Expert: Norm Bishop - 1/12/2006

Question
Thank you for your response! She eats really healthy (including breakfast cereals) but her behavior has often been tied to blood sugar and digestive issues. I avoid dyes in the things I give her partly out of habit because my husband has some weird dye allergies. She has a big appetite and often makes great choices--but craves sugar. She knows she cannot handle chocolate even though it is her favorite food. I guess I have to cut out any remnants of sugar and white flour completely.

We put spa gloves and lotion on her at night because her hands get really raw in the winter. In some odd way, this seemed to help her get to sleep. She sleeps through the night usually 2-3 times a year.

She relies on visual information very strongly, and often struggles socially. To those of us who know her, she is usually friendly. If someone (even me sometimes) makes a verbal joke with no facial information, she often blocks up. She does not always make eye contact, making others think she is unfriendly. She spoke early and in complete sentences and read and wrote early--by her own choice. Her visual eval indicated that she has advanced visual-spacial and other types of visual ability.  

I wish I had a team in place. Know anyone in CT? I've got a few leads.  . . We'll see.

Thanks again!

~Wendy

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Followup To
Question -
Hi, thank you for your response and for the web sites. We too are struggling with sleep issues and impulse control. It seems to cycle. She is having focus issues in school that we have been told may be a central auditory processing problem. We are still looking for the right professionals in our area. The school is not offering help because she is gifted academically. My pediatrician wants us to work with a developmental MD. My daughter "rubber bands" her tactile sensitivity and we are learning the tortilla wrap--where we gently wrap her in a mat and apply gentle pressure if she is agreeable.

Thanks again for your help!

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Followup To
Question -
Hi, I have a child with SI issues. I have heard that many people think that ADD is sometimes really an SI issue. Massage is also good for SI kids and you suggested it for ADD. Do you think there is a correlation?
Answer -
Wow...this is a good question.

The symptoms of Sensory Integration are also some of the symptoms that are used to diagnos ADD and ADHD, especially impulse control.  I believe that the two disabilities are similar and can co-exist.  

Treatment for SI is very different than that of ADD, however, SI varies tremendously from patient to patient. In schools, however, the sensory integration parts of special education are usually conducted by the occupational therapist as a related service, but then the whole program wraps around that service, depending upon the needs of the student.

I have seen very little solid research that would support or not support massage therapy as a treatment for sensory integration problems.  That doesn't mean it would not be helpful, merely, it has not been very thoroughly researched.  

The most likely sources for information are:  http://www.miami.edu/touch-research/ and http://www.upledger.com/home.htm.  Both of these institutions do a great deal of research with children.  

My gut inclination is that massage would be helpful, providing the sensory integration doesn't have tactile defensiveness as a symptom.  If your child can't stand to be touched, massage may be a painful or traumatic experience.  

With ADD and ADHD students the effects of massage are related to increased levels of relaxation, which helps with sleep patterns.  That then has a direct effect on the behavior patterns during the day.  It seems that ADD and ADHD students typically have interupted sleep patterns probably caused by the brain chemical disfunctions that are the root of the problem.  Some of the newer therapies, like CranioSacral Therapy, have promise.  

Both of the sites have email addresses where you can ask further questions.  If they haven't done the research, you may be able to peak their interest to do some.  Both sites are in Miami.  I only know of them because my wife is a Medical Treatment Massage Therapist.  She has seen very encouraging results with adolescents and adults who are ADD and ADHD.  She has not had direct experience with patients with SI.

Sorry I do not know more about your question, hopefully this was helpful in pointing you toward information.

Norm


Answer -
I wish you lived in our area.  In my private practice we have assembled what we call the "power team," to work with student's like yours, who have very significant disabilities, yet should be performing well above average.  We have an educational advocate with many years of experience,  a pediatric neurologist whose private practice is only with youth with disabilities, a behavioral consultant with a Ph.D., and myself as the educational diagnostician and consultant.  Thus far we have worked with 3 clients.  All are meeting much more success now, albiet one is going to a special education due process hearing the end of the month because the school district doesn't want to do what she needs.  

I certain you have been searching your area for such services.  We bonded together because we discovered that we had the same clients, yet sometimes were not wrapped around the needs in a syncronus manner.  The other benefit is that more of the services are covered by insurance, because it all revolves around the physician.  

The other thought I had following my answer last night was nutrition.  Eliminating dyes, additives, hidden sugars and controlling the glycemic value of all foods may be helpful.  Talk to you doctor about this.  One of our clients, ADD, eats a diet like a type 2 diabetic, with remarkable differences.  He also had the sleep pattern and impulsive behaviors.  

I wish you the best.

Norm

Answer
I am not a medical doctor, so take my advise as somewhat novice...but, I have been studying diet related issues for the past year or so.  From that research, you may want to try to control the Glycemic Index of her food...glycemic index is how quickly foods become sugar in the blood stream...they are critically important to type II diabetics because high glycemic value foods jump the blood sugar up very quickly, then drop off to nothing just as quickly.  When the sugar drops, then you crave more high glycemic value food.  With someone with sensory integration problems, the extremes may be even greater...so, you can google search the internet for Glycemic Index and get lists of foods that are of low value, and try to keep her eating those substances.  That should balance the blood sugar, which could make a big difference.  

I also keep thinking that sleep is involved, but don't know have any suggestions for you to try for that one.

I do not know of anyone in CT attempting to do what we are, but there must be people there.  I wish you luck finding them.

It has been a very interesting dialogue, thanks.

Norm