One of the most powerful weapons in a special needs parents arsenal is the brush.  When you are raising a child with sensory processing disorder, brushing your child’s skin is a really good way to help calm them down and provide good sensory input. 

It may seem silly but when you see how well it works, you’ll be amazed. 

Honestly,  I don’t know if this works for everyone but I think it works more often than not. 

When Emmett is really having a rough time, we can try to help him through it by brushing his skin.  Typically,  we use a baby hair brush but when your dog chews it up, you can use something similar. 

Emmett likes to be brushed in a particular way.  Usually, he likes being given brushed in a head to feet direction.

Elliott likes to be brushed differently than Emmett does but both find relief from the process. You can literally see them melt away while they are being brushed. 

It really is amazing to witness. 

Does your autistic child benefit from brushing? Share your experience below in the comments.  🙂