Finding Underwear for Those with Sensory Aversions

    Just a heads up, this post will contain some affiliate links for underwear. However, as with all things, I wouldn't share them with you if I didn't approve of them. ;)

Finding Underwear for Those with Sensory Aversions

    If you have a child on the spectrum or one with sensory processing disorder, you know how hard it is to find clothing that they can tolerate. For us, it's underpants and socks. He's good with most tee shirts, soccer or basketball type shorts and pants. It's the undergarments that are an issue.

    My boy needs underwear without tags and harsh seams. He also needs them with a comfy waistband. Oh and in a wicking material. Because if he sweats just the tiniest bit, he's changing his underwear. (And I don't know about you, but I don't want or need more laundry to wash.)

Those with sensory aversions tend to despise the following:

• seams
• tags
• scratchy material
• material that causes them to sweat
• clothing that is too tight

Uwewiz Boxer Briefs

    I just got my son this three pack of boxer briefs from Uwewiz. I chose these for him because they are tagless, and are void of irritating seams. Even the waistband is seamless and made from a soft and comfortable cotton. 

    The underwear themselves are made from premium material, (90% spandex and 10% nylon) that is super silky and soft. It isn't just comfy though. It's designed to wick away moisture. In the words of my son, "It won't give me swamp butt!" This material won't pill either which is another plus when it comes to sensory needs.

     Uwewiz boxer briefs are designed to give the family jewels space. The u shaped pouch in the crotch gives men and boys more room for their "stuff," so they're more comfortable. Liam is twelve and I got him their three pack in size medium/large as they run a bit smaller, and they fit him nicely. Get some for the men and boys you love and I guarantee they'll love them too!

Turn Bathing into a Sensory Experience

    I've always had to find ways to lull my child into bathing. He's twelve, and still it's an issue. ("There's too much to do to waste time on bathing!") I've found that turning baths into a sensory experience is a great way to get kids in the tub.

Turn Bathing into a Sensory Experience

    The first step to creating a fun bath is knowing what kind of sensory fulfillment your child needs or wants. Let me start by saying that your child doesn't have to be a special needs child to benefit from a sensory bath. Kids in general love them. I've had neurotypical kids here enjoying sensory fun in wading pools, just as much as my special needs son does.

    That being said, let's see what experience you want to give your child. Do they crave smells? If so, then a bath to fulfill their olfactory needs would be perfect. Maybe they like bright lights, and different things to look at. If so, some pool lights, and light up toys will be perfect. If you're looking to fill tactile needs for a kid that loves to feel everything, then maybe a jelly bath, shaving cream "paint" or some cooked noodles. 

We do this one outside because it can get messy. Cook noodles in colored water. That's it! It feels like seaweed!

Bath Bombs are the Bomb

    Liam (and I) especially love bath bombs. These fulfill a few senses at once, and are amazing! We get ours from Sudzy Bums. Her bombs are the bomb. They smell fantastic! They also fizz a bunch so that fulfills Liam's tactile need. He also loves how they color the water too. (He likes to use one of Sudzy Bums bath bombs, and adds in waterproof lights too.)

Fun for the Entire Family

    Sudzy Bums has a full selection of bath bombs, liquid soaps, bar soaps, soaks, scrubs, moisturizers, and so much more. All hand crafted for you and your loved ones. Make sure to get yourself something too, because you deserve to be pampered after getting your kiddo in the tub.

    Does your child love bubble baths? Liam and I both do. For him, I add sensory lights, and add bubbles to his bath. It turns it into an instant sensory fun bath. Sudzy Bums has Bubble Scoops, and Bubble Bath that is perfect for these types of baths. 

Add a Sudzy Bums Bubble Scoops, grab a light wand or some waterproof tub lights, and let your son or daughter have a blast.

Where to Buy

    We love Sudzy Bums, and we know you and your family will as well. So check them out on Etsy! 

Follow via  Facebook  /  Twitter  /  

Hyperacusis, Autism, and HearMuffs

     Hyperacusis is very common among autistics. You may not have heard of it by the medical name, but simply put, it's auditory sensitivities. It's hard to enjoy the world around you if certain noises or pitches actually hurt you.

Hyperacusis, Autism, and HearMuffs

    Liam was always sensitive to certain noises. I will never forget the time we were downtown to visit the craft store, and a bunch of semis were coming up main street. We were crossing the street up further, and suddenly he ripped his hand out of mine, fell to the ground, and shielded his ears with his hands.

