Rocking

[dawnlwilliams]

Hi we have a foster child that is nearly 3, she spends a lot of time sat on the floor rocking, we saw the comm paed last week and he started talking about autism, we have had a look around on the Internet for similarities and just wondered if any of your children do the same thing!!!

[LearningWithHope]

Yes. For our son it is a relaxation mechanism. We totally misunderstood this need when he was young, and tried to stop him from doing it. But he needed to do it to help relax into sleep (he still often listens to music and rocks to sleep at night or when he is upset about something - he is 10). He used to stand in front of the tv and rock back and forth on his feet while watching tv, but he outgrew that. When first adopted he also used to hold our hands and jump a lot, often to music (we called it his 'happy dance'). We later learned the jumping was due to a proprioceptive need - again related to the calming effect of the deep muscle impact. So we got a small in-home kiddie trampoline (and later a small in-home exercise trampoline) that worked wonders til he started outgrowing it. Our son was given an autism diagnosis which was later changed to fetal alcohol syndrome. There can be similarities - but FASD is a bigger umbrella that explains more for our child than the autism diagnosis (We never felt comfortable with the autism diagnosis as, for example, our son from the first day we met him was able to make eye to eye contact). Sometimes we are able to redirect the rocking, but for example sitting by him and tapping a beat onto his feet (or massaging the feet), giving deep massages on his back, or giving a big bear hug. Sometimes when he was little I used to sit next to him and rock side by side, that always used to make him smile so widely....but it's tough on the abdominals! As a result of all this rocking he is an excellent, strong gymnast! He also has really amazing music abilities, and lately has started drumming lessons (related to the rocking/need for a beat) - where we have been told he "has remarkable focus for a child his age" (first time we have been told this about our son who also has ADHD). We believe sometimes even those behaviors which can be disconcerting also have positive sides. Good luck to you!

[Goggas-mum]

Does sound like a sensory need, which can be related to either autism or FASD, or neither of those. As LWH says, don't fight it, go with it. He will probably love swinging, we have a swing dangling from our playroom ceiling, but if you don't want to go that far (not many do!) a rocking toy or chair and regular trips to the swings at the playground will probably have a calming effect. If you can get a referral to an occupational therapist, they will be able to explain and advise you better.

[Hidden in reply to Goggas-mum]

Our son came from children's home, was 3 years resident, his rocking was as we found out later

after a month or so was a communication of his needs, was paraplegic had CP, had hard skin calluses on back of head and shoulders result of institutional care and neglect as a result of rocking. Found when rocking just needed the toilet and changing. Was dry and toilet trained within the month also talking. it still took a number of years for him too stop his rocking.

Is very talented like your son with his Music does a bit of Gigging now and then.