As I’ve posted about at least once recently, the Monster’s gone into what I’ve been calling a tactile mode lately.  He’s just been craving all sorts of physical stimulus.

It’s not so bad when he’s just running his hands over things – I’ve long ago gotten used to the fact that he’s going to pull grass, or watch dirt/sand/wood chips spill through his fingers, or touch every single last bush along a planter when we’re walking.

It’s more dangerous when it’s a want to drop to his knees in a parking lot or on the sidewalk if I’ve gotten a good grip on his hand when we’re walking.  Or when he’s wanted to put his forehead to the surface as well recently, like he’s been doing when we emerge from the house onto our patio on the way to the bus.  And then there’s something about his wanting to touch the ground with whatever’s in his hand as well, be it food, or his iPad or anything.

Plus, the ‘throwing things off things’ issue has continued.  I managed, somewhat, to derail it yesterday while we were at the playground by constantly keeping him in motion running from slide to slide, but even at home, he’s become prone to doing it more and more, even when we try to find other ways to get him enough of a sensory diet to avoid it.

Brushing and pressure hasn’t been helping as much lately, really.  He does ask for it occasionally (or, more frequently, we offer it and he says yes), but it doesn’t seem to be giving him the sensory input he’s craving.

On the other hand, there was a very cute thing this morning while I was finishing tidying up from breakfast.  I came out from the kitchen to find him pressed up against my wife while she was stroking his hair.  Apparently, while I’d been dealing with the dishes, she’d run her hand through his hair to straighten it somewhat, and he leaned into it, before asking for “pets”.

Pettings and the like, I can cope with.  For the rest… I think it’s time we take him back to the developmental therapist again to see what we can do…