SPD Conference

I am at the Sensory Processing Disorder Conference in Boston. Day 1 is for parents and others who want a crash course in all things sensory. Days 2 and 3 have sessions cover new research.

Diane Henry, author of Tools for Tots, Tools for Teens, etc. was the primary lecturer for Day 1. Her books and workshops are excellent with tons of good tips for helping children of all ages to self-regulate using sensory strategies.

We also heard a lecture by Doreit Bialer covering the A SECRET method of identifying sensory strategies for a particular child taking the child's emotional state, culture, relationships and environment into consideration. Ms. Bialer talked about a child who displayed chaotic behaviors in a grocery store. His mother changed this behavior by giving him responsibilities during shopping. He helped create the (picture) gorcery list, took it to the store, pushed the cart and deposited pictures into a bag once the grocery items were placed in the cart. His mother scaffolded these activities by working first with small lists and shopping in very small stores and then increasing the challenge with time.

HowdaHUG

In our "goodie bags" were both practical and fun items. My favorites include a very cool seat called HowdaHug that cradles and rocks a child. This is very light, very portable and comes in a variety of sizes. We also received a set of Soft Seamless Underwear for children who have difficulty wearing clothes. The cloth in the underwear is thick, soft (of course) and would provide good proprioception if a slightly smaller size was purchased. The garment has no elastic.