Assumption NO. 9.....

Assumption No. 9: Do not assume ....that a fidgety kid is not listening.

This seems like a no-brainer to me but apparently it is not something that everyone knows! A very quick google search will produce an array of resources. I loved the comment on an article entitled Kids with ADHD need to fidget. The comment was, "Duh!" You can do your own googling for research if you don't believe me! I decided to make this a resource page.

Below are some great websites for fidgets. Make sure that you choose quiet ones for learning time.
Therapro
Therapy Shop
Heads Up

There is even a web page devoted to many links for this topic; Fidget to Focus.


You can address this issue with fidgets and also with sensory integration. I think when I began this journey the Kranowitz books were the primary resources. Now there are oodles of books and I probably own about half of them. Here are just a few:

• Starting Sensory Integration Therapy: Fun Activities that Won't Destroy Your Home.
• Raising a Sensory Smart Child
• Starting Sensory Integration Therapy: Fun Activities That Won't Destroy Your Home or Classroom.
• The Out of Sync Child Has Fun
• Asperger's Syndrom and Sensory Issues: Practical Solutions for Making Sense of the**
• Brain Gym

The Aspergers book is my favorite for a simple resource on targeting specific exercises. We have a mini trampoline and a 'crash pad' made from a duvet cover and foam scrap from a foam store. I wish I had a door frame for a swing! That would be a welcome addition. Chewy candy can be a great item for a kid to have in class. I remember a parapro telling a child to throw out their gum. I mentioned that I thought the mom asked that she be able to chew it in class. There are plenty of dye, corn syrup and gluten free chewy treat options out there! (Costco sells several. If you want specific ideas, let me know.) Weighted blankets and vests are wonderful too. I bought several heavy bean bag animals at a craft fair for a song! They are quite expensive in catalogs so keep your eyes peeled for things that can be stand in for the more expensive 'therapy' items. As you can see in the picture..the ball is a wonderful tool as well. I also have a Balametrics Program that I am going to begin in the fall and am looking into HANDLE. When a child's senses are integrated, it is so much easier for them to sit and learn!