if you could buy anything......

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if you could buy anything......
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Thu, 06-08-2006 - 10:36pm

If you could buy anything for your child, what would you buy?


Books, hippotherapy, stimulation equipment, duct tape? ;)


Also in this thread, give me an idea of what is in your house that you would not be able to survive without (regarding your child).


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Thu, 06-08-2006 - 11:00pm

Well, the one therapy I have consistently paid for privately for the last 6 years is hippotherapy so that is #1 on my list I guess.

If I had the money in a heart beat I would buy a pool and a BIG safety fence. Nothing works sensory wise for my kids like a day of swimming. I would love to have it available daily. What a wonderful therapy that would be.

Next I would probably pay private for Music therapy or SI clinical therapy. Mike has had both briefly but funding ended and I would love to get those back for him. Still trying but it doesn't look hopeful.

Oh with more money I would love to see a nutritionist or wholistic medicine type. Maybe a cranial/sacral person. I know a really good one but again, cost is a factor. I would love to get saliva tests and such done to see what they need and what they are sensitive too.

What is at my house I wouldn't do without? Well I have a pretty sensory house but I have had 8 years to make it so, lol. BUt here is a list

-our suspended enclosed indoor IKEA swing. That has earned it's keep a million times.
-the swing set. That was the first thing we got when we learned Cait had sensory needs and was calmed by swinging. Still have the same one.
-The moon shaped chairs. They work similar to bean bags but last longer.
-Big therapy ball and hippity hops. We always replace those when they break.
-checklists and my computer program to make them
-chalkboards in kitchen and kids rooms. Great for making lists of what needs to be done or writing quick reminders for them.
-various organizational things I have around like cork boards and such. Helping these guys organize and learn life skills is key to teaching them independence.
-My big yard (by california standards, lol) and larger house. We sacrificed a nice house initially (this place was a MAJOR fixer upper) to get a big yard and a larger house. It is what we could afford but we needed space because 6 people and some of those with special needs in a small area just was too hard. Here there is just more room to be free and be yourself. My kids calmed a whole lot when given a good amount of outdoor space to move around and they can't go in the street to play. That has not worked out.

I guess that is it for my list.

Renee

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Thu, 06-08-2006 - 11:33pm

what are hippity hops?


and with the therapy ball, are you talking like one of those big excercise balls, or the kind with the handle so they can jump around the house?


individual music lessons are a great idea.....thanks ;)




Edited 6/8/2006 11:37 pm ET by insideout418
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Thu, 06-08-2006 - 11:46pm

Girl, you are going to get that grant! Rock on!

The best investment in our case (differs for each child) would be private speech therapy. We had one great ST, did wonders, one not so great, ST regressed. Another great one, the dude is a genius and we're moving wherever he goes! LOL!!

Next thing, you guessed, the mini-tramp. Big tramp with safety stuff (pads etc.)would be fabu, but not practical for us, we stick to the mini indoors. Swings ditto. Love to have one at home, but go to the playground instead.

Swimming pool, TOTALLY! We live in Fl, with a community pool, but in the summer when DS can get there every day, he is so much better regulated. What Renee said. It really makes a difference with stimming. If we lived in Beverly Hills and were movie stars, I'd have a heated indoor pool in a nano-minute.

Music therapy, think this would work but not enough info to tell. The other stuff I KNOW would work.

Finally, a DAN doc that I trusted.

You go girl! I dragged my file-0-facts notebook that weighs a few pounds to the neuro today and thought of you! (Smile!)

Katherine

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Fri, 06-09-2006 - 12:10am

awwwwww Katherine.

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Fri, 06-09-2006 - 12:25am

This is a great thread!These are my must haves for surviving the day.

1.Mini Tramp
2.The Wil brush
3.Exercise Ball
4.Tunnel
5.shopping cart filled to the brim for Jakes "heavy work"

I am dying to hear what everyone else has in their survival kits!
Teresa

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Fri, 06-09-2006 - 1:16am

I might top the list with play therapy, small groups play therapy and psychotherapy with an ASD specialist psychotherapist. Malcolm has learned so much about how to interact iwth other children and have friends from the immense amonut of money and time we have spent with him working on how to play and be himself while relating to others. And our insurance has covered not one dime...