    Thankfully at five years old, he was still small enough that I could scoop him and carry him to side walk quickly. That was a very scary moment, and one of my first learning experiences along our autism journey. (He wasn't diagnosed until he was five years old, so his Dx was fairly new when this happened.)

So What Do We Do?

    Children (and adults) on the Autism Spectrum that experience Hyperacusis often shield their ears to certain sounds, frequencies, or pitches. Often they will not go to certain places where these offensive noises happen. (For years, Liam struggled in the checkout lane of the grocery store. The beep of the scanner was excruciating for him.) Avoiding public places can socially isolate the autistic, but there is help.

    Hearing protection. A good pair of ear muffs will make their life so much better! By blocking out those painful noises, the wearer can once again enjoy the world around them.

HearMuffs by Lucid Audio

    Liam loves his HearMuffs by Lucid Audio. As his mom, I love them too. Not only are they comfortable for him to wear, but they're made with non-toxic, kid safe materials. HearMuffs are Audiologist recommended too! 

     These ear muffs feature an industry leading 22 Noise Reduction Rating (NRR.) That means they will protect their ears from not only painful, but also loud noises. Liam wears his if we're going somewhere that he knows bothers his ears. They're also handy for when he goes to the tractor pulls, mud bogs, and amusement parks. 

    They look cool too, so there's no worry of your older kids not wanting to wear them. HearMuffs come in a variety of colors. You can choose from orange, red, blue, pink, white, and more.

Kids and Younger 

    HearMuffs comes in different sizes too. The kids HearMuffs are for kids ages five to ten years old. Liam is almost twelve, and they fit him well since they're adjustable. However, if your child is younger, Lucid Audio also has HearMuffs for them too!

     To learn more, and see all of their products, visit Lucid Audio.  Right now you can SAVE 15% off your HearMuffs! Use coupon code hearmuffs15 at checkout! 

Follow via Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / YouTube

Sensory Stocking Stuffers 2015

    I did this last year and a lot of you said you appreciated it, so here we are again this year.

    I do NOT get paid by Dollar Tree for these posts. I DON'T get free swag either. I do this because money is tight for so many, and even if it's not, a bargain is still a bargain. Also, a lot of autism therapy stores sell very similar toys, and jack the prices right up. That's not fair. Not when you can go to your local Dollar Tree and find the same things.

    So here it is, 2015's list of Sensory Stocking Stuffers. 

Two Tone Bouncing Putty I myself can NEVER put this stuff down!

Batter Operate Flashing Light Stick 

Battery Operated Flashing Batons  these are dual sensory! tactile and sight in one toy. Liam loves them!

Super Putty 

Stretchy Oblong Novelty Balls Liam and I both love these things! Sometimes they have ones that light up too. Even better!

LED Water Filled Rubber Bouncing Balls  I could stare at these things for hours! I love the smell of them too!

Light Up Yo Yo Balls  I remember the first year Santa brought one of these to Liam. I drove poor pita nuts with it. He finally, very calmly said, "Hon, please put that thing down!"

Licensed Character Bubbles  Bubbles are always a big hit!

Small 2 Piece Metal Puzzle  These are a great fidget toy.

To find a Dollar Tree near you, visit their website.

Sensory Stocking Stuffer Ideas for a buck!

    If you read my letter to a Good Samaritan, then you know what our financial situation is. Let's face it, money is tight for everyone. We have to save it where we can.

    One way I do that is by shopping at our local Dollar Tree. I'm sure you all have one in your town. They have EVERYTHING! Am I right?

    What some people don't know is all the sensory stuff they have there. Okay, pet peeve of mine is places that sell "sensory items" for an arm and a leg when you can get the same thing, or something similar for next to nothing else where.

    So what I decided to do was to go online and collaborate a list of sensory items that would make great stocking stuffers for the seeker in your life.

**NOTE: My Dollar Tree actually has even more sensory items such a "floam" and pop toobs, but I couldn't find them on their web site. Also, not EVERY Dollar Tree has the same things, so products may vary in your store. You can order online, but the lowest quanity was 6 of each item**

Without further ado, here it is!

Check out all these AUSOME items! One thing I want to point out is Theraputty. That stuff is pricey! Why not buy some putty from the Dollar Tree, and add your own items to it for kids to manipulate?

