[mom2M&A]

Hi, new to the parenting forum.
we've got 2 boys, home 1 year from Russia. Ages now are 4.5 and 6.
my question is about my 6 year old. I'm just wondering if his behavior is "normal" for his age. Just this week he's started making noises all the time, clicking his tongue, lip smacking, any noise with his mouth. He's often (since he came home) picked up things off the ground and stuck them in his mouth (which I know is more 2-3 year old behavior) and when he is walking he has his hand over his privates.
I'm starting to think he has a need for more stimulation and these are his ways of getting it? Developmentally he's more like a 5 year old emotionally and with motor skills. He's in daycare 5 days/week all day so he's with other kids all day.
The other thing that's escalated is his not listening to us when he's done something he knows is wrong. you can just see him tune out. But in reading the forum I think we might be entering the 6 year old zone on that one.

thanks for any advice
Mary

[GCS]

Hi Mary,
I just saw this and was wondering how things are going with his stimming now?

Have you had him evaluated for Sensory Integration Disorder? It is pretty common in Post Institutionalized kids.

My son was 3 when he came home from Russia and had lots of oral stimming going on. Clearing his throat, biting nails, rubbing gums (a history of bad teeth so we thought that this was just a bad habit he picked up from dealing with freq infections). He sees an OT now once a week and things have gotten much better for him.

The book, The Sensory Sensitive Child (Karen Smith) is a good place to start if you want more info on this!

Christina

[mom2M&A]

Hi Christina,
we started Max in OT and it seemed to really help in August. we had a great month. Then school started. now it's all the way back to calls from daycare and I'm about at the end of my rope. I'm looking at other daycare (before and after school care) this week in the hopes I can find someplace the boys can go that is less stimulating. I'm pretty sure where they are is just too much going on.

[bajj]

I hope you are able to find something that works well for you and your boys!

[GCS]

Have you talked to your OT about this? It is pretty common for our SID kids to get deregulated with schedule changes. Its hard for all kids but especially for ours.

We had some back to school issues too and have up-ed our at home sensory diet to give him some extra help. For our boy its also about being up so early and have so much going on all day - he just started Kindergarten and was not used to going to school everyday. Its been tough but our OT has been great in giving us some good advice for home. (also I am a stickler on bedtime! He needs good sleep after so much activity!)

[AudreyE]

Originally Posted by mom2M&A

Hi, new to the parenting forum.
we've got 2 boys, home 1 year from Russia. Ages now are 4.5 and 6.
my question is about my 6 year old. I'm just wondering if his behavior is "normal" for his age. Just this week he's started making noises all the time, clicking his tongue, lip smacking, any noise with his mouth.

Just a thought, but the noises sound like ticcing... my son did that when his ADHD meds got too whacked out. If he's on any stimulant medications, changing them (or the doses) may help.

Audrey

[mom2M&A]

I just got the ALERT books at the suggestion of our OT. The program is for kids and adults ages 8 and up, so our son is a little young but in there it recommends putting something in your mouth (gum, pencil chewing) to help with concentration. I figure this is probably what my son is doing. now I just need to convince my husband to let it go and see the bigger picture.