The standard advice you get for a fussy eater toddler is “Just put a variety of foods on his plate. When he gets hungry enough, he’ll eat.” Great advice — for most kids. But for toddlers with sensory processing issues, it’s not going to work. We tried it. At two years of age, he was [...]
January 27, 2009
Last week, I read Naomi Klein’s new book The Shock Doctrine. This is a book about money in case you haven’t read it. Not a fun read, but it defines disaster capitalism, which is pure-gold insight. One chapter keeps replaying in my mind. It describes how some victims of Katrina went to Thailand last year [...]
January 27, 2009
This past spring, I sent The Sensory Team Handbook to publishers for consideration. Dumb, yes. And I did receive an offer, which I turned down. Long story. Anyway, back in March, my brain still umbilically attached to the printing press, I sent a manuscript (one of several) to a children’s book publisher owned by the [...]
January 25, 2009
Neurodiversity is a new buzzword in autism spectrum circles. It’s part of a movement among autistic and Asperger’s adults to redefine their life. They want people to see them not as problems to be cured, but as human variants to be respected. They’re not missing something — they have something else. Refreshing. After all, we’re [...]
January 23, 2009
<img class=”alignleft size-full wp-image-259″ title=”Sensory processing disorder and climbing trees” src=”http://www.nancymucklow.com/talkingsense/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/climbtree.jpg” alt=”Sensory processing disorder and climbing trees” width=”135″ height=”164″ />On the other side of the city, on the army base, there is a big granite hillock of the Canadian Shield sticking out the ground. At the back is a long winding path down through the [...]
January 21, 2009
The last post was for northern hemisphere people who are dealing with record snowfall. This one is for southern hemisphere folks who are watching palm trees sway. Bricks and boards make a simple backyard vestibular game for younger children. Place the boards on top of the bricks to make a balance beam pathway that twists [...]
January 21, 2009
If life on earth depends on biodiversity, maybe human life depends on <a href=”http://www.nancymucklow.com/2008/making-a-world-of-difference/” target=”_blank”>neurodiversity</a>. Yet media and experts use a very different language for autism spectrum issues: <em>disability, disorder, problem, abnormality, flaw, error</em>. Even <em>epidemic</em>. As if autism is somehow contagious. This is not the language of neurodiversity. It’s the language of <em>ew</em>. These [...]
January 20, 2009
I am fascinated by the concept of <a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syndrome” target=”_blank”>syndromes</a>. A syndrome is a collection of symptoms that have been bundled together to make it convenient to talk about them. Like Asperger Syndrome. It’s not a <em>thing</em>, really. <blockquote>You: Doctor, I have a sore knee and a crick in my neck. Doctor: Ah, yes. that [...]
January 17, 2009
Just about everybody enjoys activities in the water. So here is my tip for any family on vacation that has an sensory issues kid: Always stay in a hotel with a pool. Pools are great. Pools can save an entire holiday. And if you have an option for a hotel with a waterslide, take that [...]
January 4, 2009
My husband had a repertoire of silly games he played with the kids when they were younger. The thing about sensory games is that kids like them. They ask for more. Soon, these become the favourite games. You don’t necessarily plan them to be sensory games — it just works out that way. So here [...]
January 30, 2009
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