My name is James I am 11 years old and I am in Year 6.€¦ · Petrified Cat Snarly Hissy Spitting Cat snappy Calm, Purring Watching Cat Blobby Cat – misses the mouse Snoozy Sleeping

Hello

My name is James I am 11 years old and I am in Year 6.

I have sensory integration difficulties. When I was little I lived with

my first family. Things there were very very tricky and I used to get

hurt sometimes, and sometimes they forgot to feed me or play

with me. It changed how my brain wired, so it wired a bit

differently.

Sometimes my senses and my brain misunderstand stuff going

around me. Sometimes my brain tells my body to do crazy stuff. I

think it overworks sometimes. When this happens then I’m an

autopilot crazy cat.

Sometimes getting somethings done takes me longer and can be

a little harder. Like typing shoes laces, and eating my lunch. But I

am really really smart. I am also really good avoiding the things

that are really tricky.

Sometimes this means that when I say no, I won’t move or budge,

not even a tiny bit. I can get really really mad and throw stuff.

Sometimes it gets so tricky I just curl up in a ball and stop.

The things I find hard to do that get me a little stuck in life are:

• Handwriting

• Dressing at home and school – especially after PE and swimming

• Playing with my friends on the playground.

• Being rushed and overloaded with too much talking, loud sounds

or touch.

• I like talking more than writing

• Tidying up my stuff is tricky

• Listening when other stuff is going on

• Remembering to do things I am asked

• The door being open

• Windows being open and too much noise

• People touching me

• People being too close to me

• People using my things

• Things that are odd or out of place

• Talking about things when I make mistakes

• Sitting still

• Cutting my nails

I use a Sensory Ladder to help me be in a ‘just right’ space to get

things done. When I am not at the right level – green for school

and thinking activities, then I use the ladder to help me get into the

right space.

My Sensory Ladder 0- 1 Snoozy Sleepy Cat - Asleep/Sleepy Sleep is tricky for me, I often only crash when I’m really tired

2 - 3 Blobby Cat - Under alert Sleepy, slow and low, I miss things happening round me

4 - 6 Calm, Purring Watching Cat - Calm and Alert I can think, learn and remember

I listen well and talk about what bothers me

I get stuff done, at home and school

7 Tetchy, Scratchy Teasy Cat – over alert/vigilant - flight Teasy - I just want to be alone Irritated and sometimes tearful, I can’t sit still I am a bit worried, words are getting trickier – I might tell you to go

away. I need space

8 Snarly Hissy Spitting Cat– over alert - fight Uptight – swearing, stroppy, shouting

Fighting and Mad – throwing stuff and hitting, I might even bite

and kick. I am not thinking clearly, sometimes I won’t remember

9-10+ Petrified Cat – shutdown – dissociated - freeze Over whelmed, Frozen – no words, lying down curled up

Like a stone statue

Things that help me be calm and organized are: At home

• Using a calendar

• Notice boards with lists and Post It notes

• The big exercise ball and ball exercises

• My Trampette

• My Safe Space Den

• My Sensory Box

• Being left to get on with things at my own pace in my own

way

• Doing things for my self – people not doing it fore me

because I am doing it slowly

• Closing doors and windows

• Using my heavy blanket, wrapping it tightly round me

• Having space to get dressed and get my shoes on, not in the

hall

• Having my own chair in the lounge so I don’t have to sit next

to anyone else

• Having a bath with the funny candles on and the LED light

and Spotify Songs to listen to

• Lush bath stuff smells

• Hammock Swing

• Pokemon Stomp outs with heavy boots

At school • Sensory Breaks in the gym

• Virco Zuma Chair

• Theraband activities with Mr J., my TA

• Teachers explaining things

• Teachers knowing why I do things so I don’t have to explain

to people all the time

• Given extra time to do my work

• Working with people who understand me

• Having my own safe space and sensory box at school

• Being able to have short movement breaks to wake me up

and refresh my brain

• Breaking big things in to smaller steps so they don’t seem as

big

• Highlighter pens

• Having someone to talk to at school when things aren’t ok

and I need a break

• Using my Sensory Ladder when I have no words

• Wall pushups

Out and about

• Sensory Travel Kit

• Pokemon Emergency Stomp

• Wall push ups

• Having instructions in smaller steps

• Being given space away from busy areas

Everywhere

• Having ways to know if I am doing ok, other people using my

ladder

This document has been made as part of my therapy with my OT

OT’s Name.

For more information on supporting me please call her mobile number, or email her email address or via her website:

www.website.org

For more information about sensory integration and sensory

processing difficulties please visit ASI WISE and The Sensory

Project www.asi-wise.org. There are also FB pages including one

for The Sensory Ladder.

Petrified Cat

Snarly Hissy Spitting Cat

Calm, Purring Watching Cat

Blobby Cat – misses the mouse

Snoozy Sleeping Cat

This is where I think learn and remember best.

Fight: stroppy/ /grumpy/ Angry/growling, teeth, snappy, throwing stuff and hitting

Stuck/frozen, words won’t come out Really really scared

Awake but brain not fired up yet. Looked like I’m bored or very very relaxed. Miss things others say.

From sleepy to asleep and deep sleep – sleeping is hard for me.

Tetchy, Scratchy Teasy Cat

Flight: Teasy/want to be alone/irritated/tearful Escape mode