28/09/2022
Sessions with High School students can be really helpful to set strategies and some school sports or activities that make sense to your teen/young adult.
Once someone understands what their interests are doing to not only put badges or embroidery on their hoodie - but are actually helping with sensory input; the buy in of “what’s in it for me” is so much easier.
Today I sat with one of my Year 9 clients and we chatted about midline crossing, calisthenics and Proprioception input.
We wrote a list of the things that were interesting to him (from a printout of nearly every team sport, solo sport, music, board game you can think of) and once he had chosen some that ‘seemed alright’ I explained what aspects of it and why it helps him with his ADHD, ODD and Autism.
We are super lucky to have our gorgeous skate park and basketball courts at the Domain. Basketball was something I was chatting to one of the school Deans about today and it’s apparently becoming quite popular at the high school.
My clients Aunt wants him to join a team he tells me. He left my clinic space telling me he “will accept her offer” 😂. My client is honestly such a great sort! When he came last week he told me he’s here for behaviour and anger issues which he wants to sort out and so does everyone else. He know from working with me two years ago for 8 sessions that the skills I teach help. So he’s all in for refresher sessions with me.
So these are his interests that have teams at the local high school - and they may help your person too.
Basketball - Midline crossing from running and dodging. Trajectory from throwing. Calisthenics from impact jumping. He piped up that jumping is in the Bounce Back journal from his year 7 days. Yep 👍
Badminton - eye tracking, eye coordination, midline crossing, calisthenics with the deep squat/reach/run/jump and stretching.
Things he liked from my picture list that he can do at home…
Chess - midline crossing. Strategy. Patience. He can play with his 8 year old brother. His 11 year old brother he tells me isn’t into Chess. We joked that his concentration and strategy performance would be increased if he wears his weighted neck wrap that he owns. Cheating or advantage 🤔 😆.
Cricket - he wants to play this with the family. He told me a funny story of his Dad whacking the ball on the roof.
Dancing and jamming to music while he plays his Xbox. Well that’s one good thing that can come from gaming. Beats and a good vibe comes from great music.
More simple solutions to help with regulating prior to school starting…. Let’s face it mornings are often a tough one to settle into.
This last week to help him burn off the upper edge of adrenaline his parents have been dropping him at a distance from school so he can boost it to form class. This, (while wearing his bag packed with stuff - including his neck wrap) gives some Proprioception input to help settle him before the 20 mins of news notices.
He tells me he’s been wearing his neck wrap to English and it’s helped him concentrate. Less tics too.
We have also made a list of what his stressors/triggers are in class and in orange you can see the solutions he has written down after I have chatted about the sensory overload that can be relieved.
These things may help your young person. You may also need an independent voice and a hand. I can help out here.
If you have a high school aged person who would benefit from after school sessions or school time sessions, please get in touch. I have two spaces left at the moment and more spaces coming free early in term 4. One on a Wednesday after school and two on a Thursday morning.
For those out of town. Yes I do zoom calls and the worksheets are emailed through.
