Proprioception exercises?

[HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch]

Has anyone tried these with their child please? It has been suggested to us by nearly 3yo DS's private salt, who feels that his coordination difficulties are hindering progress in speech and language. Basically that he cannot coordinate his looking, processing and motor skills all at once.

I am interested as I feel that a more proactive approach needs to be taken, but i am interested in any experiences, as I have never heard of it.

My ds does a variety of proprioceptive exercises at regular intervals through the day at school. They have made an enormous difference to his behaviour and attention.

This page has some really good ideas for proprioceptive exercises

At what age did you start, could I ask, please? DS is nearly 3 years old, and has made no progress in speech and language despite having had weekly therapy sessions privately for about six months. I am desperate to get him the right sort of help.

He is 5 now and his school has its own OT who has deviced a program for staff to carry out with him at school. Prior to this I started some sensory work with him when he was around 3.5 - 4, but it has been this program that is visibly helping. It took a little while for me to get to the bottom of my ds particular needs, he is quite complex with lots of contradictory needs, and then the a full sensory assessment with an Ot.

Could you get a referral to Ot? In the area I live the ot service does not carry out sensory assessments but I know they do in lots of other areas

Thank you. Yes, i have asked for a referral to OT. I asked when he saw a paed for a developmental check three months ago, but haven't heard anything. I also asked portage a month ago to make sure that he was on a waiting list for OT. Again, not heard anything.

We have been laying for private weekly salt for six months. I was hoping not to have to pay privately for OT. At the moment, the state doesn't seem to be doing much, unfortunately.

I think DS may have autism. He has a severe speech and language delay (no words at all, and only four consonant sounds), and I think his understanding is poor.

I don't know what else to do, which is why I'm interested in this suggestion. I'm glad you've had a positive experience of it.

I was just going to ask do you think your ds may have sensory issues? For many children with autism sensory integration issues can inhibt learning if those needs are unmet.

Ds is awaiting autism assessment but has other difficulties. He had a severe speech and language delay at 3. He made huge progress finally after about a year of intensive salt and had a bit of a language explosion and now has a moderate delay.

Keep chasing that ot referral and in the meantime check the it's in your area do cover sensory integration. Just phone them and ask. Have you raised your thoughts about autism with the paed. What did they say?

There are many sensory interventions you can just try at home though? Have you heard of the books 'the out of sync' child and 'raising a sensory smart child'? They are both great for understanding sensory issues and give ideas to address the need.

I may just be very tired but I am struggling to see how a salt could directly link proprioceptive issues to speech and language?

Should be ot's in your area not its!

That makes sense polter. I thought that probably sounded like a pretty good salt to make a connection from my experience of the salts that worked with ds

Salt is amazing. Found her privately, and I really rate her. Despite DS making no progress with his speech and language, she is helping him and us in so many ways. He is so complex that it wouldn't be right for anyone to say 'well, he still isn't talking despite weekly salt, so it can't be working' which I have heard.

I am really encouraged. Thanks for your posts.