At our OT and SLP assessment yesterday, they instructed me to begin some therapies including compression of Iain's face. We are to provide firm pressure with our thumb in the following areas:

1. Above his lip (under his nose)
2. Below his lip on his chin
3. Toward the back molars on each side of his face
4. And then use our index fingers to provide pressure on either side of his face right at where his bottom teeth would be starting at his lips and ending by his molars.

I will have to see if we can shoot a video to show you this really simple thing to do.

Iain is VERY orally defensive and it has literally taken years to get him to tolerate much around his mouth. My heart sank when I was told to do this as it has taken me forever just to get him to allow me to brush his nose and cheeks with my finger gently.

However, I did this last night to him twice and this morning and HE LOVES IT! He looks so confused when I do it but has taken my hand and placed it back up to his face at a pressure point and wants me to do it again! I am in awe.:yahoo: Knowing Iain, this may be short lived but it is a new thing and he does have excessive needs for massage all over his body and has been previously very upset if you come anywhere near his face. Maybe this is the sign he is willing to allow this as he has just in this past month began to mouthe things. I mean it. This kid has NEVER put anything in his mouth at all before but has started putting his hands in and has taken my finger to "lick" the tip of it for a short nanosecond a few times now. It is so odd to see him finally at the age of 3 begining a stage he should have been at when he was a baby and toddler. Better late than never!

This compression is to help him be more aware of his mouth from what I understand. We are to also brush the inside of his mouth and start doing the inside of his cheeks, too. That has bombed rather badly, but we will persevere with it. I am just so thrilled and frankly am in shock that he wants this pressure around his face right now. It is a BIG progression for him.

I'm so glad Iain is enjoying this! We've done joint compression (as overall vestibular sensory input) but not for very long -- it didn't seem to be something D really needed -- but I've never tried anything on his face. Well, other than sensory stuff like the electric toothbrush, etc. to "wake up" his mouth.

D also hated toothbrushing at first. He screamed and puked the first night, he screamed and gagged the second night, but within a few days, it became part of our routine. I wrap him up tight in his towel (so his arms can't fight me), and then we sing, to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:

Brush, brush, brush your teeth, brush your upstairs teeth [a term D came up with], la la la for the next line because I couldn't come up with anything good there, brush your upstairs teeth. Repeat twice, then sing for the "downstairs teeth." Then sing one verse for the tongue, ending with "now our song is done."

He still often complains about not wanting to brush, but somehow we get the job done without a fight.

I'm so glad Iain is enjoying this! We've done joint compression (as overall vestibular sensory input) but not for very long -- it didn't seem to be something D really needed -- but I've never tried anything on his face. Well, other than sensory stuff like the electric toothbrush, etc. to "wake up" his mouth.

D also hated toothbrushing at first. He screamed and puked the first night, he screamed and gagged the second night, but within a few days, it became part of our routine. I wrap him up tight in his towel (so his arms can't fight me), and then we sing, to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:

Brush, brush, brush your teeth, brush your upstairs teeth [a term D came up with], la la la for the next line because I couldn't come up with anything good there, brush your upstairs teeth. Repeat twice, then sing for the "downstairs teeth." Then sing one verse for the tongue, ending with "now our song is done."

He still often complains about not wanting to brush, but somehow we get the job done without a fight.

Thanks, Becky. I have yet to try an electric toothbrush with him as the fight with a small soft toothbrush or fingerbrush is so bad. Literally, we have to put him to the ground, restrain him and pry open the jaws of life to get in to his mouth most days. Then I wonder why he has such a bad experience with this...:hairpull:

We have been in his mouth since he was 4 months old like our other boys. They adjusted well (mind you Curran puked for ages everytime) but not Iain. It is rare when he allows this and only for a short time. I have tried singing and he covers his ears and screams. Guess I am no singer. lol I will however try your song to see if it will help a bit. Maybe if I can get Curran to sing it it will help. Love the "la la la" part! :haha:

How did you do compression on his legs, etc.?

I am glad that he is letting you do it. I used to work with a little boy with a variety of sensory issues and a lot of oral motor problems. He got a new OT shortly before I left and she had me doing that with him twice a day. She said it would not only help with the oral issues, but with his over all 'out of syncness' to work on his oral issues.

It is hard to say for sure what of all the interventions worked (he was in pretty intensive speach, OT and PT) and what he would have just done anyway, but he really did start tolerating more things in and around his mouth and by the time I left he was eating much better.

He was also going through puberty and that may have had something to do with the increased appetite.

I hope it will work well for Ian and that he will keep letting you do it.

How did you do compression on his legs, etc.?

Um, let's see, I remember when D was sitting in his high chair, we'd put one hand on his knee and one under his foot and just sort of push. We had to make sure everything was lined up properly, i.e. not at a funny angle. Sorry I can't remember more details. We've tried so many things....

Leigh the reason he may like the compression whereas before he would only tolerate minimal light touch is the deep pressure sensation is often more calming to a child who is sensory defensive than light touch. Often to them light touch is more offensive.

Also I would recommend you not do joint compression on other parts of the other unless you receive direct demonstration from an OT as it can be harmful if not done properly. You may want to ask Robynne more about it as it is part of the Wilburger (maybe spelled wrong) brushing protocol that she often mentions.