Sensory issues

[krystaltps]

C has always had sensory issues with taste, texture, clothing, lighting, touch, etc. Pretty much everything except sound and smell.

Lately I have noticed that he seems to be getting worse - foods are becoming more and more limited and his preferences are becoming more and specific re texture and temperature. I can handle the food issues as he used to be much worse as a toddler, and he sees a good dietician who helps us expand more into the textures, etc that he will tolerate.

It's the clothing thing that is becoming a big problem. Since term started after the Xmas holidays he has refused to put on his school uniform and is insisting on wearing his fleece-lined trousers and tops. Up until now he has always only ever worn fleece-lined, long-sleeve and long-trousered clothes out of school but accepted his uniform as it is part of the school rules. But it really does seem as though he is simply no longer able to tolerate it.

The school have been fantastic and are happy to have C attend in his fleecies (he only ever wears blue or grey anyway, so at least the colour's right). But I'm just concerned that we seem to be going backwards at the moment (well, for the past few months actually if we take the whole food-thing into account too). He's not stressed at school any more than usual and things in general are going well for him. Has anyone had experience of sensory issues worsening with age?

[Clare63]

Yes definately, Connor's sensory issues have increased and worsened, clothing is a huge issue, all those above including sound and smell, oh yes smell is a big one !!!!

 

Clare x x x

[spectrummum]

My issues were very bad when i was small i have AS it is controllable well some issues are lol

though i still have sensory issues of all kinnds they are not has bad has when i was small

shell

[morgan and alexandra]

My DD is 8 and I have a nightmare buying clothes and shoes. I try and let her choose her own clothes when we go shopping and even then she won't wear. She wears the same stuff over and over even when shes grown out of them. I couldn't say whether its got any worse though she does squirm a lot in school uniform....

[Flora]

Not only can they become more pronounced (esp with adolescence onset) but they can change. Bill had gone from sensory seeking, to sensory avoiding.

 

The OT illustrated the change from one to the other with a sensory profile which Bill had to fill in, and a retrospective sensory profile which I had to fill in. He is the polar opposite to what he was when he was little. He used to be hyper, noisy, chaotic, and now he is quiet and hardly moves. These behaviours can be tracked to sensory issues.

 

Obviously it's a bit more detailed than that, but hopefully it answers your question.

 

Flora X

[Clare63]

Not only can they become more pronounced (esp with adolescence onset) but they can change. Bill had gone from sensory seeking, to sensory avoiding.

 

The OT illustrated the change from one to the other with a sensory profile which Bill had to fill in, and a retrospective sensory profile which I had to fill in. He is the polar opposite to what he was when he was little. He used to be hyper, noisy, chaotic, and now he is quiet and hardly moves. These behaviours can be tracked to sensory issues.

 

Obviously it's a bit more detailed than that, but hopefully it answers your question.

 

Flora X

 

Hi,

 

Sorry to butt in, but that's really interesting Flora, its how I would describe it, like a flip side. Do you know how I could go about getting a sensory profile done for Connor ?

 

Clare x x x

[pearl]

With JP it peaked around primary school age & is much better now.

[stressedmumto2]

T has sensory issues and tomorrow we are seeing a sensory specialist.

 

T will only wear tracksuit bottoms with lining inside of them, for school and play!! he loves sitting in his pj's.

 

T goes form sensory seeking to avoiding all the time, he's constantly changing, one big thing he hates is unexpected light touch, i'ts ok to tiggle him so long as he's asked for it, but pat his head or stroke his hair and he goes mad. He prefers deep pressure- sitting on him, wrapping him tightly in blankets etc

 

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[elainem]

and stress can affect the sensory issues, my son is up and down all year, worse at Christmas when he goes off all his fav foods.

 

Elaine

[Stella63]

Hey guys

 

You must read Olga Bogdashina's book 'Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome'. It is quite technical in places but a fascinating insight into the subject - just written the sensory part of my thesis and am now convinced that this is as imprtant as the triad of impairment because of the huge impact it has on us and our kids - it covers absolutely everything.

 

Stella x

[Flora]

Hi,

 

Sorry to butt in, but that's really interesting Flora, its how I would describe it, like a flip side. Do you know how I could go about getting a sensory profile done for Connor ?

 

Clare x x x

 

 

Hi Clare

 

I took Bill to an OT for a full assessment. It wasn't available locally on the NHS so I went private. I can pm you the name of the OT who did Bill. Her business partner is an independent SALT so we've just been back today to have her do an assessment also. They are great fun and really sympathetic with a lot of experience. Let me know if you are interested. Based in Avon south of Bath.

 

Flora X

[Nic m]

Krystaltips, he may now be able to articulate how he feels a bit more now, when hayley was younger she would maybe create a fuss about something and i wouldn't know what was causing it now she is able to say to me she cant bear the feeling of certain things.

She has just managed to cope with new pyjamas (mainly cos the old ones are nearly at her knees) and i have to really wash them several times to soften them.

She has a massive collection of clothes, but wears the same things over and over because they are comfy.She would rather go without her school cardigan and be cold than wear it and feel uncomfortable.

nic

[krystaltps]

Wow! Thanks all, that's a lot of info... and so much of it makes sense. I had never really thought about him being able to articulate his needs better in terms of the whole sensory issue thing. I was aware that his behaviour has improved because of this, but hadn't really thought about it in other terms.

What Flora said about changing made sense too - C used to be very sensory seeking, and upon reflection, over the years I have seen a gradual move towards sensory avoidance. And stressedmumto2 - flitting between the two... C does that all the time. One minute he's screaming because one of the dogs has brushed past him, the next he's getting the twins to lie on top of him.

C has had an OT assessment, and she picked up on many of his sensory issues, but she is so overloaded with work that we haven't seen her or the report for over a year!

It may well be worth my while going private... that way I'd hopefully gain a better understanding of C, as his sensory problems are a huge part of his life.

I don't want to completely abandon the school uniform, so we have struck a compromise - he wears his fleecy trousers and doesn't have to wear a shirt but he does have to wear his school sweater (which is fleece-lined, but not the "proper" fleece, apparently).

[Clare63]

Flora,

Please would you kindly pm me the details. Having problems going on and off line tonight and it won't let me do a pm at the moment

Thanks

Clare x x x

 

This is a very interesting thread and it fasinating to read all the simularities between our children, for someone like me who does not have sensory problems its hard to imagin what its like, when he was younger (before dx) I just thought he was being ackward.

[lynne]

Has any one had a sensory profile done of their childrens classroom and school?

 

Lynne

Edited January 15, 2008 by lynne