Bank on it.
The fidgeting, the problems with fabric next to their skin, getting them to calm down. We dealt with all of these issues with R.J. To some degree, we still do.
In many instances, the older children get, the more likely they are to outgrow these issues to some degree or develop their own coping mechanisms. But in the meantime, how do you steady down this child?
The answer for most is sensory diet.
Sensory diet is a series of activities that provide an ASD child/young person with the sensory input they need to deal with the stresses of the day.
We utilized several activities that helped R.J. calm down and focus. Light brushing with dry surgical scrub brushes (NOT the brushes pre-loaded with beta dyne or iodine), back scratching or rubs, bouncing on a large exercise ball, even bear hugs - "big squeezes" - were all successfully employed; even at age 17, big squeezes from dad are still a favorite source of input.
When the problem became sitting still for an extended period of time, we found that exercise ball chairs worked beautifully.
These are kids who need input. They have no sense of where they are in time and space (proprioception), as difficult a concept as that may be to grasp, so they need input that helps them to make that connection and promotes appropriate self-awareness.
Finding the right combination involves a LOT of experimentation, but thankfully, resources are available on the internet to provide YOU with necessary input as well. Here is one such source:
