listening and processing, help?

[earthmama369]

My 4-year-old has sensory processing disorder, with auditory filtering being his highest scoring category on the sensory profile form. I'm finding this one to be the most difficult to address. Sensory seeking? No problem. Redirect into safe activities, provide lots of physical outlets, etc. Sensory avoiding? Do the opposite. But the listening and processing...oy vey. I'm sure the fact that he's a 4-year-old boy doesn't help, but in comparison to other kids his own age, I can still see a marked difference in how he listens and processes. I'd love some tips and tricks to help us communicate.

I find that I repeat myself constantly. His hearing has been tested and it's fine, but it seems like he legitimately doesn't hear us the first time -- or three. When we do get his attention, it's very hard to keep it if there's *anything* else going on within, oh, a half mile radius. And when we do get his attention long enough to ask him to do something, he often has a hard time following through on more than one step. He "can't remember" or "didn't hear" what we said. Or he just gets distracted.

So in some ways he presents like someone with actual hearing difficulties. In some ways he presents like someone with a processing disorder. And in some ways he presents like someone with ADHD. I can see why auditory filtering is so often misdiagnosed! I suspect that whatever the diagnosis, there are some techniques that are common across the board.

Umm...what are those techniques?

[khaoskat]

We are still waiting on a diagnosis...wont get into how frustrated I am with stuff right now...(long of it short - myself, his private preschool and now the dev. ped's have seen issues with him in various areas besides what he already receives services for; but the school he went to for IEP services and our local OT place see nothing wrong with him).

But, when my DS2 does not listen and we are having a hard time getting his attention, I find that if I make physical contact and turn him to face me, and direct his face/eyes towards me with my hands on his chin, I then look at him as close to his level as possible, and let go, then tell him "stop, no more" while making the signs for "stop, no more".

I am not sure why, but it is been the most effective thing I have tried with him so far this summer with trying to change his behaviors. I have even told his teacher for next year that if she starts having difficulty with him, that she should try it.

[earthmama369]

I've done the touching face/shoulder route when possible to get his attention, but I think you're really onto something with the signs. Sometimes I think it's just too much for him to hear or process audio input, and using something visual/physical like signing might be easier for him to tap into. Thanks for the idea. I'm aiming to put together a whole new toolkit this fall. As he gets older, this is becoming more difficult. It was much easier to get his attention when he was a babe in arms. He was already right there!

[beachcomber]

With my DD, I try to make sure I have eye contact, though on some days the best I get is a fleeting glance. I also turn off other stimuli like music or TV. Flicking the lights on and off helps to get her attention, as well. If it's really important, I will literally take her to the hallway where it's very quiet and there is nothing to look at but me. I also speak in very short sentences with only a few words (simple words) per sentence. I learned that I over-verbalize which makes her tune out as she gets easily overwhelmed by sound. If I need her to understand something, I keep it short and simple and then make her repeat it back to me. Having HER verbalize it often helps it "stick".