How Important Is Touch to a Child with Special Needs?
In one of the meditations in A Different Dream for My Child, I shared the story of how my husband sat in the neonatal intensive care unit and stroked our son’s cheek for hours and days following his first surgery.
Comfort in the Midst of Chaos
In a recent Comfort in the Midst of Chaos post, Barb Dittrich blogged about how she used the meditation to facilitate discussion with moms of kids on the autism spectrum. Dittrich related the moms’ insights about the importance of touch in their children’s lives, too. To read their insights, buzz over to the post titled The Comfort of a Mother.
How Does Touch Comfort Your Child?
If you’d like to share a story about how touch comforts your child, please leave a comment. Your experience may help other families give and find comfort for their children.
Thanks,
Jolene
My child, Lillian, is nonverbal and not mobile. She often has stomach gas and abdominal pain. It is amazing how when nothing else helps, either getting in bed with her or holding her on our lap helps her feel better. I think some of it has to do with positioning, but I think most of it has to do with full body touch. This also lets her know that her pain is important enough for us to stop and hold her this way. It is not easy since she can move violently and is getting big.
Dear Nancy,
Your comment rings a bell. My mom tells the story of me being a colicky baby. I cried all day long until Dad came home. He would lay on the floor and put me on his stomach, belly to belly. (Dad’s was pretty hefty and jiggly.) I would immediately go limp and quit crying. Amazing what full body touch can do!
Jolene