Breaking legs, doors, off repeatedly ASD

[Ozziewozzie]

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some wise ideas. My dd is 3.5 and has autism. She’s has a strong impulse to push/pull doors off, toy chair/table legs. Her huge dolls houses x 2, she’s managed to pull all the small doors off, the large front which opened out. She’s pulled off large heavy cupboard doors from our units at home and literally every door on all the toys at home and also dolls legs/heads. Has anyone else come across this? I would really appreciate any suggestions on what I can give her to provide the same sensory feedback for her (without the destruction). This is not being done in temper or with any malice. She literally can’t help herself.
Thank you in advance

Can you make an appt with a paediatric sensory OT, there are likely sensory toys and household objects that will give your DD the same satisfying push and pull sensation.

Some suggestions here for pushing and pulling using household items.
yourkidstable.com/heavy-work-activities/

I'd wonder about resistance bands, maybe with handles, BUT you'd have to supervise constantly in case of choking or wrapping too tightly around a limb.

Pilates ring, good for pushing with hands.

Large exercise ball she could try to squash with her whole bodyweight.

Soft toy filled with dried pulses so it's heavy to move.

Books in a backpack to pack, carry, unpack, rinse and repeat.

DS has some (fake) lego dinosaurs that he can pull the heads and lego off and reassemble. The joints wear out pretty quickly as he will stand and pull apart/ rebuild repetidly, but there only about £7 for a set off ebay. Would something like that work? Or could you get a dupo dolls house were the doors are designed to come off and reattach? You can probably fine second hand duplo for a reasonable price.

@BlankTimes Thank you for your suggestions. We do have a paed OT but she really didn’t know what to suggest, except resistance bands. I do have a friend who is friends with a London paed OT, so she will ask her too. It’s just such a funny thing to do. You’ve made some great suggestions, so thank you.

@Sprogonthetyne I’ve tried the duplicate doors as we have lots of it. When she takes those doors off, she gets stressed as she can’t get them back on again, it’s the same with her Barbie camper van and other vehicles. I think she’s enjoying the resistance of pushing against the door. The pressure, going against the resistance if the hinges. At this rate I may have to find a spring loaded door or maybe take her to visit revolving doors in hotels etc that she can spend hours in going round and round.

I e had a really good look at the link you sent me, and there are some really great ideas there. My Dd lives to lift heavy things etc, so I’m definitely going to introduce some of those new ideas. Thank you so much for taking the time to offer help.

You're very welcome

My DD's adult now, but when she was 10, a fabulous sensory OT did a full assessment with report and sensory diet, the 'diet' being exercises but not like sport type exercises.

It really opened my eyes to sensory needs. The OT was very anti 'clinical' things in the home and preferred to substitute everyday household things.
My DD also has hypotonia/low muscle tone and a load of other things. I've found a lot of ordinary gym equipment can be used for sensory needs too.

Nowdays, there's loads of info online, in our day there was very little apart from A. Jean Ayers' book Sensory Integration and the Child.

Nowadays, there's a lot more choice, Carol Kranowitz' The Out of Sync Child is very popular.

This booklet is pretty good IME www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/social-care/disabilities/docs/young-people/Making%20Sense%20of%20Sensory%20Behaviour.pdf?