Since Elizabeth is 22 years old, there have been A LOT of therapies, treatments, and activities at home done to help her grow and achieve in life. The things we did were all to help her as she has two disorders that affect her life daily, global dyspraxia and sensory processing disorder ( SPD).
Some times we did one thing to help her and sometimes we did another. We adjusted as she changed and grew, and we adjusted as the therapists guided us. So at one point we made sure she had a scheduled downtime in her day and religiously marked off that time to be used in a quiet manner. And another time, she needed some deep pressure, so we made sure to accomplish that with a heavy blanket while relaxing.
These things we did, all fit her needs, helped her and were part of her day. Somehow they either became something that was incorporated into her day to day life or they served their purpose for her needs at that moment in time and then they were slowly replaced by the next thing that we added or changed.
Now, the weighted blanket is available but not used as much. The quiet time is not on her schedule but, of course, is an option if needed. We just don’t have it prominently written on her schedule.
At least, this is the case for us.
On this past Sunday, Elizabeth was a bit nervous, ok, quite a bit nervous because her semester at her college program was starting the next day. She was a bit irritated, unsettled and anxious. She took a 4 mile walk with her dad as she does most Sundays but even that did not calm system.
We had spent time talking and making her weekly schedule but this helped only a bit.
So I went into her room to get something out of it and looked to see her vibrating pillow in the corner of her room. Actually resting on her heavy blanket.
And I thought, Hey, Michele, you know you could give this to her again and see if it helps.
You see, she hasn’t used this in a while, even though when she did use it, it was a wonderful calming tool. It just seemed it fit her needs for a while and then she stopped using it.
When I offered it to her, she smiled and took it. She used it, talked more to us, as well as, had some nice quiet time that she asked for and probably needed. Luckily she had a fun event planned for late afternoon. So the combination of the things we did and her activity, we made it through the afternoon.
This got me thinking…..
I started taking a mental look at the other things that we did or used that were once the big players in her life and wondered if they might be ones that could find a re-emergence.
And I thought about all of the work we did for all of her needs, like her oral motor work, fine motor work,calming tools, exercises for deep pressure…..
I started to remember why some tools went to the wayside, as they were replaced by something else or stopped due to time issues or changes in schedule.
But in any event, the time I took to think about these things did make me realize some of the old tools/tips may actually serve her well now. It made me think about them as “vintage” tools for Elizabeth.
Ones that should be remembered and that can come back to play a part in her current life. Maybe they can and maybe they will in the future.
It made me think and remember.
Not such a bad thing, because who knows what “vintage” items can help currently.
Like the vibrating pillow.
I wish everyone a peaceful week.
Michele Gianetti author of:
I Believe In You: A Mother and Daughter’s Special Journey
Elizabeth Believes In Herself: The Special Journey Continues
Special Needs Essentials Blog 