Creating #Autism Awareness and Providing Support Through Honestly and Android
Posts tagged Sensory
Despite #Autism, my kids are still polite and respectful
213 hours ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
Something that has always bothered me is the parents that shoot those daggered looks of judgement. Most of you know what I’m talking about. When I’m out in public and my child with Autism has a meltdown or is otherwise struggling in the environment he is in at that particular moment. People unsympathetically look at me as though I should do something more aggressive than try and talk my child down or defuse the situation with calm, quite words.
Granted, most people don’t have the slightest idea what is going on and why I choose to handle these outbursts the way I do. However, is it really necessary to make snide comments about my child needing a firm hand?
In the past 10 years, I’ve heard just about every sort of cruel, ignorant and intolerant comment that could possibly come out of someone’s mouth. The worst of them include the use of the r-word.
I realize that these meltdowns and behavioral outbursts can be unpleasant to to witness. Trust em when I say that I understand. However, they are even more unpleasant for my child.
Having said that, assuming that my kids are spoiled brats or just bad kids, simply because they are having a meltdown, is grossly ignorant. Kids and adults on the Autism Spectrum can experience the world in ways that are extremely overwhelming and completely overstimulating. Sensory overload is one of the most common reasons behind a meltdown. It very often has nothing to do with disciplinary issues whatsoever.
I found this video and thought it might help to explain Sensory Overload.
I promise that if you had to spend one day in the shoes of my kids, experiencing their sensory issues you would have a much better understanding.
What really gets to me is when you watch the behavior of the kids belonging to these same judgmental parents. Often times, I see kids that are downright rude, disrespectful and out of control and yet these same parents have the nerve to cast judgement on mine. Really?
In my world, my reality, there is a huge difference between bad behavior and behavior that is outside of ones control.
Regardless of Autism or Sensory Processing Disorder, my children are polite and respectful of others and generally well behaved.
I suggest you look at yourself and your kids before casting judgement on mine.
**Thanks for reading**
-Lost and Tired
Sensory friendly Christmas
51 month ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
Sensory Friendly Christmas
If your special needs family is anything like mine, you are likely facing the same or similar dilemma as the Lost and Tired family is. That dilemma is what to do for the holidays. For many families, what to do for the holidays is a relatively simple task.
For the Lost and Tired family, we have a much more difficult and complicate task of trying a provide a sensory friendly Christmas. What is a sensory friendly Christmas?
Well, that’s actually a very good question and one I’m not sure I have the answer to. Essentially, a sensory friendly Christmas is one that does not cause or at least attempts to prevent overstimulation. This is not an easy task, especially if you have multiple kids on the Autism Spectrum with some type of SPD (sensory processing disorder).
Rather than try to explain what SPD is, I found this video on YouTube, and I think this person does a really good job of helping others to better understand what sensory overload and overstimulation actually is.
Why is Christmas overstimulating?
This is yet another complicated question to answer. Ultimately, that answer can and will vary from child to child, person to person and family to family. However, while people react differently to stimulation, the basic premise is pretty much a universal one.
So, why is Christmas overstimulating?
In my experience with my wife and 3 boys on the Autism Spectrum, certain things stand out as triggers for sensory overload. Things like large crowds of people, noisy environments, bright or flashing lights, certain fragrances and the big one for the Christmas holiday, receiving and opening presents. These are just a few examples of triggers I have identified for my family, yours may be different.
To those, less experienced with adults and especially children with Autism, most of this list might already make sense. However, some might be wondering why receiving and opening presents would be overstimulating?
The answer to that question, fortunately, is easy and can be answered in one word……anticipation.
For the Lost and Tired family, anticipation is one of our worst enemies-for lack of a better word-. The reason for that is because, like many Autistic kids, my 3 boys need predictability and are very much in need of instant gratification.
