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chanthra

Autistic children

chanthra
17 years ago

The most recent thread I could find relating to this topic was over three years old so I thought it would be safe to bring it back.

My 4 year old son is PDD-NOS, high functioning, very physical with very few sensory avoidance issues at this point. Our backyard is a blank slate and I was hoping to make it more usable this year in terms of his needs. Our biggest issue is his runnning away so nothing can be positioned to use as a ladder to leap over fences (has been done... many gray hairs).

I do have the book "The Out of Sync Child Has Fun", but I was curious if other parents here had any successes/failures in their own environments.

Comments (6)

  • gardenluv
    17 years ago

    This forum, I have noticed doesn't get quite a lot of attention. Have you tried posting in other forums? If you grow from seed, I strongly recommend the Winter sowing forum. Everyone there is extremely helpful, and even if they don't know someone there can point you in the right direction. I wish I could help. Good luck!

  • christy2828
    17 years ago

    Also, try hitting the 'parents forum' on the Home Site. You might find some information there. Sorry I couldn't help as well :) Christy

  • gardenluv
    17 years ago

    There's a parents forum? Wow, where have I been? lol

  • bluebetty
    17 years ago

    I am in a similar situation....clean slate, what to plant?...exept my son has Sensory integretion disorder only (or sensory processing disorder it is sometimes called)...He gets VERY excited about the garden and gets his aggression out by squeezing the sprayer to water my container flowers. Please keep me updated on what you find. Thanks!

  • scouttiegirl
    17 years ago

    bluebetty-my son also has sensory integration disorder. I have started making a 5 senses garden for him. We made a zoo garden for my daughter a few years ago when he was younger. He wouldn't go near it at first. He didn't like the feel of sand or dirt on his hands or anything touching his feet. After we put that garden in and made it very kid friendly he is really starting to come around. I decided that i would make a sensory garden for him. He helped me pick out plants that he liked the look of from seed packets and we planted them by wintersowing. He is really looking forward to them growing. If you do a search on the net for 5 senses gardens you should get some neat ideas.
    Here is a site that I use often on kids gardening. I included the link below. They have lots of great info including themed gardens. If you ever want to chat just email me. Maybe together we could all come up with ideas.~Heather

    Here is a list of some things we have gotten for his garden. He is almost 5.

    Touch-
    -lamb's ear
    -obediant plant
    -wooly thyme
    -red hot pokers
    -echinops ritro
    -butterflyweed(for pods when they go to seed to pull apart)
    -hens and chicks and other sedums
    -rose campion
    -liatris
    -chinese lanterns
    Smell
    -variety of mints and thymes and other herbs
    Taste
    we are having this flow into the smell
    -we picked out smaller veggies like cherry toms, radish and pattypan squash. We also have strawberries, blackberries and blueberries
    Sight
    -these I let him pick out what he liked the looks of
    -we also added in a gazing ball and spinners
    Sound
    -we put in a variety of grasses. We are also connecting that to site. The grasses have movemet when the wind blows for site, but also make a rustling noise for sound. We are also adding in lots of bells and windchimes. We have a post in there with different bells that he can pull or rattle on his own. We also put a butterfly net there. He really likes to move and chasing butterflies with his net gets that energy out.
    Hope these ideas help a little for either of you.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Great kids gardening site

  • bluebetty
    17 years ago

    Awesome! I am so excited to get planning. Which plants were his fav's ? I may have to use you as my consultant! :)

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