thread: Brush therapy/joint compression

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Feb 2010
    Travelling
    666

    Brush therapy/joint compression

    My DD has a food texture aversion likely brought on by having reflux. We are waiting for an appointment with the feeding clinic and a speech pathologist, but in the meantime I've been looking a few things up myself. Does anyone have any experience of brush therapy/joint compression therapy and can you tell me a little about it? Is it something that has to be practiced through a specialist? We're going to the UK in a few weeks for an indefinite period of time as my mum is sick so i am trying to do everything I can before we go/things that I can do myself on an ongoing basis as there is bound to be some upheaval with the transition from here to there.

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Oct 2003
    Forestville NSW
    8,944

    We've been doing joint compression/brushing for around 2 1/2 years now with our DD1. She has sensory issues and its probably the number one thing to do when things go awry. We used to do it 4-6 times daily for almost 12 months, and now maybe two-three times a week? It has changed our lives.

    Matilda has sensory processing issues as well as Autism. But her sensory issues are probably more pronounced than her autism. Her sensory issues are full on, and we know when she needs brushing, she flaps and runs into walls etc etc etc.... but she is older and nearly 7, so its easier to pick up signs once they are older....

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Feb 2010
    Travelling
    666

    Thanks Christy - was it introduced by a therapist?

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Aug 2005
    Melbourne, Victoria
    1,635

    We also started it, and it was great, but it fell by the wayside because I just found it so hard to do it so often.

    Christy - Is DD1 in school yet? Do they do it for you? I am trying to see if DS gets an aide and if the OT can train them to do it and school, and then I just have to fit it in before school and probably twice after school.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Oct 2003
    Forestville NSW
    8,944

    It was introduced to us by our OT.

    Yael, we started out doing it 6 times a day, but when DD1 is in school I did it before school, when she gets home straight away and before bed, sometimes depending on when she'd get up she'd get 2 in before school. Matilda doesn't have an aide at school, if she did, I would have asked for it to be done at recess or lunch. On the weekends we tried to do it more often. DD1 resisted it for a while, so we would set an alarm to remind us and say "opps time for brushing" to take the responsibility away from us. We did it this way for 6 months on a strict regime. Then we were able to slow it down and go twice a day for 6 months or so and now we do it once a day if she starts off the day flapping...

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Aug 2005
    Melbourne, Victoria
    1,635

    I'm going to try and do the same.. Having a meeting with the principle about all the ppl involved in DS care, and hopefully one of them will do the brushing... Had some major-ly fantastic meltdowns after school - including running in front of car, so brushing 20 mins before school gets out would be good!

    We just got our weighted snake today from the OT.. weighted vest coming soon, and I'm putting in an order on Amazon tonight for other OT stuff including an awesome timer (i'll PM you the link), and my friend is bringing it back in 2 weeks for me.