For example, if we go to see family on Christmas day, the boys will see the presents under the tree as soon as they walk in the door. They know that some of those presents might be their’s. They also know that they might be opening those presents, however, they don’t know for sure and they also don’t know when. They are left to anticipate something that may or may not happen. This anticipation quickly turns into anxiety and the anxiety will eventually lead to meltdowns.
Put very simply: Christmas ——-> Anticipation ——-> Anxiety ——-> Meltdowns
How to have a sensory friendly Christmas
Again, I don’t presume to know what is best for your child or family but I can share with you what the Lost and Tired family has done to attempt a sensory friendly Christmas. Remember, the keyword here is attempt. Something else to keep in mind is that this may require significant sacrifice on your part.
Having said the above, here is what we are doing in the Lost and Tired household for the 2011 holiday season.
We have opted to stay at home. This is really the biggest sacrifice because we have a large extended family and fun, festive gatherings. Most of our family is very understanding with the boys, however, the very nature of the large family gathering’s is counterintuitive to the whole sensory friendly Christmas. No matter how understanding and supportive everyone is, there are simply to many people and far to much noise.
We have made the choice to teach our boys new traditions so that we have our own special Christmas stuff. We have also decided to invite people in smaller groups to stop by our house over the Christmas holiday. They can bring the presents they would like to bring for the boys then. That way, the boys can open them right away and there is much less anxiety.
The other thing we have done is work with Santa Clause very, very closely when it comes to presents for the boys. We made sure to let Santa know that we need three of everything. For example: if the boys get a stuffed animal as a gift, they will each get the exact same thing. This prevents fighting over the size, shape or color of something, further reducing the anxiety. This actually works out pretty well because the boys are all into the same things.
We also use white LED lights on the Christmas Tree. They don’t flash and they don’t make noise. This has helped to reduce some of the sensory related problems as well. The house is not really decorated either. I personally love to decorate our house for Christmas, as it always puts me in a good mood. However, having the house filled with bright, colorful things has proven to overwhelm at least some of my boys. As much as I hate to cut the decorations out, it’s for the best.
As you can see, there is a great deal of sacrifice required on our part to help our boys survive the Christmas holiday.
When it’s all said and done
Some might say that we have ruined Christmas for the boys but those people simply don’t get it.
The simple truth is that nothing about this is simple. Sure, we could go to the parties and do all the typical Christmas stuff. However, if we didn’t take these measures, the boys would end up completely overwhelmed and miserable. That in turn would lead to screaming, crying and meltdowns. How is that a good thing? The question we have to ask ourselves is, does the end justify the means? In this case, to us, it absolutely does.
We have chosen to celebrate Christmas in a way that works best for our family. We focus less on the glitz and glamour and instead concentrate on the simple things that make Christmas special. This allows the boys to have a much better experience and that in turn, makes life better for everyone in the Lost and Tired house.
Again, this is what we have done to survive the holidays. I’m not suggesting that you should do this, however, if you have found yourself in a similar situation and are looking for options, maybe this could help. Of course, your mileage will vary but I suppose you could simply use this a general guide to helping your kids experience a sensory friendly holiday.
If you liked this post I would encourage you to also read the following: (please feel free to share this)
10 Things My Autistic Kids Wished You Knew
How YOU could help a Special Needs Parent
**Thanks for reading**
-Lost and Tired
What is Occupational Therapy? (part 9)
03 months ago
What is Occupational Therapy?
Welcome to part 9 of my What is Occupational Therapy, series of posts. This series is meant to help educate my readers as to what Occupational Therapy is all about, more specifically, what Occupational Therapy is for children on the Autism Spectrum or with Sensory Processing Disorder.
These videos are filmed by me, while at Occupational Therapy with my youngest, Emmett. I hope you find these videos beneficial in some way. My hope is that they can help you better understand what is meant when you hear someone say, “we have OT today”. I also think this is valuable for those of you with children that are going to be starting OT soon and would do better if they had some idea of what to expect.
