I know that most of us who have children with special needs know we are always on the hunt for something that we can introduce to our child to help them.
Sometimes a child needs an item to help them get some energy out. Other times, a child needs something to help them calm their systems. There are many disorders and diagnoses that can create such differing sensory needs. In our world, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Global Dyspraxia, create the need for sensory items that can be tailored to Elizabeth’s needs.
I know when she was younger, we had a few things that we used to help her regulate her sensory needs.
One of the items was a wiggly sensory cushion for her chair at school. It was round, red and texture and it required some concentration to use it because it wiggled enough to give sensory input but not enough to have her struggle to focus on her work.
It fit her sensory needs and that’s what it’s really all about.
So when I saw this next item, I thought of our chair cushion. This item is the Vibrating Pillow from Senseez.
The Senseez pillow is about three inches thick and about 10 inches wide.
The one I have is red and the shape of a STOP sign, but it comes in many other colors and shapes. Which I like because if your child loves soccer, there is one shaped and colored like a soccer ball. There is one that is furry in texture and the black and white colors that make it look like a cow. So check out our site for these neat options in color and texture.
The idea of the vibrating Senseez pillow is to have the gentle vibrations help with focus for a child who may have difficulty sitting in a class. But it also can aid in the calming of a child with sensory needs as well.
The thing I like about this pillow is that right away I can see it is nice and sturdy. Meaning it appears it can hold up to much use. And I like the way that the zipper is easy to use to open the pillow to access the vibrating apparatus that is tucked inside.
The vibrating part uses two AAA batteries to get it working. (not included) I liked that after I put the batteries in, I could easily zip up the Senseez pillow and have it return to its original form. Unlike other products that just do not look “right” after you access the battery pack.
The sensory input pillow gives off a nice gentle vibration that is not too much. I can see the pillow being used for times when long sitting is needed, such as family trips, movies and family dinners.
On our site, there is some really nice information about the Senseez pillow and how it helped a number of different issues for individuals with ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder and other special abilities. Also, on the box it gives you the Clinical Trial Data that is associated with the use of the pillow. I think many parents will find this information helpful because it comes from those who use the pillow for their child.
I know that our seat cushion was transferred from school to home during the summer and we put it to good use as we did our summer work. So I know I can see how this will be a good adjunct to have successful work done at home this summer. Since it can be challenging to transition from school to summer, why not make it just that much easier by using the sensory vibrating pillow as a tool to help keep things calm and everyone focused.
And for the times, like in Elizabeth’s world, when her system is overloaded, the pillow can be hugged and used as a calming tool when she takes her sensory breaks.
The Senseez pillow has a nice clip on it that helps you hook it to a bag or backpack to make it easy to include this item in your days.
So if this sounds like something that fits the needs of your child, please take a look on our site.
Can anyone else believe summer is almost here??!!
I wish everyone a peaceful week.
Michele Gianetti
author of “I Believe In You: A Mother and Daughter’s Special Journey” and “Emily’s Sister”
Special Needs Essentials Blog 