Wilbarger Brushing Protocol feedback?

[MichelleRC]

DS1 had his first evaluation with a new neuropsychologist today. She was 100% sure he has SPD and a good possibility of Aspergers as well.
We are going back next week to learn the Wilbarger brushing protocol, does anyone do this? She said it had to be done every 2 hours which seems like an awfully big chunk of the day. Feedback appreciated!

TIA!

[elliput]

DD's OT taught me how to do it and we have used it a little bit. DD seems to enjoy it, but it is not something that I think she need regularly. It only takes a couple minutes to go through the routine.

[mytwosons]

We did it (followed immediately by joint compressions). The thought of doing it every two hours was initially overwhelming, but it really wasn't that bad. We started with doing it every two hours he was awake. We started in the summer (I was SAHM) so it was doable. Then we started stretching out the intervals. E.g. I would brush him before preschool drop off and then 3.5 - 4 hours later when we got home. It only took a few minutes and quickly became routine.

I can't recall how long we had to do it - maybe a year or a little more?

[Indianamom2]

We are just starting out with the brushing program.

We had to modify it a bit as DD is in full-time K. We (try to remember to) brush her arms, legs and back for 5 minutes total (one minute each) and then follow it up with joint compressions that we just call her exercises. DD seems to enjoy it...and loves doing the joint compressions. She always asks for more of those.

It's only been a couple of weeks, but it's not too terrible. Of course, there's no way we can do it every 2-3 hours, so we do it once before school, then immediately after school and once more before bed. That's about all we can fit in.

[Gena]

We have used the brushing program on and off over the years.

When DS was in EI, the OT taught me how to do the brushing and the loint compressions. She told me that every two hours is the ideal, but many families do not have a schedule that allow for that. So she said to do it several times a day as part of our routine and to try it before transitons or whenever DS seemed to start to get upset.

We have found that it works well for a while, then over time the calming effect seems to diminish and gradually DS starts to resist doing it. So we will stop doing the brushing for several months. Then, after a while we will start up again, doing the brushing in the morning, after school/daycare, and before bed. DS is also old enough at this point that he is able to tell me when he wants the brushing.

(This reminds me, I need to buy new brushes.)

[HIU8]

We have used it on and off with DS (along with joint compression). I find that sometimes it helps and sometimes not with DS.

[Indianamom2]

We have used the brushing program on and off over the years.

When DS was in EI, the OT taught me how to do the brushing and the loint compressions. She told me that every two hours is the ideal, but many families do not have a schedule that allow for that. So she said to do it several times a day as part of our routine and to try it before transitons or whenever DS seemed to start to get upset.

We have found that it works well for a while, then over time the calming effect seems to diminish and gradually DS starts to resist doing it. So we will stop doing the brushing for several months. Then, after a while we will start up again, doing the brushing in the morning, after school/daycare, and before bed. DS is also old enough at this point that he is able to tell me when he wants the brushing.

(This reminds me, I need to buy new brushes.)

This is pretty much exactly what DD's therapist told me today....that you don't do it forever, just for a period of time, then take a break, then again when you start to see signs that it's needed again.