Thursday, October 15, 2015

Therapy Shoppe Review and Giveaway!

I am so excited to offer my first giveaway, compliments of the Therapy Shoppe!   Last week Storm and I were so excited when our Sensory Seeker's Kit arrived in the mail.  This awesome kit has everything he needs to keep his hands busy, and it is something he's been using at school and at home to help calm himself when he is stressed.  Click this link to view what is included in the kit:
This kit is "Created especially for sensory seekers and those who struggle with tactile defensiveness, this exclusive Therapy Shoppe® kit includes 7 fabulous tactile fidgets: a Brain Noodle, Tickley Tactile Ball, Fidgeting Fleece Bag, Spiky Pickle Fidget, Sensory Finger Squeezer, Squiggle Band, and a tin of Thinking Putty. Seven of your all-time favorite tactile fidgets that can be very helpful and effective for calming, focusing, self-regulation, and developing tactile awareness."





My son's favorite items are the Squiggle Band which is the pink bracelet at the top and the Thinking Putty.  The Squiggle Band is stretchy and can fit over his wrist and also can be stretched and provides some resistance.   He also uses the yellow circle a lot which is a sensory finger squeezer.    Storm also has some problems with fine motor and this is a good finger strengthener, if used correctly, only he wanted to chew it a lot and so I will need to order him some chewing jewelry next!  The yellow brain noodle is very soft and flexible and he enjoyed this piece as well.  The kit is just $19.99 and it's convenient because all of the items are included for you.  One of our goals for Storm after his hospitalization was to help him work on coping skills that he could use at school and at home.  One of the coping skills he found helpful, was that when he is stressed, he can have some hand fidget items that he can manipulate.  This is a great way for him to do that.

When Storm was diagnosed with ADHD last year, and started on medication, we sort of just forgot about all of his sensory issues, which he has had since childhood.  We thought maybe it was only related to the ADHD and once that was treated, the sensory problems would go away.  That has not been the case.   He is a Sensory Seeker, which means that it takes a lot more sensory input and stimulation to really get him to a calming place.  Kids like Storm have an extremely difficult time sitting still and listening.  

One of the other things he is also using at school is a theraband.  This is an exercise band placed around the chair legs, so that he can push and pull on it with his legs while he is sitting in class.  This helps feed his need to move constantly, while also giving him some pressure input on his legs while he is sitting.  Some children might like a wiggle seat instead, we tried this with Storm, but he didn't use it as much as the theraband.

Last year, as well as at the beginning of this school year, Storm was chewing his clothing and then started to chew his lip so much that he actually damaged his salivary gland.  The Occupational therapist told us that, much like a baby who needs a pacifier, Storm is trying to self sooth with oral sensations like chewing.   One thing that has been great for him is a whistle that doesn't make any noise.  I just found these blow pens at the Therapy Shoppe and they look like the perfect Birthday gift, as he loves art, but they would also give him that oral stimulation that is so calming for him.

I was impressed with how fast Therapy Shoppe got in touch with me and answered my questions via email.  I'm also impressed with the number of amazing sensory supports they have available, ranging from chew jewelry, which I hope to get next, weighted vests, blankets and  lots of amazing learning aids for visual motor skills (writing and holding a pencil correctly), as well as social skills stories and calming CD's for anxiety.

Overall, we loved the Sensory Seeker's Kit, as well as the convenience of Therapy Shoppe, which has all of the products we could possibly imagine for our sensory needs all at one convenient online location.


So how can you get in on this Sensory Seeker's kit Giveaway?  Here are the steps:

Leave a comment below about your Sensory Seeker.  Click the contact me link and shoot me an email with your contact information.  Lastly, like me on Facebook!

Good luck to all, please tell your friends, I will keep this Giveaway open until next Friday when I announce the winner!