Part 9
In this edition, you will see Emmett climbing a rope ladder. This helps to build his upper body strength among other things. Basically, Emmett picks out a stuffed animal friend that he wants to rescue. The friend is placed on the higher rungs of the ladder. Emmett’s mission is to climb the ladder and rescue his friend before crashing to the mats. As the exercise continues, the friend is placed higher and higher on the ladder, forcing Emmett to climb higher in order to rescue it.
This is the first time Emmett has tried this particular exercise. He has always avoided it because it frightened him. However, for some reason, he decided to take it on and he did really well. His favorite part is crashing down to the mat, after rescuing his little friend.
Lights, Camera, Action
Before you watch the video below, please keep something in mind. These sessions are geared for Emmett’s particular needs and may not represent what you child will experience when participating in Occupational Therapy. This should however, give you a much better idea of what to expect during your child’s OT sessions.
Now that you are informed, please enjoy.
**Thanks for reading**
-Lost and Tired
Sensory Bombs [Giveaway]
113 months ago
I have partnered with the Jillian McCabe, the maker of Sensory Bombs, to provide three of my readers with five FREE Sensory Bombs. Sensory Bombs are a tool to help your special needs and/or typical children with bath time and subsequently bed time..
Sensory Bombs are calming tools that offer a highly effective sensory experience. In essence, they are like a weighted blanket for the bathtub; they make the water heavier and provide evenly distributed pressure that “hugs” the muscles and joints. As a result, the child is relaxed, moisturized and able to transition into a restful sleep.
You can also read my review (See: Sensory Bombs [Review])
Jump in and enter to win 5 FREE sensory bombs, shipped directly to your doorstep. This giveaway is once again run using Rafflecopter. Should you have any questions, please feel free to Contact Me.
**Thanks for reading**
-Lost and Tired
Sensory Bombs [Review]
83 months ago
Update: I thought it was important to mention that these work great on neurotypical kids and adults as well.
The Problem
Today I’m reviewing something called a Sensory Bombs. Sensory Bombs were created by Jillian McCabe, a fellow special needs parent and one of my readers. Jillian is the mother of three year old London. London, has the non-verbal form of Autism as well as Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD. The Sensory Bombs was created by Jillian as a means of addressing London’s sudden fear of bath water.
I have written many, many times about the struggles we encounter trying to bathe our 3 boys on the Autism Spectrum. Gavin, our oldest has been taking showers for years and does very well with them. Elliott and Emmett on the other hand, have many sensory related issues in general but especially with the water. They will actually sit in the bath tub but they will not tolerate water touching their hair, ears or face. We have tried everything from goggles to ear plugs and nothing ever made a difference.
One of the other issues we deal with is Eczema. The boys tend to have more problems with dry skin during the Winter months. Trying to put lotion on them to help prevent this, is not a pleasant experience….for anyone. Most of the time they will literally run away screaming. It’s totally a texture thing, as they don’t like the feeling of the lotion on their skin.
Enter the Sensory Bombs
One day I received an email from Jillian. She had been reading about these difficulties and wanted to send me some Sensory Bombs, in hopes it might help the boys. I’m a special needs parent, that is exhausted and overwhelmed by these struggles. I was willing to try just about anything too provide my kids with some relief and make our lives, just a bit easier.
I gladly excepted the offer.
Within a few days, we had a box of Sensory Bombs show up in the mail. I wasn’t sure what to expect, I mean Sensory Bombs, the name didn’t really give me much to go on. I read the ingredients and the Sensory Bombs contained only the following: Baking Soda, Citric Acid, Kosher Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Unrefined Shea Butter, Water, Skin Safe Colorant, Sugar Decorations and Fragrance Oil.
Upon examining the Sensory Bombs closer, they sort of resemble a giant jaw breaker. They are very colorful, some even had sprinkles and sized just a little smaller than a base ball. Each one had a unique fragrance, that while present, wasn’t overpowering.
I thought, what the heck, we’ve tried everything we could think of to help and nothing worked.
