sensory disorder question

we had PT today to help the LOs crawl and walk (one crawls very, very well and has been taking steps, the other (which i am going to talk about) is cruising and takes assisted steps.)

one of my LOs does not like crawling. i recently had him in the grass and he did not want to touch it. he was on his knees and 1 arm and was screaming bc he didn't want to put his other hand down. he also has a tendency to put EVERYTHING in his mouth. he mouths all of his toys and drools a lot. (he has a lot of teeth but im sure he's teething!!) i never thought anything of it but today the PT said - you should watch that he doesnt have a sensory disorder. @#%$%^# WHAT???
she said he likes baths so he seems fine but just watch it.

any ideas or experiences with this?

 

I find it odd that she's concerned about that at his age. I have one who is better at gross motor things and the other is better at fine motor skills (Tanner). Tanner army crawls and haaaates the grass too. He'll lay on his belly and cry w his arms and legs up so he doesn't touch lol I don't know if I'd worry about sensory issues, some ppl just don't like grass.

 

I agree that you shouldn't be worried about it. Especially if grass is the only concern. Lots of kids don't like the feel of grass. Mouthing and drooling at that age is developmental, not sensory.

 

One of my girls (Cricket) can't stand grass on her bare skin - still, at age 3. And both of my kids put everything in their mouths for the first two years. And I'm certain they don't have any sensory issues. So I agree with the PPs... don't give what your pedi said a second thought unless there's something else that concerns you.

 

Ick, I cant stand grass on my bare feet or body for that matter. And my kids dont like to walk on it in bare feet. But the grass in FL is really thick and sharp. I think it would be a bit different if it was nice and soft. But it's not. I totally wouldnt worry at this age about that. :hug:

 

Many, many, many babies don't like the feel of grass. I'm really surprised they think that could potentially be an issue. I wouldn't worry for a second.

 

plenty of kids don't like grass - and my son put everything in his mouth till he was 3 and a half...I wouldn't worry about it at this point...

 

thank you ladies. i was really PISSED when this lady said this! everytime she is here she asks if he had any breathing problems and was on a ventilator.
WHAT GIVES!

 

I think this must be a standard question for parents of preemies (even near-term ones) because we get asked this every time any medical professional hears that my guys were born at 35 weeks. ardon: Try to take it in stride. :hug:

 

she does it all the time bc he does leans up on everything and needs to strengthen his core. shes starting to really tick me off.
i get it, he needs some help but stop making it seem like every little quirk he has means there's an issue! then i cant stop googling, lol! :headbang:

 

:hug: I'm sorry she said that to you! Is she your case worker? I would call and talk to your case worker about her and if that doesn't work call the director of the group you're using. We have one therapist that drives me nuts and I booted her out of her a long time ago. You have to find the right therapist for your family.
And I have one that has mild SPD and none of those qualify for it at all. If you have any concern, read the first chapter of "The Out of Sync Child", that will make you feel much better.
Good luck!

 

I wouldn't worry too much either at this age. As far as mouthing things- babies have more sensory receptors around their mouths than on their hands so they actually use their mouths to explore the contour and feel of the items. It's completely normal, and it's actually a good thing!

Laura

 

She sounds like she did some reading about sensory disorder recently and now wants to diagnose everyone. I would ask her where she got her MD and state that you'll let her know if your pedi has any concerns. For her to say that is inappropriate, out of her scope, and completely unwarranted from the description you give.

 

slugrad you are right! where do people come off assuming things without even saying them in a nice way! she makes weird faces when he puts everything in his mouth. i think its funny and i think it is what it is!

thanks everyone else. im no longer googling, lol.

 

my nephew had a TSS worker that used to come to the house when she wasn't with him at school - the one day we were all outside playing (she and my nephew and SIL and us with the kids - all the kids were using the swingset) and she took a look at Abby and asked me if she was FTT because she was so tiny...I said no, she was simply a small child (Abby didn't hit the growth chart until this year, but her pedi wasn't concerned because she was growing on her own curve...she kept saying "are you sure she's not FTT, I've seen FTT kids and she's small enough to be one"...I finally told her that she was fine and took the kids in the house...its amazing how people seem to think they know EVERYTHING!

 

We all have sensory issued...and that's normal (I like to bit fake grapes lol) I would get a new therapist. My boys old speech therapist was always reading into everything they did. I booted her and love my new therapist who has a positive outlook and notices all that they are doing instead of what they aren't!

 

i dont like this therapist; i reallllly dont and neither do my kids. lol
she makes him do things that make him cry. i KNOW she's supposed to be 'helping' him but if you know rolling him on the ball upside down makes him scream in fear, why do it every week? am i wrong for feeling like that?

if i call the lady in charge of the casework, does she get me a new therapist from the same place or from a different place.
i hate to ruffle feathers, lol.

