Occupational Therapy DVD for Parents

What I appreciate most about this DVD is that it gives credit to parents of special needs children that they're doing their homework, they're figuring out what works for their children and they're actively participating in their children's early intervention. Thank you for valuing our input! I emailed the OT on this DVD for her philosophy behind the DVD and her response was, "I may only see your child for an hour a week. It helps me and your child for you to participate and do these activities at home so that your child gets the best results."

The DVD covers a lot of sensory issues. My son has always disliked touching things like paint, glue, dirt, grass, etc. This DVD talks about and gives examples (with children) of different things to do to try and desensitize the child so that they can tolerate different textures.

There is a section on oral motor skills for children who have difficulty speaking, they may drool, or don't like having their teeth brushed. The section on auditory processing reminded me of Supernanny and just learning that the kids need to process information, keep your words simple and concise, don¡¦t give up and try to be patient. Stuff like that. There is another section that covers trampoline exercises and explains how and why this is helping your child. I had always wondered why the swing and trampoline are so good for children with special needs and now I know.

My son's OT has always told me to make an obstacle course at home. There is a section on this DVD "Organization of Behavior" that does this, shows kids at different levels going through the motions, and why and how this is helping. It's simple, however, those of you with kids like mine, NOTHING IS SIMPLEº

The Occupational Therapist, Britt Collins, is a pleasure to watch. She speaks in OT terms, which take a little getting used to, but also explains on a parent level.

One of the children on the DVD is a typical child and because I babysit my typical niece often, I was happy that this showed activities to do to have my son and niece interact. They're both getting therapy and don't even know it because it's fun stuff and we make it into games.

I've read a few OT books, and there are a few really good ones out there, but I liked watching and learning visually. It gave me confidence that I can do it too. It won't make me an OT, but it does help me help my child and that's all that matters. Thank you

Becky Rose

The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Revised Edition by Carol Stock Kranowitz

This book was recommended to me by an Occupational Therapist after he evaluated my son through the state. At this point, I had no idea what SI was or that my son had it (also autism diagnosis). Since then, this book has become my primary resource for my son and other children I encounter. I've given copies to every member of my family and to my son's teachers. Why? Because it explains why kids do and act the way they do when they have sensory dysfunction.

One thing my son used to do was put his head on the ground to look at toys. He also used to avoid touching paint, glue, playDoh. He couldn't tolerate a playground and even family birthday parties were overwhelming. This book explains all of these things - all of the reasons why my son was acting the way he was. And since then, with the help of an occupational therapist, we've corrected these behaviors. My son is happier than ever. He still has SI, but he knows how to avoid certain situations and he's learning how to adapt to school, parks, the world in general.

Carol Stock Kranowitz explains and gives examples of why some kids act out in class, are aggressive, shy, etc. Anyone who is around special needs children will benefit from the knowledge on these pages. It's changed my entire world.

Like with anything new, learning the ins and outs of sensory integration takes time. It's not a super easy read and until you're familiar with the terms (tactile, vestibular, proprioception, gravitational insecurity, etc) it takes some getting used to. Don't be turned off by this last sentence, anyone can learn it and understand and then apply the techniques.

Id even recommend this for parents of typical children as everyone can benefit.

Here's the parts the book is split into:
1. Recognizing Sensory Integration Dysfunction
2. Coping with Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Some of the chapters include: Does your child have Sensory Integration Dysfunction?
How to tell if your child has a problem with the Tactile sense
Your child at Home
Your child at School
Coping with your child's emotions
Looking at your child in a new light
There are also a number of resources listed in the back of the book.