Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

So I had Riley evaluated for EI and she didn't qualify. She meets all the milestones, which is pretty much what I expected. One of the evaluators agreed there was plenty of sensory seeking behavior, and gave suggestions (organized movement 2x's a day). I imagine she has a mild case, but I of course wonder if there's anything I can do for her. Do you think it's worth having her evaluated by an OT? Hopefully insurance will cover some of it...

She has gotten so much better over the past few weeks- she will actually hold my hand out in public (to an extent ). I think being back in daycare is helping her tremendously. She really thrives on routine. But I do see how wired she is when she gets home - she is most wired when she's exhausted. She also DOES NOT SHUT UP. It's driving them nuts at daycare during naptime when everyone else is sleeping and Riley wakes up and chats away.

I got her a trampoline...and geez, it's almost a waste! She still prefers to jump around in her crib, and I think that's because she's confined and there's nothing else to do. In the living room, she can find 10 million other things to get interested in. So she'll jump for all of a minute, and I even put music on for her, I try so many different tactics to keep her there...

So the crib jumping is still insane. And I'm getting concerned because the sounds the crib makes are definitely not the ones it made when Riley first started this habit. That thing will probably collapse!

So my question is, do you think it's time to move to a big kid bed? I can see her waking up and making a huge mess of her room...or never sleeping for that matter. How did you handle this sort of transition? I imagine with sensory seekers, it's that much trickier.

Sorry for the long windedness....and thanks for the support!

Message edited 9/8/2011 6:17:50 PM.

Re: Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

Tara have you read The Out of Sync Child Has Fun?

I picked it up last summer when Shane started OT for his sensory stuff. There's alot of great ideas in it and each chapter is broken down based on what kind of sensory issue your child has. Might be worth taking a look at. We're having the opposite problem in that shane loves his trampoline so much that he jumped so hard on it and it broke, and we bought a good, sturdy one. So now I need to find another jumping outlet other than a trampoline because he's jumping all over the house. No advice on a big girl bed or not as he's not ready yet, but he also jumps alot in his and i hear you on wondering whether the actual crib is going to hold out. Sometimes we're downstairs and I swear we're hoping he doesn't come crashing through the ceiling.

Re: Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

Thanks! I need to get that book- I have Growing an In-Sync Child and Sensational Kids. I also want to get Raising a Sensory Smart Child.

I just feel kinda lost with it all, especially with the more I read. I understand the idea of a sensory diet but I'm really not sure if I truly understand it. I feel like sometimes I'm doing the opposite of what I should be doing. So part of me thinks maybe I should go for an OT.

I can't believe he broke it! But yes, I definitely worry that she's gonna come crashing through the ceiling too.

Message edited 9/8/2011 8:39:15 PM.

Re: Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

Hi Tara,

It's Josephine!! Both of my kids are sensory seeking...especially Victor. But, we started him therapy at Children Specialized hospital in Mountainside, NJ....it is completely covered by insurance. You should check with ur insurance company and maybe try to get her evaluated outside of EI. They work with him in a sensory gym over there.

Also, we didn't convert cribs to beds yet...and am still trying to figure out what the best way is.....the only thing I can suggest is keeping everything baby proofed and limiting the amount of stuff in her room. I would also put a gate at her door. Good luck and keep me posted on how you decide to make the transition smooth....

Some of the things that help my son is:
Deep pressure on his legs and squeezes
wrapping him tight in a blanket
putty ....i put plastic coins in the putty and he has to find them...this really calms him

if I think of anything else...will let you know

Good luck!

Re: Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

Thanks so much Josephine!

I do the "Riley burrito" with her and apply pressure in other ways...is she supposed to calm down at these moments? I feel like she's just trying to wriggle free. She loves doing the Riley burrito and asks for it...but she always wants to come out. The only time I can keep her 'wrapped' in for any amount of time is if she's focused in on tv or something.

I also do tactile stuff like playdough...she'd rather have me create things than do it herself. She used to love drawing/painting- now she barely lasts doing it. I'm thinking I need to do moonsand....man this kid loves dirt.

I just wonder if I'm doing the right things...I'm not sure if I'm getting the response I'm supposed to get. I guess maybe it is time to see an outside person since EI couldn't help.

