Swaddling older kids and sensory issues

Seraph

Tue, Jan 11 2011, 4:36 pm

My 1.5 year old is a very active sensory seeking (hyposensitive) kid. He also sleeps terribly. He only wants to nurse to sleep, wakes up frequently (as in, as frequently as every 2 hours), and has a hard time settling down...

I recently started (again) swaddling him to sleep with his arms down and his body wrapped in a blanket. He calms down instantly and goes to sleep well when he's wrapped up all tightly, and sleeps for longer stretches than 2 hours!

But he's 1.5!!! (Ok, a year and 4 months to be precise!) Most swaddling books say don't swaddle a kid past 3 months, maximum 6 months old. But it looks like my son really wants it and thrives with it! Is there any harm in swaddling him now, or do you think its fine or even a good thing?

Anyone else swaddle their older kids?

Btw, he doesn't fight a swaddle at all. He wants it. He relaxes finally when I swaddle him!

small bean

Tue, Jan 11 2011, 4:59 pm

Seraph wrote:

small bean wrote:

I dont see a problem with it as long as in the event he must get out he'd be able to.

He sleeps in my room. If he needs to get out, I'm there. Same as if he'd be in a crib and would need to get out.

yeah so I would do it - if that's the only way my kid slept...

my kids sometimes need the bathroom at night (starting around that age)and I dont usually take them... so that's why I said that...

Seraph

Tue, Jan 11 2011, 5:07 pm

small bean wrote:

Seraph wrote:

small bean wrote:

I dont see a problem with it as long as in the event he must get out he'd be able to.

He sleeps in my room. If he needs to get out, I'm there. Same as if he'd be in a crib and would need to get out.

yeah so I would do it - if that's the only way my kid slept...

my kids sometimes need the bathroom at night (starting around that age)and I dont usually take them... so that's why I said that...

Yea, he's waking up to pee (he's wearing a diaper) and I take him as necessary. He can't go by himself anyhow.

NotInNJMommy

Tue, Jan 11 2011, 7:37 pm

There are also weighted blankets, shirts, etc.

It may be possible to swaddle at naptime, and do other things during the day (ie. weighted shirts) to give more input, and then swaddle at night at bedtime, and it may become enough, that even if he goes out of swaddle at night, then he will be ok.

Also, weighted blankets may help give him that sensory input that he can "right" himself, and not require someone coming in to re-swaddle.

My son also likes lots of input, but BH has been able to sleep.

There are also exercises during the day (compression, pressing with a large cushion/pillow, etc.) and giving lots of "heavy work" type exercises (not meaning strenuous or too heavy for his age, but meaning manual labor to engage the whole body--helping put a can or box of this or that away, or helping you by taking things upstairs, etc.)

But, in the end of the day, if this is getting you by, I'd do it so you all sleep, and just try to offer more input during the day so maybe he won't be as dependent on the swaddling eventually...

Mine still LOVES when I make him a burrito, and he is in Kindergarten.

Seraph

Wed, Jan 12 2011, 1:35 am

ra_mom wrote:

Like you said, it works, he likes it, and he's safe.
So go for it!
I agree that you should be giving him more input during the day as well. Do you need more ideas using household items?

I'm trying to give him more sensory input during the day, but more ideas are always appreciated.

Seraph

Wed, Jan 12 2011, 2:23 am

Tamiri wrote:

My 6 yo asks to sleep in a "sandwich" aka swaddling. I roll him up in his blanket with only his nose showing and he goes right to sleep.

Really? Ok, so I guess I'm not an odd parent that I do that. I swaddle him with his arms by his side, but they work their way up during the night.
Why do books recommend not swaddling past a certain age then? Because they're working with non sensory issue kids?

Tamiri

Wed, Jan 12 2011, 2:33 am

I don't read books. I do what makes him feel secure and loved and calms him down. He is a very good sleeper bli ayin hara.
In the summer I make a sandwich out of a light pique blanket. In the winter a light feather blanket. He likes winter better.

sneakermom

Wed, Jan 12 2011, 9:24 am

Some ideas for during the day:

One of my kids loves to shlep heavy things. I would have all kinds of pocket books and she filled them with blocks and toys, and walked all over the place with it. It was quite heavy by the way and she loved it.

