Hannah is a unique and special kid and perhaps a little eccentric, rather like her parents. Over the last couple of years we have come to better understand that she faces some special challenges which we are trying to help her learn to deal with.
We have long recognized that Hannah is extremely energetic and strong-willed. She would often wear-out her aged parents and she was especially tiring for Rika to deal with during the week when I was at work. A bit like 'Tigger' in Winie the Poo.
When Hannah started primary school, the teachers noticed unusual behavior like constant fidgeting or making funny noises, that she seemed drawn to jostling or wrestling with other kids, she seemed sensitive to noise and touch, and sometime seemed to miss some social cues.
Initially, we put this down to our overly permissive parenting style, disruption form the move to HK and changes of schools, being an only child and being the youngest child in her class. She didn't seem to match any conditions that we knew about such as ADHD or Aspergers.
A few months after Hannah joined JIS, the student support officer suggested we have Hannah be evaluated by an Occupational Therapist. The OT offered a different explanation, and suggested that Hannah might have mild sensory processing issues. This condition relates to how a childs brain integrates input from her senses, and can manifest itself in different ways. In Hannah's case she has a craving for physical stimulation, and occasional difficulties in sitting still and concentrating.
The diagnosis made a lot of sense. It fitted neatly with our observations, Hannah's demands and also the techniques we had already adopted that she seemed to respond to, like trying to give her plenty of physical activities, physical play with me like swinging her from her arms, hanging her upside down, squeezing her to calm her and so on.
The video below shows Hannah exhibiting sensory craving behavior as she tries to sit still in a resturant.
Video: Sensory craving behavior
Apparently SPD is quite a common condition although it was first described in the 1970s and it seems only became widely known from the 1990s. We had never heard of it, although interestingly one of my colleagues' child was also diagnosed with the same condition around the same time.
I suspect that the increasing incidence is partly to do with modern childhood giving children much less opportunity to climb trees, run around, chase sheep and roll in mud like we did when we were growing up. We try to give Hannah exercise but it is difficult to provide enough living in a tower block and having to constantly guard her from the child-snatchers of Shenzhen.
Music Therapy
Fortunately the treatment for SPD is both healthy and fun, although it takes some effort. The therapists recommended 3 programs: music therapy, a 'sensory diet' of physical activities, and counselling to help her with social skills.
The music therapy involves 'therapeutic listening' to special CDs for 20-30 min 1-2 time per day. The CDs have subtle variation in tone and volume between the left and right ears which helps with integrating the brain hemispheres... mumble mumble... voodoo, chakras, auras... mumble.... Frankly the theory sounds bonkers to me, but the OT swears by it so we gave it a go.
Hannah enjoys it, and likes to sing along to the songs
Music therapy, bouncing on swiss ball
The 'sensory diet' involves giving Hannah a structured physical workout 1-2 times per day. Every morning before school she has to do 4 sets of 5-min activities. These are supposed to give her enough sensory input so she can sit still in school.
The key recommendation was a mini trampoline.
This was a big hit with Hannah
She likes to bounce and also be lifted up into the air.
Trampoline with Papa
Lifting Hannah into the air
Other activities include hanging from a chin-up bar, kicking balls at a goal, playing catch, wheel-barrows, bouncing or balancing on a 'swiss ball', spinning in a swivel chair, massages etc.
Hanging upside-down from chin-up bar
It is all good exercise and Hannah generally enjoys it. I am in charge of the morning exercises and the challenge for me is to make it fun and get Hannah to complete the 4 sets in time to catch her school bus. The sensory diet is complemented by an effort to schedule plenty of physical exercise after school and in the weekend - biking, swimming, skating, running round at fun-zone, hiking etc.
Ball Pool
Getting the routine to work took us some trial-and-error. We had to adapt when H got tired and stressed by the routine during December. How to make H wake-up in time when she wants to keep sleeping? Get her to bed on time (well done Rika), and wake her up gently with a 5-min squishing pressure massage which H loves and is one of the 'sensory diet' execises.
How to get her to focus on completing the 4 exercises without bullying her too much? Reward her with a 'star' if she completes in time (10 stars = trip to Disneyland or Ocean Park). And from Jan we realized that we just have to accept that about once per week she will miss the bus and I will have to take her to school by taxi and be late for work. This option takes the pressure off and lets us enjoy the program more.
Video: Hula Hoop
We have now settled on a routine that works, and we have a lot of fun with it. It is nice to spend this time having fun together and Hannah's coordination and skills have improved. We are even starting to do 2-person juggling.
More importantly it seems to work. The teachers report much less fidgeting, H seems calmer more focused and more sociable at school. And we find her more cooperative at home. Interestingly we eased off the program in early Jan and the teachers reported a regression in her behavior.
Training diary
But it is hard work. A typical morning goes like this, and we need to be quite focused to get it done in time.
6:00 am I get up and shower, feed cat
6:10 am Lights on and give H the headphones for music therapy
6:25 am 5 min pressure massage to wake H up while she finishes listening
6:30 am Get-up, Breakfast
6:45 am Clean teeth
6:50 am Sensory exercises 3 x 5-min sets
7:10 am Change into uniform
7:15 am Leave home, put H on school bus, go to work
I have been very impressed by how Hannah has worked with the program and how brave she has been at school. It is sometimes hard to be Hannah and I'm very proud of her character.