Here's a break down with links to make this even easier for you.

    Spring Toy (Slinky)

Stretchy Fidget Balls

Liam's favorite sensory item!

Fruit Scented Balls

A toy to squeeze and a toy to smell ;)

Bouncing Putty

Liam LOVES this stuff. I always have it on hand!

Super Putty

Also a favorite of Liam's

Dough (play dough)

Who doesn't love play dough?

Fuzzy Monster Friends

How cute are these guys?

So there ya have it. A ton of sensory fun for just a few bucks. Head to your local Dollar Tree and see what goodies you can find!

**Dollar Tree did NOT pay me for this post. I am just trying to help out other Special Needs Parents**

Sentio Chews a Review

Kid Companions was super kind enough to send us one of their new Sentio CHEWS to try out and review. Liam was stoked to try it out.


Before I get into the meat of this review, let me share with you a bit about what a Sentio CHEW is.






Kid Companions Chewelry is a chewable necklace and wearable sensory tool for kiddos who like to fidget and chew. Sentio CHEWS are a new addition to the Chewelry family. They are:

FDA compliant, BPA, latex and metal free. SentioCHEWS are more durable than generic silicone chewables.

4 styles ~ Resilient soft rubber feel ~ Economical 1-part shapes ~ Breakaway paracord lanyards!

He took it right out of the package and put it on. He loved the color of the break away paracord lanyard. He also commented that he "loved the feel of it!" It does feel pretty cool. Very smooth and durable feeling.

So far, he has only taken it off to sleep, and as soon as he gets out of bed, he puts it right on. It has been in his mouth as much as it has been in his hands.




He chews it....










He fidgets (and flaps) with it :)






Liam is a VERY aggressive chewer, and has chewed through quite a few chewies in the past. I have yet to see ANY teeth marks or dental impression of any kind in his Sentio CHEW.

As a mother to a 7 year old boy, I like this chewy a lot. It's cute, but it doesn't stand out. Liam used to wear a chew tube on a lanyard, and many people thought it was a dog chew toy. (I kid you not.) The Sentio CHEW is as stylish as it is durable, and Liam loves the bright color of it. My point is, this chewy doesn't make him stand out when he's wearing it. It merely looks like a cute ice cream cone necklace.

The Sentio CHEW and Chewelry come in other cute designs as seen  below: 

For the Kid Companions Store: CLICK HERE

To poop or not to poop.....

   As a special needs momma I have heard a lot of talk of poop problems. Thankfully, we don't have too much of an issue with that here. Or so I thought.... Up until now, our biggest issue is that Liam has IBS which means he is either constipated or has diarrhea. (We did go through a phase where he would hide when he had to go. He was about 5 or so when this took place. He would hide because he didn't want to stop playing to go poop. It was about 6 months before he stopped doing that and we were back to "normal." Our "normal.")

   We then went through an, "I don't know if I have to go or not" phase. Where he would scream and cry because he couldn't tell if he had to go, or just had gas. We are still partially in this phase as it rears it's ugly head at least once a week. How do you explain to your autistic child when they have to poop??? I mean, when ya gotta go, ya gotta go. I have no words for that. It's a feeling. To me, it's indescribable.

   Now we have a new phase mingling with that, which is, he doesn't want to poop. Yes, you read that right. So now, when he can tell he has to go, he SCREAMS. He cries. He tells us, "I don't like the way it feels." Does it hurt? Nope. "It  feels gross," he says. So either, he can't tell that he has to go, or he can, and doesn't like how it feels.

   So I wonder, how as a parent I can help him through this. I mean, I know it's sensory.  DUH, that's a given. But how in God's name do I make this okay for him???? It's pooping. It's a natural part of life. He HAS to poop. How do I make this easier on him????

           "I wish I could stop eating so my body would stop                                                              pooping!"

   The worst part of being a parent is when there is something ailing or bothering your child, and you as his/her parent can't fix it. That's our job. They look to us for guidance and help, and when we can't give it then what?

   I am at a loss so any advice here is appreciated and welcomed. PLEASE, help me, help this kid poop.

