Here we go

Summer has been A BLAST!!! So I really slacked off and have not written much. There are always tales of excitement in Ricci's world, but I have had little progress with the assessment steps, UNTIL NOW!

Last week we got the dates for Mr. Excitement's sessions with the OT, (Occupational Therapist) and his group classes! So exciting. I have been reading The Out of Sync Child, and really feel it shines great light on children with varying degrees of Sensory Pervasive Disorders and Sensory Processing Problems. I am still unsure where my son falls in this new territory, and I think only time will tell.

We had a second visit with the Occupational Therapist two weeks ago so that they could decide where Ricci fits, either in a group, or in a private session. Ricci needs one on one, was the desicion. So we will start that at the end of the month of August. But the second assessment was so fun to watch.

Ricci kind of moved through the room very stimulated and the OT asked Ricci to come do soem fine motor activities. He finally did with a great deal of coaxing. He places small shapes into their places and wanted to run off to the toys again. But it became a great time for a sensory break...
Ricci relaxed on a mat, the OT folded it over making Ricci a burrito again, his favorite. And then he did "smooshes." Deep touch. Ricci loved this, then they did some flapping of the mat over Ricci and that was his favorite.
In the book, one area of the spectrum is a child that may be "sensory seeking." This makes absolute sense to me. Am I qualified to make that assessment, no. It just seems the way to describe my son.
Ricci still mouths objects and learns with his mouth. He loves to take chances, jumping off of and climbing on top of high objects. He likes music, and dance, and screaming, and singing. He as mentioned loves touch, and will push his body into others. He seeks stimulation out.
It seems to some that maybe he is "just being a boy," but I know it is more. For Ricci, going to the bathroom and eating is a major task, because he is too easily distracted by the smallest interruption, or object, and sitting down to eat is very hard for him. Going t the bathroom requires constant redirection. He tunes out my voice and looks for all of the other stimuli around him.

Today after leaving the shower, Ricci walked over to the baby powder, (my husband loves it, and yes, it is pure cornstarch,) and he poured it all over his stomach and chest. She shook it all down his legs and then started to rub it in. After a while, her wanted to continue to shake it and shake it. So he has baby powder all over him, my floor, his step stool, and he LOVES the feeling, LOVES IT. I realize I have to allow this, he needs the feeling. It works, he does stop, after enjoying the experience he needed.

About a month ago we went to the Big Island, and while I was getting ready and cleaning before we left, Ricci found actual cornstarch in my trash. I was in the backroom away from him for about four minutes, and he shook the cornstarch all over the floor, started to undress, and then started to rub the cornstarch all over. I was LIVID! I reached deep inside and asked for any strength so I would not get angry, and I said, "Ricci, please help me understand why you did this..." He said, he wanted to make a track. I looked and he had formed a "track throughout or entire living room, kitchen, and dining area. And he never realized it was "wrong," because it was only something that felt great to him. He used his feet to spread the cornstarch and it most likely felt great on his feet. It took forever to clean, and I had to ask Ricci for space, but it helped to look for his reasoning behind the actions.

So, I am sure there will be many more incidents like this, but at least, we are on the right track, so here we go... can't wait to see how it all works out.