 

She will get u a new therapist from any agency...be specific about what u r looking for and u may want to speak to the new therapist before you book her. I interviewed my speech after I booted the first. I loooove the new one. I hand picked her. Screw ruffling feathers..these are your kids. I felt bad at first too, but I don't regret it

 

According to your therapist my girls must have a sever case of this......they can't keep things out of their mouths. Anything and everything goes straight in. I spend most of my day saying things like "what is in your mouth?" or "spit that out".

I agree with everyone else. You need to get a new therapist. Do not worry about ruffling feathers. These are your kids and you know if things are not working out. If you had issues with their pediatrician you would get a new one. This is the same thing. Good Luck!!!

 

some guy came and did the eval from this one particular place. he then said he 'couldnt fit my boys into his schedule' and they sent someone else from the same place. i had about 20-30 places to choose from and i had no idea who to pick so asked the EI lady. she suggested this one place and then that was it.

i then got a call a few weeks ago from someone (i guess my caseworker?) and she said to call her if i had any concerns and that was it.
i guess i should call her tomorrow? i am anxious, lol! i dont know what i should say to her? i just dont feel its a right fit? do you think i should lie and say that the time she comes is not convenient and i need someone to come in the early am, etc? how long would it take to get a new PT?

 

I would call the caseworker today and just be honest, that you don't feel like this therapist is a good fit for your boys and that you request another one. I would also ask her how long it would take to get a new one too. I hope they can get you a therapist that will work well with your family. Good luck!

 

Our case manager has known for a while that we have not been thrilled with our PT. It helps that a friend of mine fired him the week before we started using him. Unfortunately he was the only one available to come to the house. Early Steps likes the "natural environment" so a script for center-based has to be based on extenuating circumstances--which we now have. We will now be center-based 4 days a week for PT/OT for Lia, but EI will still come to the house for Eve. PT will no longer be here once we start Lia's PT with the center.

I suggest being honest with your case manager. What if your PT found a way to come at a different time? Then you would still be stuck with the same person, and then what excuse will you use, kwim?

 

OK, I am NOT a doctor, just a layperson who reads a lot because I've had my own concerns... but IMO sounds to me like she's recently read some things or been told about things but has *NOT* been told about frequency, amount, or age appropriate development.... (and IMO she doesn't sound that bright about what she's read or been told).

In which case I seriously would ask for a new therapist... she may be a very nice person and mean well but my concern as a parent is if she isn't assessing developmental milestones and timetables accurately how do I know if she's doing the right things/teaching me the right things for my child? My confidence in her would be shaken and I would want someone new. I do urge you to get a new therapist.

If she said, 'keep an eye on this type of thing and look for things like vwxyz and note them, or until your child is X age' and gave you more examples, or 'if they still do X when they're X age' etc... I'd be less concerned - but IMO from what you've told us she sounds dangerously (as in might give wrong advice/therapy) misinformed.

Now, from what I've read.... putting things in mouths at 13 months still is developmentally normal. I've done some asking about this because I do have some mild concerns about one of our twins (he is 20 months and still puts things in his mouths, but my main concern is he picks and eats fuzz and hair, yuck ) which I understand might be a kind of pica but still putting things in mouths until 2 is considered normal. I discussed things with a developmental pediatrician who looked at our twins YESTERDAY who told me even the hair eating and fuzz eating and still putting things in his mouth at his age (20 months) is not something to worry about, and in fact we should ignore the behaviour because he might be doing it to get attention. We listened to his advice about temper tantrums and it worked, so we're going to listen to him about this. Still, if you're concerned I'd ask your pediatrician, but my gut feeling as a layperson and from our experience so far is, especially at 13 months, don't stress about it.

As far as the grass thing- both of our boys HATED grass when we first introduced them to it. It was a new experience for them. We did NOT force them to go on it, let them stand on the pavement and explore themselves. It took a while but they're now fine with it. I think your child will probably be OK with it over time but if it is a completely new sensation which will take getting used to.

 

Mine didn't like the feel of grass at first either. Which was great because then they stayed on the patio but once they realized if they toughed it out they could run around the grass didn't bother them. They still put everything in their mouth too. Sorry she is saying things that make you freak out. Hope you can get a new therapist without too much trouble.

 

I would just tell her that you don't think she is the right fit for you. Tell her that you don't think your son is getting what he needs out of therapy because he is not comfortable with her and you think the personalities just don't mesh.

 

Don't lie.. your coordinator is on your side and it is their job to take care of the sticky stuff. It may take a week or two to get a new one in...and like I said be specific about what you want (for example someone who will follow the kids leads and just an overall positive demeanor) I cried when I let my therapist go...not because I liked her but I felt sooooo bad. My coordinator helped me through it and I found a great replacement. I know I made the right choice.