     (Oh, and he still doesn't wipe himself. He will try once in awhile with A LOT of prompting and begging. It's a germ thing. He can't stand the thought of wiping his own arse. We pray this ends soon because I can't be wiping a 30 year old man's butt!) So any advice there is also appreciated! (btw, we have tried wet wipes, bribing, begging, sticker charts, making him sit there and refusing to wipe it. That was fun. He sat there and screamed til he was hoarse and I ended up wiping him any way. Iron will in this kid!)

Bubbles are a choking hazard....

  So I got up this morning with the bright idea to do something fun. Sunday Funday right??? I got on Pinterest and looked up some warm weather fun. I chose bubbles. Because who doesn't love bubbles???

  I found the recipe for "Giant Bubbles," and as luck would have it, I had all the ingredients. I mixed up a batch and was excited to try it out. We (Liam and "A" took the bucket outside to try them out.) Now, if you are familiar with this recipe, every pin on Pinterest says they are "indestructible." Indestructible my arse!!! They weren't any better than the cheap bubbles you buy at Dollar Tree. For the time, and money it took to make them, I wouldn't waste my time again.

 Next we decided to try bubble snakes. My kiddo loves snakes ( *gag* ) so anything snake related is right up his alley. This seemed easy enough. Soda bottles (20 oz size) from the recyclables. (Now I say soda bottles because the new water bottles are too flimsy for this.) next, you'll need an old wash cloth or towel. Cut circles out of it. Big enough to cover the bottom with about 2 inches to spare all the way around. Cut very bottom off of bottle, then put towel/washcloth over it. Attach with rubber band. (A hair tie works well too ;) )

  Now comes the fun part. We used that junk bubble mixture we made. Dip the bottom into bubble mix, and blow. This is super cool.

HOWEVER, make sure kiddos DO NOT BREATHE IN!!!!!! Another neighbor kiddo came over, and oddly enough, BOTH NT kiddos, sucked in and choked when they ingested the bubbles....Yep, got to meet his mom when she came over to find out what happened. AWKWARD!!!!


  So all in all, the kiddos enjoyed it, until they ingested it, and I dumped it in the yard. So enjoy, but PLEASE be careful!
                                                                  ♥♥♥♥

DIY Halloween Sensory Bags

Instead of the curriculum art, today we did something more festive for Halloween. We made Halloween Sensory Bags. Very easy to do. I can't however take ALL the credit. I got the idea from Hands On: As We Grow while scrolling through my Pinterest. We made one like hers, but Liam wanted to green. Then we did our own using bugs we got in the Halloween section at the Dollar Tree.
Ours look like this:

Ready for the how to???? It's super simple

NEED:

Hair Gel (can be found at Dollar Tree. One bottle made 2 bags)

Ziploc Bags Sandwich Size (we used one regular, and one Halloween bag

which we purchased at the Dollar Tree.)

Googly Eyes (you guessed it! Can be bought at the Dollar Tree)

Various Bugs (again, thank you Dollar Tree, you ROCK my world!!)

Food Coloring (Dollar Tree, you're the bomb!)

DIRECTIONS:

Open bag, squeeze in about half of the hair gel. Add a few drops of you coloring choice. Close bag, smoosh around to mix color. Add in googly eyes, bugs, what ever you choose. (we even added some sequins) Now, close, all but a small bit and carefully squeeze air out without letting gel out. Seal and VOILA! Home made sensory bag! Great for tactile input and cool to look at as well. (NOTE: my son gets into everything, I add duct tape to the top of ALL his bags so he doesn't get into them!)

Hope you enjoy making this with your kiddo (s). I know I sure did :)

<3<3<3<3

Sensory Fun Day

 Yesterday Liam's brother left after his 2 week visit with us. This usually creates a crap storm of tears for my lil man, so momma thought ahead and got some sensory fun ready. Liam was stoked, B was kinda bummed as he wanted to take part as well. Liam informed him, "NO!! You get to leave, I don't!" I have nothing to say to that, which is odd, I always have something to say!
 So here is what we did. I will post the pics and then how I did it. Enjoy, I know Liam sure did!

This one was cool. I started with an old ice cream bucket. My plan was to layer the ice in rainbow colors, but that was taking too long. (yes, momma often lacks patience too!) I gathered up some small toys of the boys. (Dollar Tree has lots of these things, that where most of ours come from.) I started with about 2 inches of water, added some toys, freeze. Repeat until bucket is full. Then its time to excavate. Liam chose the small hammers because his toys ones weren't strong enough to break the ice. SAFETY GLASSES were a must as the ice really full. (a few of the toys didn't make it :/ he was using the claws of the hammer and it broke the toys) NOTE: I must give credit where credit is due and I would like to thank COUNTING COCONUTS for this idea. 

