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Parent Created Solutions
My parents are among the most creative people I know. I am so blessed to learn so much from working with them. I am very excited to be building this page to display some of their creations to support learning and development as well as their ingenious solutions to challenges faced by their Little Ones.
Take a look at this amazing weighted fidget blanket.
This family’s goal was to be able to run an errand in a store while Little One sat in the shopping basket with zero occurrences of tantrum behavior. We had discussed the options of ‘busy’ or ‘fidget items’. We had also discussed the options of weighted items. There are limited quality studies evaluating the effectiveness of weighted items. There is some research to suggest that weighted vests can increase attention to task and decrease self stimulatory behaviors. . Some research suggests that the deep pressure that results from the use of a weighted blanket can result in decreased sensory seeking behaviors interpreted by many as ‘calming effects’. Although solid studies are lacking, my former professor Dr Kevin Callahan, reminds us of the social validity of interventions in his journal article, Callahan, K., Henson, R.K. & Cowan, A.K. J Autism Dev Disord (2008) 38: 678. doi:10.1007/s10803-007-0434-9.
As therapists, we must place value on what the family values. Consumer satisfaction is an important part of the effectiveness of interventions. And, I have learned, that lack of empirical demonstration of efficacy does not mean that the intervention is ineffective but that “efficacy has not been demonstrated in an objective way”. Let me tell you what that means in a very simple way. Mom created this very individualized weighted fidget blanket and, for this Little One, she has now met her goal of sitting in the shopping cart. Can we say it was a direct result of the weighted fidget blanket? No ,but neither can we say it WASN’T a result of the weighted fidget blanket. What I would like to see is research on the effectiveness of parent-created interventions and modalities. Now that would be worth reading!
Another creative solution fabricated by an amazing mom was this bite toy. (I am really not sure what to call it).
Mom had described the challenging behaviors that her Little One was demonstrating in her car seat. She stating that she would get angry and grab her shoe and bite it. We discussed other chewy items she could safely chew on. However, it seemed that she just wanted to bite a shoe. I realize that shoes are not made of food grade quality plastic and that they are not for chewing but this toddler is supervised when she has access to this to item and she briefly bites rather than chews on it. As a result, the frustration during car rides has decreased.
For another family, we noticed the my client began demonstrating great interest with her reflection on the dishwasher despite small gains in social interaction with family members. One thing I miss about not working within a clinic or school setting, is not having access to a mirror. A mirror can be a valuable tool in providing visual feedback for motor and language production. Many children with autism benefit from the opportunities provided by mirror play to address social interaction skills, identification and expression of emotion, and the important foundational skill of motor imitation. I had located what appeared to be good options for mirrors for purchase but mom came up with a great idea. She purchased a piece of Plexiglass, a Window Flim Application Kit, and Mirrored Window Film from Lowe’s. She created this mirror and placed it in an prominent area of the home. It was a hit for both mom and daughter. My families are so clever!