Emmett, my three year old, happened upon me examining the contents of the box. When he saw what was inside, he immediately thought they were balls. He wanted to roll them on the floor but I explained to him what they were for.
I asked Emmett if he wanted a tubby. I told him that these balls were for the bath tub. He heard that and it peaked his curiosity.
Emmett and I filled the bathtub with water and unwrapped a green Sensory Bombs (which happen to be Green Apple Zapple). As soon as the Sensory Bomb hit the water, it began fizzing, much like a little volcano in the bath water. Emmett didn’t miss a beat, he jumped (carefully) right into the bathtub. He thought it was the coolest thing ever. The fizzle lasted a few minutes and the Sensory Bomb was gone. However, the water was now green, which Emmett thought was cool and the pleasant fragrance was actually kind of relaxing.
The oils in the Sensory Bombs made the water bead off his skin and he loved that. He played for a few minutes in the bath water. Then I washed and rinsed him off, including his hair (which was not green) and he got dried off and dressed. His skin felt really soft, as the oils had helped to moisturize his skin..without the need for lotion.
Elliott has enjoyed the same results as Emmett, using a Sensory Bomb the bathtub. He felt relaxed enough that bedtime was even easier.
Something that you do need to be mindful of is that, while Emmett wasn’t slippery himself, the bathtub was. So PLEASE be careful not to slip.
How do these work
I’m not entirely sure how or why they work, but Emmett took a bath without a fight….so that’s good enough for me. However, since this is a review, I should be a little bit more descriptive.
I’ll quote Jillian off her website:
Sensory Bombs are calming tools that offer a highly effective sensory experience. In essence, they are like a weighted blanket for the bathtub; they make the water heavier and provide evenly distributed pressure that “hugs” the muscles and joints. As a result, the child is relaxed, moisturized and able to transition into a restful sleep.
Actually, that really makes alot of sense, when you think about it. It does provide pressure, similar to that of a weighted blanket. Plus the kids love the process of the Sensory Bombs dissolving in the bath water. My kids are now seeking out this experience, which to me, says that it works very well for them.
How do you get your hands on some Sensory Bombs?
If your interested in trying Sensory Bombs they can be purchased at Jillian website: Autistic London, Unlocking Our Ewok. Click on the Sensory Bombs link at the top of the page. Also, you can read their very moving story of life with London as well. I think that so many of us can relate.
Jillian is also going to sponsor a give away here, on Lost and Tired. She is going to give away 5 Sensory Bombs to 3 lucky readers.
Stay tuned for the Giveaway. It should be posted later today.
**Thanks for reading**
-Lost and Tired
Sensory Input
53 months ago
by Lost and Tired
in Autism
The other day while at OT with Emmett we learned a new sensory trick that seems to help Emmett out.
Basically, it’s sour spray. It provides a tremendous amount of sensory input that benefits Emmett. He actually seeks it out now. Although, truth be told it almost feels like training a dog but it does work and I tend to not question things that work.
If I need Emmett to get dressed and he won’t, I offer him a spray. Once he gets the spray he seems more cooperative and will get dressed without as much trouble.
I know this sounds weird, and maybe someone can chime in here with a better explanation but it provides a significant amount of input. The OT’s where we go have been doing this for awhile and it has a similar effect as brushing. Your particular milage may vary, as all kids are different but I thought I would share this in hopes it can help someone else.
What we use is Warehead Super Sour. We got them at the local WalMart for about $0. 75 each.
Like I said, it sorta feels wrong but it works and it helps. Just don’t whistle for your kids to come and get a spray or say things like sit, roll over ect, and you should be fine. 
- Lost and Tired
Posted by WordPress for Android via Samsungs Epic Touch 4G (provided to me at no charge by Sprint) without the use of proper editing tools and disadvantages of a bastardized version of auto-correct. So please forgive the spelling
Please Vote for Lost and Tired (just click the link) and help me spread Autism Awareness. Everyone can Vote once a day 