You can fill up a briefcase with stuff and he might enjoy toddling around with that on his back.

Deep compressions.

My daughter also loves lifting large stuffed animals, shlepping stuff from one side of the room to another, and pushing heavy things. She would fill up a doll carriage with all kinds of stuff and push it around.

Rubber Ducky

Wed, Jan 12 2011, 10:01 am

I always sleep with several blankets -- this can be a way of getting "deep touch" for kids and adults who don't like/can't tolerate light touch. My kids loved being turned into "hot dogs" or "mummies" at bedtime, and as a child I did too.

Ever read about Temple Grandin's squeeze machine? Dr. Grandin is an autistic scientist with many sensory issues. She invented her own compression machine to relax herself after using a calf press during summers spent at her grandparents' ranch. A calf press holds a calf in place -- like sandwiching it between 2 sideways mattresses -- when it get vaccinated. Here's a link: Squeeze Machine

One point I took from the article is that many, many non-autistic people also find the compression to be very relaxing.

ra_mom

Wed, Jan 12 2011, 12:03 pm

Seraph wrote:

ra_mom wrote:

Like you said, it works, he likes it, and he's safe.
So go for it!
I agree that you should be giving him more input during the day as well. Do you need more ideas using household items?

I'm trying to give him more sensory input during the day, but more ideas are always appreciated.

Let him pull the (weighted) grocery bags from the door to where they need to be unloaded. If there are no bags, place a 5 lb. bag of sugar or flour into a shopping bag, and have him schlep it around.

Give very tight (I mean reeeally tight and secure - you will know by his reaction if he likes it - prob will) bear hugs, keeping his arms tighly in the embrace as well.

Allow him to jump on the bed.

Lie him on the bed, place a pillow on top of his body (up until the top of his chest), and put very firm pressure on him. Really put some weight on it. Laugh and giggle while you do it. It's tons of fun and provides great input.

These are all tips from dd's OT therapist, and at first I was so surprised that dd liked them! Some of them sounded kind of strange or harmful to me when I first heard them 2 years ago.

Do you know how to do joint compressions? They work wonderfully. I can see if I can explain it to you in words, without actually showing you.

manhattanmom

Wed, Jan 12 2011, 1:13 pm

In the Special Needs class that I teach (preschool, kids are 3 and 4) a few of the children are sensory-seekers. In order for them to sleep at naptime (so there's no chaos in the room) one gets a weighted blanket, one gets swaddled (yes, we wrap her up tight in her blanket and rub her back--in 4 minutes she's out!) and one has to be held and hugged tight in a sitting up position--when he's asleep he can gently be moved down to his mat.
So I'd say, yes. If your son needs to be swaddled to go to sleep, please do it. Everyone will be happy.

Chana Miriam S

Wed, Jan 12 2011, 1:23 pm

this is sort of off topic, but not really. I have an almost 15 year old with pdd-nos. when he was 13, he took part in a study that involved being in an MRI machine for about an hour. first, he loved the model that had been built to show the kids what to expect, but once the real test was over, he was like 'can I just stay here? I like this so much!'

We laughed because of course most people do not like being in an MRI and here he was ready to set up housekeeping.

it would be great if you could find a way for your son to get comforted like this himself but I am not really sure what that would look like. I am feeling like the heavy blanket is a good option, perhaps with the weights sort of quilted in to the fabric. that way he could climb under when he needed it and self soothe, but get up when he needed to and not be stuck there.

I think I noticed something in the original post about nursing as well and I can tell you that nursing your toddler is a great way to keep connected and learn to communicate with each other when there are developmental issues. it might take a while to wean, but I am convinced that if you compared two kids exactly the same where one nurse and the other did not , the one who did, would likely be better off developmentally. they learn to get comfort from you and not just lead you to the fridge for a sippy cup.

all the best to you.