Now we have added lots of private sports training, such as basketball lessons, baseball coaching, Tae Kwondo private sessions, Swim lessons, ski and snoboard lessons, horseback riding lessons. We know others who have also had ice skating lessons. This summer, Malcolm is getting private surfing lessons... None of these teachers have been any kind of specialist, it's just that the one-on-one teaching (instead of in a class, too distracting) means that Malcolm really learns the skills. Malcolm has 2 more games of Little League this Fall, and so far, doing pretty well with the challenging practises, games and getting along with the team.

Hippity-hops ARE the ball with the handles, BTW, and exercise balls the big workout balls.

I'd add a chinning bar for hanging from in the doorway, great for upper body building. A lycra stretch bag filled with small stuffed animals for climbing into, closing the edges together and getting pulled around the floor for relaxing deep pressure, also weighted blankets for calming the body. Another of Malcolm's buds sleeps inside a child's size tent which is permanently placed over his bed, loves it, sleeps like a rock in it.

Sara
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Fri, 06-09-2006 - 10:13am

If I could buy anything for son........

*A bigger house with an actual family room.
*A nice pool in the backyard would be wonderful.....living in Ohio, the pool would have to be in an indoor heated enclosure so it could be used year-round.
*Private swim lessons (may happen this summer)
*A good social skills group......haven't found anything that we love.....still looking
*Can I buy him a friend? If I could, I would.....

If money was no object.....I'd go back to school and become an OT that way I would not have to worry about waitlists....LOL (DH and I are seriously trying to come up with a way I can go back to school.....there is a 2-yr program to become an OT Assistant that is do-able....we'll see)

Existing things we already have......

*playset and swings in backyard.....we have a nice large backyard and the playset is great
*mini tramp
*visual schedules......takes the stress out of the day when he knows what to expect (one of the best things we ever did was implement these into our house)

That is all I can think of right now....

Christie

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Fri, 06-09-2006 - 10:38am

If I could buy anything....

I'd definately be an indoor heated swimming pool. We do have a metal frame easy set pool that we love. But being in Iowa the season for swimming is very short.

What we have...

The pool, trampoline with enclosure, mini-tramp for winter, big exercise ball, thick padded extra soft butterfly chairs the kids LOVE, rotational saftey device (found on ebay) to hang swings (many home-made) from the celing, gel medicine ball.

Samantha

Samantha
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Fri, 06-09-2006 - 5:31pm

If money was no object...

I would have a great house that was sensory perfect. With sensory walls looking just out of one of the OT magazines. I would do Tomatis therapy. I would go completely organic. I would pay someone to clean my house and do so with natural cleaners on a weekly basis. That way I could play with the kids without worrying about the house, and at the end of the day I could relax and enjoy the downtime.

What I can't live without...the extra twin mattress we have in our living room that is used as a tramp. The bottle of melatonin and benadryl that helps them to sleep. The bottle of...oops that helps me to sleep :) The TV that gives me well needed sanity breaks as they watch it. Yes, all the things in life that make me look like a bad mom--I love them all!!

Valerie

~Valerie
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Registered: 01-19-2005
Fri, 06-09-2006 - 8:27pm

Valerie,

Your post made me chuckle! I too have those secret things I cannot live without, like the Thomas the Tank Engine video with the "runaway trucks" episode. If I'm lucky, I can actually read the front page of the paper while it is on. Maybe even eat something! The various "mother's little helper" bottles are familiar to me too (both mom and child versions). I also could not live without my comfy sweats and t-shirts and cotton bathrobe that make me less than a fashion plate (not that I ever was one!) but I feel comforted.

Also, I have a great mom. She lives far away, but will listen endlessly on the phone to any variety of my ravings. Her background is in psych and PT, so she is very understanding. I wish I was her.

Chocolate. Need that too!

As for the non-tangibles. Someone talked about buying a friend, I understand. I wish I could buy self-confidence for Eric and some peace of mind for him too. He's such an anxiety bundle and he's still in pre-school!

Love,
Katherine

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