This one was AUSOME!!!! I even got into this one!!!! First I started by making up different colors of water, and freezing in ice cube trays. Then I got a white sheet, and placed it on the table outside. Next, let your kiddos go to town!!!! When finished, hang to dry and you will have a gorgeous tie dyed sheet! My favorite was his little hand prints all over :) (ours got rained on, so today we have to redo it. Liam was NOT happy, but changed his mind when I told him he gets to do it again.) Again, credit where credit is due and for this idea I have to thank SHARE AND REMEMBER.

After a visit to our friends it was time to relax with a bath. I decided to finish off the night with a sensory bath for him. This time we decided to use his new balls from "grama Sue." He loved it, had a blast with them! I can see this sensory bath becoming a nightly thing :)

Enjoy the fun, we sure did!

<3<3<3<3

Autistic Pride and Q & A

Yesterday (June 18th) was Autistic Pride Day. What a great day to celebrate! Too bad I was sick. I still explained to Liam what it was and he sported his Autism Hearts shirt in honor of the day. Good enough for now. Some days I have to take a day off from advocacy :) I did however make this pic for my facebook page:

For more info on Autistic Pride day, CLICK HERE

I am also very excited to report that after speaking with a wonderful woman named Margalit, and sharing with her some pics, and answering questions, she has posted my interview. Margalit is the admin of Autistic Globetrotting on Facebook. I had submitted a pic of Liam in a state park, and she emailed me and asked if I would like to participate in an interview. I was stoked!!!! Being of a low income, we have to be so careful of what we do for fun. Yet, we always make sure we have something to do. When Liam grows up, he may say, "we didn't have a lot of money when I was a kid..." but I do believe he will also say, "mom and dad always spent time with me, and we did fun things anyway." You don't have to be rich, or even well off to find fun things to do with your kiddos. Some of our best fun is free! To read more of my interview CLICK HERE

Orbeez are AUSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  I can't tell you how many therapy boards on Pinterest show kiddos playing with water beads! My son was given about 5 of them from someone before, and he LOVED them. It was the owner in some mom and pop store, and I had no way of knowing where they got them, just that WE wanted some. Just last week LJ was online "shopping" for birthday ideas, at his favorite, WALLY WORLD!!!! HE stumbled upon Orbeez. "Momma, momma, I want these, look I want these!!!!" So, I had to check them out. Low and behold, LJ found water beads!!!!
  If you have never seen or used Orbeez, then you are missing out and I must explain them. They are like a mini science experiment, and therapy fun, all rolled into a tiny water filled bead!! They are as I say in this title, AUSOME!!!!
  Orbeez were originally developed by the agricultural industry to help maintain water in plant soil in times of drought. Orbeez are superabsorbent polymers—that means they are made of several smaller molecules joined together. With the addition of water they can grow to more than 100 times their volume. That’s right, place a tiny Orbeez bead in water and watch it swell! The water is absorbed into the spaces between the molecules. These polymers were invented for agricultural use back in the 1960s to irrigate crops during times of drought. Today you will find superabsorbent polymers in diapers to prevent leaks, in food packages to absorb liquid and in floral vases to hydrate cut flowers. What is even cooler is, as you are growing them, they look all bumpy, so you can actually see the water being absorbed between the molecules. 


This is how they look sans water.........

 After soaking for 4 hours.....

 They look awesome with the flash on :)

Trying to pop one. They will pop, and the bigger you let them get, the easier they will pop....

He was obsessed with this one because it looked like a tear.

He had to see how they felt on his feet!

He let me mix the Blue and Teal ones, I was surprised!

 

 And the orange ones....

 He got out his measuring cups and spoons that he uses in his water bins, and he went to town. He plays with these, EVERYDAY, and absolutely LOVES them! I have to admit, they are addicting to feel.Even Lj's TSS agrees :)

We found these at Wally World for $5.88 for a box of 1,000 Orbeez in 3 colors. You can find them at Kmart, Toys R Us, and Target as well. Bottom line, go get some, your kiddo will LOVE them. LJ wants to buy enough to fill his wading pool! That would be AUSOME!!!