Geoffrey Won a Halloween Contest

Geoffrey dressed up as the "windy guy" for the church Halloween party on Tuesday. He won first place it was so great!

He won two free movie tickets and already a few friends are asking him who he is going to take. Including one girl who seems VERY interested. (I'm not sure I'm ready for that!)

Happy Halloween everyone!

What is the Wilbarger Protocol or Brushing Therapy?

The Wilbarger Protocol is a therapy program designed to reduce sensory or tactile defensiveness. Children who exhibit symptoms of tactile defensiveness are extremely sensitive to touch. This can cause a fear or resistance to being touched, difficulty transitioning between activities, and/or lethargy. The therapy was developed by Patricia Wilbarger, MEd, OTR, FAOTA.

There is not much documented research on the Wilbarger Protocol. However, many parents of children with autism have reported seeing decreases in sensory defensiveness and anxiety as a result of using this technique. Some of the benefits of the Wilbarger Protocol may include improved ability to transition between daily activities, improved attention span, a decreased fear or discomfort of being touched, enhanced coordination, and self-regulation.

The complete routine usually only takes 2-3 minutes.The first step in the therapy involves using a soft, plastic, sensory brush which is run over the child's skin, using very firm pressure; it is like a deep pressure massage. Brushing starts at the arms and works down to the feet. The face, chest, and stomach area are never brushed because these are sensitive areas that can cause adverse reactions.

The brushing therapy is initially recommended every 2 hours while the child is awake. Therapists usually re-assess the level of brushing after two weeks. At that time they may modify the program. The brushing continues as long as the individual benefits from it.

After the brushing therapy, therapists may also prescribe gentle joint compressions to the shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, hips, knees/ankles, and sternum for a count of ten. Self-administration of joint compression may also be obtained by engaging in jumping-jacks, push-ups, or jumping on a trampoline.

Finally, the therapist may also suggest the Oral Tactile Technique, or OTT. This technique requires a finger to swipe along the inside of the person’s mouth. This is helpful for kids with oral defensiveness. (These children may have trouble with foods because of their texture or hate having their teeth brushed.)

If you think that your child would benefit from the Wilbargar Protocol, it is important to seek guidance from an Occupational Therapist. The OT must be trained in sensory integration and know how to use the Wilbargar Protocol. Performing the therapy in a manner other than taught by a trained professional may not be effective and can be very uncomfortable for the individual.

National Autism Resources Accepts Purchase Orders

Did you know that we accept purchase orders?

We accept Purchase Orders from:

• Government Agencies
• Hospitals
• Schools
• Universities
  

Using the prices and product names published on National Autism Resources, please fax all PO's to 877-259-9419 or email (customerservice@nationalautismresources.com). We will confirm receipt and ship out immediately.

Exhausted

Well it has been an exhausting few weeks, but God has been good. We moved and my son went back into school. The transitions was great. The first day was hard, but then my son was able to meet up with a boy from our church who introduced him to several other kids. Now G has a whole group of kids to eat lunch with. Nick, the boy, told his mom, "Geoffrey is quiet but he's nice we like him." Hooray! He has no assistant because he wants to do this himself. My heart is so overwhelmed with thankfulness. I am amazed at how far he has come in the last eleven years!

Meanwhile, I continue to go back and forth to the hospital to visit with my Mom. She is now at a convalescent hospital and is learning to walk again. We still don't know if she will be able to walk unassisted, but we are so thankful her mind was not damaged.

I've been falling into bed each night because my days are so full. However, I have a peace from God that I am so thankful for. I read the following this morning: Psalm 27:13-14 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Sounds good doesn't it? Lets be strong together, take heart and wait for the Lord.

Doing better than expected

Well after almost a month my Mom has moved out of ICU. Its been up and down but she is on the road to recovery. She will need surgery on her neck, but no paralyses, thank God! Thank you all for the prayers and well wishes.

My whole family has been stretched, but at the same time God has been good. I've been praying that she would do better than the doctors expected her to. Friday, before I left the hospital I was talking with her Dr. and she said, "I'm really pleased with your mother's progress, she's doing better than we expected." I walked away whispering another prayer of thanks.

The Kindness of Strangers

Last Friday, July 3rd, my mom was in a terrible car accident. She was traveling down highway 99 in California near Bakersfield when something happened (we don't know what) that caused her to lose control and roll her car 5 or 6 times. They had to cut her out of her car before they could get her to the hospital. All of her ribs are broken, her lungs are badly bruised and punctured, her heart is also bruised and beating irregularly.

I found out at around 10:00pm, jumped in the car and at 2:30am I made it to the hospital. When I walked in I must have been a mess because a security guard came right up to me and said, "how can I help you?" I could only whisper, "ICU" and he left his post and escorted me there. I was so thankful for that.

The next morning after about two hours of sleep I got lost on the way to the hospital. At a stoplight I waved down an Asian man in the car next to me and told him I was lost and needed to find the hospital. He said, "its OK just follow me" and then he drove his car to the hospital and let me follow him.

Back at the ICU the nurse informed me that I had to formally admit my mother to the hospital and gave me directions. By the time I got to the elevator I had forgot them. I turned to an African American nurse and tried to ask for admitting, but the tears just came and I could hardly speak. She took me in her arms and gave me the biggest hug. It felt so good because at that time all I had wanted was to hug my Mom, but I can only touch a small part of her forehead and her feet because she is so injured. After the hug, the nurse scooped her arm under mine and just about carried me to admitting. When I apologised for the tears, she told me everyone cries at the hospital and they never apologise for it.

Later on I went back to my hotel room and when it was time to go back to the hospital I got lost again! This time I flagged down a large Hispanic man on a bicycle. When he came up to my car I was a little taken aback. His head was shaved, he was extremely muscular, tattooed and he looked tough! I told him I needed directions to the hospital. He was so kind. He said, "wait a second let me think of the easiest way to get there." Then he gave me directions. These directions are so good that I have been using them ever since.

These are just a few stories, so many more people have all extended so much kindness and have been praying for my Mom. Its a miracle she is still alive. I'm thankful God continues to keep her heart beating. I'm also so thankful for the kindness of strangers.

Mean People Stink!!!

G has been watching me drop off mail and priority orders for National Autism Resources for quite awhile. I thought since we do this regularly this would be a good place for him to work on doing things independently. So first we started by G helping me carry the orders to the desk. Then I let him carry all of the orders to the desk while I reminded him to say hello to the postal workers.

For the last few weeks I have walked into the Post Office and watched G drop off the orders until last week I waited just outside the door.


Today I waited outside in the car while G went into the Post Office by himself... Hooray! This should have been great...


When G came out He was agitated and didn't want to talk. So he waited in the car while I went in to find out what was wrong.

Inside Gene, one of the postal workers, yelled, "Hi Bonnie, why don't you come up here."


Then he explained that when G came in to drop off the orders, some rude and impatient lady yelled at him to quit cutting in line. G didn't know what to do and froze. When Gene saw what was happening he told G it was fine and that he could come to the front and drop off the mail.

Can I just say that if looks could kill, I would have killed that lady with my eyes. I had laser eyes bugging out of my head. GRRRRRRRRRRRR...

So I went back to the car, told G sometimes people are rude and that he did nothing wrong. Tomorrow when he feels better I'm going to talk to him about what he can say if something like this should happen again. We are going back to the Post Office and we are going to get this down!!!