have you brushed before?

So, in sensory therapy Wednesday the therapist decided that we should start brushing boy to help ease his anxiety issues. Lately he has had a lot of worries so hopefully this will start to help. This is what the brush looks like that our therapist gave us.

The documentation that I have states that this is done to:

• modify behaviors related to defensiveness
• enhance body awareness
• maintain a calm state of arousal
• apply an accumulation of somato-sensory input to help organize the central nervous system
  

So, here's how it goes.

1. For two weeks we need to brush him every 2 hours, except when he is sleeping.
2. We need to start with one hand, brush three strokes -- hand, palm, forearm, inner arm, upper arm, across the shoulders, behind the neck, down the next arm, hand palm.
3. Then move down a thigh, calf, down the next thigh, calf
4. Do not brush feet, inner arm (like armpit area) or inner thigh as those areas are too sensitive

After brushing you must followup with joint compressions.

1. Joint compressions on the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle
2. Line up the joints and pump to a count of 10 at each one

If they aren't willing to sit for the joint compressions, have them do push ups against a wall and jumping jacks to get the same joint compression. The joint compressions are key. Key points:

• keep the brush held horizontally to the arm and leg and apply sufficient pressure
• use a brushing motion; slowly brushing, not scrubbing the skin and rotate the arm/leg while brushing
  
• brush no more than 3 times over any one area
• avoid any itch, scratch, outch, tickle or light touch
• do not lift the brush at the end of each stroke
  
• never brush the head, chest or stomach
  
• the complete routine should take no more than 3 minutes

One of the biggest things I am hoping that this will help with is nail clipping. Boy HATES to have his nails clipped...it's really bad. So ideally, if we have a stressful situation coming up or I know that I want to clip his nails on a certain day, we will need to start the brushing three days before and then brush right before the event. Hopefully this will help keep his anxiety level down and help him relax.