Vestibular sensitivity, hyperflexability and low muscle tone.

by Mel
(Australia)

My Son will be 5 in March. He has had behavioural problems wich started in Kindy. Tip toe walking, lashing out at other children, not listening to peers etc. I have been told by a paediatrician over a year ago he has hyperflexability and to change his diet to manage behaviour. My Son has attended a special ed class for children with special needs and I have been told he has vestibular sensitivity and low muscle tone. I have noticed more different behaviours as time has gone by but I feel no one really listens. His OT has not really given me an understanding of what to do next.

My Son will constantly tip toe walk, spit food out that he has to chew, won't try new foods, has to have the same routine or he has meltdowns. If you change the spread on his sandwich he will have a big meltdown. Is fearful of heights, even one foot off the ground. He hates any shirts or pyjammas with buttons. Won't eat any fruit with seeds in them like grapes. Today he was in the supermarket and went to eat a grape, he then got stressed and wanted to spit the whole grape out on the spot. I had to race him to a bin to spit it out. He will not say hello to peers, is hyperactive when taken to town.

I can go on and on. He struggles with pencil grip and struggles to colour or write. Has a short attention span when it comes to things he has to concentrate on like writing, due to hyperflexability. The one that really gets to me is he will tense up his limbs and shake like a viabration all over or tense up and run on the spot smacking himself in the head. He likes to look in the oven door at his reflection when he does this and it worries me. I have explained all of this to OT with no opinion or output. What is your suggestion?