Rishan's Story

Rishan is 7 years old, he lives at home with us, his parents and his brother and sister. He was born via an emergency C-section. He enjoyed swaddling when he was a baby and continues to crave deep pressure proprioceptive feedback.

Rishan attends mainstream school, he has difficulty maintaining focus and works really hard using some strategies that I have shown how to help himself focus. I am a children’s OT and have been able to recognise that Rish has reduced proprioception, and because of this, finds clothing seams and materials uncomfortable. He also has auditory filtering difficulties, so finds filtering out background noises difficult. We do a lot of activities at home which involve deep pressure, traction and contraction of the joints to give him lots of proprioception.

​He is a fun loving, loud and a loving boy.

Rish has never been a good sleeper, he sleeps in a bunk bed with his brother. His brother sleeps so well, but Rish wakes 4-5 times in the night kicking his legs. This usually wakes him up and he calls out for us. Before Rish goes to bed he carries out some traction activities (stretching on his bunk bed) and has a big bear hug. But this was not enough for him.

We trialed a weighted blanket with Rish, which was OK for providing that deep pressure which helps to release serotonin. However, Rish often kicked it off.

I met Mel at the OT show after seeing her product on Instagram. After seeing it at the show and later trailing a product at home with Rish, we couldn’t be happier. Rish is finally sleeping through the night, his concentration has improved and he is happier in the mornings.

Rishan's first weeks with Fidgetbum, during lockdown.

Sunday 23rd Feb 2020
I finally got around to fit the Fidgetbum sleep sheet, well Amit did. It was a little fiddly but to be honest once its on, its on! Hoping that this will be the magic cure to Rish sleep!!

Sunday 1st March 2020
Well I am shocked, Rishan is sleeping through! I hope I look back at this day and remember this! 1st of March when Rish finally slept through the night! He finds it easier to get under his duvet and zip himself up.

Sunday 8th March 2020
Rishan has been waking up but just to undo the sleep sheet zip slightly when he is hot. But gets back to sleep straight after. Washed the sleep sheet for the 1st time after we fitted it and was easier to go back on when already zipped up.

Sunday 15th March 2020
Rish is now finding it easier to leave the sleep sheet zipped and just climb in. Before he goes to sleep, I have been encouraging stretches as you would in a body sock. He loves it! Great for proprioception! We have had a weird week as the coronavirus news has sparked a lot of questions with Rish. So, getting that sleep in is even more important.

Sunday 22nd March 2020
What an interesting week this week. We have been in isolation as a family, Rish has not been at school nor his siblings and we have been home schooling! Anxieties all around are through the roof. So we have been using emotional and sensory regulation strategies to help us. Rish has really benefitted from his good night sleep in bed. It is so important when we are anxious to have that serotonin released and for us to rest and recover. I have that comfort that I know Rish is getting that.

Sunday 29th March 2020
Not being able to go out has meant lots of mood swings. So we have made sure that Rish has had enough regulation breaks, keeps informed about the coronavirus via Newsround and gone to bed at decent times. In fact Rish looks forward to going to bed, to have his stretch under his duvet and sleep sheet then sleep.

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Originally published on www.fidgetbum.com