Thanks girls

Re: Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

Don't get rid of the crib lol !!!!! Not yet :) She will just run around her room, (believe me I know lol)

She actually is craving the confinement ! Your dd needs a ton of proprioceptive input. I really believe she will thrive in a sensory gym setting. Between a ball pit, and the variety of swings they have, it will give her so much of the input she is craving.
A well trained OT could recommend a compression vest protocol for her.


Sensory diets or activities are so tricky. You have to be careful not to "overstimulate" the system because then it's even harder for the kids to regulate themselves.

Think of her as a feather. A feather that feels like she is floating through her day, the more 'exhausted' she gets, the more she will want to float up ...and not rest. Try to recognize the 'amount' of stimulation that won't "overload" her. Whatever you do with her, do it in small amounts. The activities in the out of sync child has fun, are great.

Not sure if she has a pillow in her crib, but pillows help my dd a lot. She uses three sometimes lol She puts them on top of her. I also bought her a vibrating pillow that I need to find D batteries for (they have been all sold out since the hurricane).

You also may want to distract her 'visually'. They sell light effects for rooms... That may get her to lay down and take in all the visual stimuli. Maybe tranquil music or a sound machine ?....since her jumping is getting more rigorous, the music might bring it down a few notches ?


Two year olds in general don't do things for "long" so make sure every sensory activity is "short lived". When she is a bit 'wired'. Just hold her and crash her into a pillow, just a few times. Or lift her up, close to your body (squishing her) and then bring her down, a few times.

Holding hands...turn into a game. Start with a really short hand holding activity...like "ready, set...............'go" and then run with her (holding hands). Do that just a few times, but every day you do it, increase how long you hold her hand in between words....and keeping holding her hand after the "go" once you build up a tolerance for it.

There is no "right" or "wrong"....every child is different. Every child "enjoys' different things. The key is to take a 'vestibular" activity and combine it with a proprioceptive one as well, so both systems can get their input.(the two are really closely related).

I highly recommend the book Physical Activities for Improving Children's Learning and Behavior -A guide to sensory motor development. by Billye Ann Cheatum

Re: Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

That's exactly it, I walk a fine line with overstimulating her...I honestly feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. I love the idea of the music in the room- maybe it is time to do that. I used to use her daycare's lullaby CD in there, but she'd still jump like a maniac for naptime and it would take forever. Sometimes I wonder if there's ANYTHING that winds her down (besides TV, the car and her thumb/hair twirling ).

Probably is time to meet with an OT. I guess I just have doubts that it's really an issue and that she's just being 'two' - or that I'm just desperate to 'label' her. That's the teacher in me.

Thank you all so so very much!

Re: Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

Did you ask for an OT evaluation? If not, I would call EI back and ask for one and explain why you want one. Honestly, I wish I understood what sensory processing disorders were or what an OT was when I called EI about DS, but I had not a clue.

As for the bed, my son jumped in his crib too and he seeks sensory input in some areas (procieceptive and vestibular, smell, visual) others he avoids it (sound, touch, food texture issues, etc.). We moved him to a bed around 3 both because of the jumping (we were afraid he would hurl himself out of the crib) and just because we thought it was time. He LOVED the big boy bed, and while he jumps to get in it every night, he does not jump on the bed. It is pushed against the wall on one side and we have a safety gate on the other, so it's somewhat enclosed, but I can't tell you how much he likes the bed. We let him pick out the sheets, and I thought he would be in and out of bed all night, but he has not been yet. If he wakes up in the middle of the night, he calls us same as when he was in the crib--he has never gotten up on his own. In the morning, he usually comes looking for us right away also.

So, see if you think it's a good idea. You could leave the crib assembled and move her back to it if it's a disaster.

Re: Moms of sensory seekers...looking for advice

When I called for the EI eval, they asked my concerns and I said sensory. I believe there was an OT there (is it bad I had no idea for sure???). She did a lot of activities with her, playing different games to check on her developmental milestones and what not. (asking her to stack, organize, etc...) I think no matter what, because she hits all her milestones and is not deficient in any area, she still will not qualify. At least here in NJ. Thanks though!