind your teeth or something. Without the need to buy whatever it is you have gone into get, coupled with the social or practical consequence of NOT getting the item(s) you'd probably not subject yourself to the experience, and if there was no benefit to you of going in and you were 'forced' into the experience with no understanding of when it would end then again, I wouldn't be surprised if you too screamed.

So, I suppose I think that it isn't sensory issues that are the problem, it is the ASD inhibiting the ability to deal with them, understand them and have some control over them. That needs to be taught I think.

For example, an NT child would know that you go into a shop, you choose an item, you queue to pay and then you can leave. If you are spending too long choosing, the NT child can say 'I'm bored, can we go now?' or 'it's too noisy in here'.

A child with ASD might have no clue how long they have to stay in, what happens next, how many processes have to be completed before they can get out of the hell that they have been brought into.

Add to all of that the likeliness that they will be more sensitive to the discomfort of the situation.

A solution could be a)to make a safe place in a pram under a blanket with ear defenders. It could be to b) take them into noisy places for a few seconds building it up with rewards for sticking it out. It could be c) a social story or visual timetable that explains the usual routine in a busy shop with a very clearly marked END.

I prefer the last two together b) and c) as they move towards socially acceptable behaviour and functionality, and I prefer not to go straight to a). But, there will be times when only a) will do and exercises to enable the child to access a) I think is really important, just not the starting place.

Dev Tain't MY thread. It is OUR thread.

DS2 played on the soft play equipment at school every day when he was younger. This was to build up his core strength, though, and improve his balance.

T'other one likes the sensory feedback from rolling about on the stuff, but can't cope with playing on the equipment with other children. And the acoustics in those big warehouse places are terrible for both of them.

If I had room, I'd buy the boys one of those big softplay roller squeezer things. They'd love it! www.specialneedstoys.com/uk/therapy/1354-body-roller.html

That swing hammock looks lovely!
We only have a little house so building a dedicated sensory room (without a move) is not possible. We made a sensory corner instead- by raising ds bed with a mattress, curtain and bean bag thingy. We have a garden swing seat (a favorite) which I really must move to the garage for winter use.

no vom here, promise.

Thanks for the explanation, it makes a lot of things very clear.