How many of us can relate to the search for something–a specialist, a program, or a product–you KNOW will help your special needs child, but it just doesn’t exist? How many of us can relate to the disappointment? The frustration? And the determination to find your own solution? Well, Stephanie just sat on the problem and proceeded to sew it right up!
An occupational therapist recommended a vibration mat to help soothe and calm Stephanie’s son, and it made a huge difference in his ability to sit still for longer periods of time. A real godsend…but there was a hitch…it wasn’t very portable.
One day, I wanted to take him to our local library for story telling, and though the mat would help… it was large, black, heavy, and had to be plugged in. I was also concerned about my son looking different or standing out with this large mat.
And when her search for a more unobtrusive solution came up empty, she invented, “Senseez,” small, lightweight, portable pillows in the basement of her home. Now they are manufactured and available through 14 different distributors across Canada and the US. The pillows work on compression. When you squeeze or sit on them, the vibrations begin. They run on two AA batteries for up to 30+ hours of continual use, and meet all regulatory standards for safety.
Vibrations have therapeutic benefits for many people, but for children with sensory processing disorders and sensory integration dysfunction, the input these pillows provide helps to calm and regulate their systems–and, at night, many drift off into a peaceful, uninterrupted sleep.
My son travel’s with his, and he keeps it in bed at night to soothe before he sleeps. It has been a wonderful tool for us to comfort him when he wants that.
There is a long waiting list of schools and clinics that would like the pillows for their clients who are not be able to afford to purchase them. So Stephanie recently launched an indiegogo campaign to help raise funds so she can manufacture and donate pillows to those in need.
With your donation, parents or professionals can help kids sit still and concentrate or relax and take away some of the stress of overstimulation. Either way, sensory tools like Senseez can dramatically help them cope at crucial early ages.
- Check out the Senseez Website
- Join the Senseez Facebook community.
- Read more about Stephanie’s story and her tips for working with children who have difficulty sitting in one place for any length of time on Dandelion Moms.
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