Disney World: Part 1 - Sensory Seeking and ADHD

Disclaimer:  I owe you some posts.  Lots of posts.  I owe you the following posts (listing them so I will remember what I want to post on later): medications, occupational therapy and why we quit, 5th birthday party!, school updates, family counseling and attachment.  I'll get to them but first a series of fun posts.  About the greatest place on Earth.

We went to Disney World!  And survived!  And actually enjoyed every single minute of it!!!

So, a little back story before I start my series of posts about Disney World (cause it really is so fantastic that one post won't cover it all!).  I've always loved Disney World and I always sort of thought that I'd take M there when she turned 5.  The last 18 months or so kind of tarnished that dream - there was no way I was going to single-parent it all the way to Disney World with the diva.  No way.  However, when things started to get better this winter/spring, I started to think that maybe, just maybe, we could do it.  Since M's birthday is in March, I decided to surprise her with a trip to WDW.  We couldn't go ON her birthday because it's just too busy and crowded (and more expensive) around that time.  So I planned to surprise her on her birthday with a backpack full of "clues" to guess, etc.  She had been looking at my photo albums and books about WDW and loved to ask questions and talk about them.  But then, about 2-3 weeks before her birthday she started to tell me that she never wanted to go, "It looks really cool, Mom, but don't ever take me there."  Um, yeah.  Not good.  I tried to talk it up as much as possible and she always agreed that it is awesome but was adament she wasn't going.  Three days before her birthday, I decided I had better tell her at home so we didn't ruin her birthday party.  That was a wise decision (score one point for Mommy!).  She hyperventilated, almost threw up, and absolutely refused to go.  She told me to give the money back, go by myself, and even told me to take another kid with me!  By the end of the night, I had her convinced to go for just one day and then decide if she wanted to stay longer (nothing like pressure for a fantastic first day, huh?).

I was so apprehensive (but excited) about going.  I was worried about sensory overload, tantrums, meltdowns, etc. etc. etc.  M was worried about character encounters (she is petrified of people dressed up in costumes) and just has an overall aversion to anything new.

In preparation, I decided to keep our plans very loose.  Other than some dinner reservations that we made daily, we were not going to schedule anything nor were we going to be on a "must see, have to do" kind of game plan.  We would just plan our day, literally, as we went (so so hard for this Type A mommy!).  One thing I was worried about was the possibility of us getting separated.  I mean, we have this problem in Wal-Mart so I was really worried about Disney World.  I was also worried (I'm a worry-wort, in case you haven't figured that out yet) about the possibility of something happening to me and then M would be hundreds of miles from home alone.  Luckily, we have a great friend (fellow adopter) who lives in the Disney area and agreed to be our "emergency" contact locally.  So I made up ID cards for both of us with various phone numbers on them and also included our pix.  I had M practice her "I'm lost" speech before we went.  It was pretty hilarious - "Hi, my name is M and I've lost my mommy.  Here is her phone number (M knows her # but she might not remember it if upset), please call her.  This is her picture - she's pink, I'm brown."  She even explained to someone on the bus one day that she had a picture of her mommy with her in case she got lost because "they might not know to look for a pink mommy if a brown girl is lost."  Thankfully, this was never an issue.  We got separated a couple times in the crowd but I could always see her, she just wasn't tall enough to see me - these brief moments of OMG were enough to keep her close.

I think she was more excited about the plane ride than the trip.  She insisted she needed a window seat and she told everyone she came across about the plane.  We had a long talk before we left about security procedures (like needing to put her lovey on the conveyor belt) and where our suitcases would go when we checked them.  She handled it like a pro and was even mad that she didn't have to take her shoes off like I had prepped her.

I had been told ahead of time, and researched it myself, about something called a Guest Access Card (GAC).  These are given to people that need special assistance due to a variety of conditions - obviously, things like wheelchairs and physical handicaps are included but they also recognize the needs of ADHD, sensory processing, and autism.  You just need to be prepared to tell them what sort of accommodations you require.  They do not require a doctor's note but it helps.  We did not pursue this option, although I left it open as a possibility throughout the week.  Things that can be accommodated in relation to our diagnoses are shorter waiting lines (usually they just send you through the fast pass line), quieter waiting areas away from crowds, and special entrances that are less sensory-overwhelming.

We did adjust her medication while on vacation from twice a day to three times a day.  We skipped naps and medicated mid-afternoon.  There was never any issue with rebound hyperactivity nor did we seem to have any problems with excessive fatigue from skipping naps.

I was really surprised by M all week.  She was a rock star!  I was so worried about her being overwhelmed but Disney World is a sensory-seeker's delight.  She loved it!  There were always colors, sights, smells, sounds, tastes to fill up her sensory bucket.  She was so satisfied (sensory speaking) that she behaved SO awesomely.  She never minded waiting in lines - we went at a good time, so lines were pretty minimal - and never minded going going going.  So happy!

Her favorite rides were the outdoor ones.  She was more hesitant about the inside ones and I was surprised at just how many of the rides have dark portions.  Even if it was just a dark moment or two before the ride actually began, I didn't remember this from my trips until I was with a kid that's afraid of the dark.  She even rode a roller-coaster (Goofy's Barnstormer) twice the very first day we were there.  She actually asked me if she was tall enough, I wasn't even going to suggest it.  I thought it looked a little scary - one of the few rides that you can see all of since it's outside - but I'm guessing being able to see all of it and know there were no surprises is what gave her the courage to do it.

She loved any ride that went in a circle (Dumbo, Aladdin, Astro Orbitor, Triceratops Spin, Carousel) and she absolutely LOVED the Teacups.  We rode several times and she would beg me to go "faster, Mommy, faster" and then she'd sit back and just relax completely.  Not sure how you can be completely relaxed when the whole world is spinning violently out of control but what can I say, she's a seeker!

This picture below is one of my favs.  The crowds were so low that we walked onto the Aladdin ride 3 times in a row with no wait.  I got my timing down and was able to line her up to get squirted by the camel on the 3rd time.  She shrieked in delight and I had my camera ready!

I mentioned before that she does not really like the dark.  She really did not enjoy the Jungle Cruise.  First, she took everything the tour guide said very literally.  And if you've ridden this one, you know that the tour guides make it a point to make a million puns about shruken heads, never returning, getting lost in the jungle, etc. 
I find it interesting that every time she goes into the dark, she covers her ears.  I don't know if she's worried that because it's dark, there is going to be a surprise that is potentially noisy or if she is covering up one sense to help her focus on another.

One of the reasons she was so fearful about Disney World was the characters.  I tried to convince her that #1 - the characters don't just walk around aimlessly (anymore), you have to actually seek them out, and #2 - that the characters (and everyone at Disney) want to make your day so special that they can tell just by looking at you whether they should get close.  We also talked about the fact that, if she did see a character that was scary (like Hook), it would be just fine to run away.

The very first 5 minutes that we were at the Magic Kingdom, she saw Chip & Dale and started shaking and begging to be taken home, "all the way home, not just the hotel".  We practiced our "run away" and all was okay.  The next day, she saw Pluto from behind, about 50 feet away.  We again practiced our running away.  She finally, mid-day, got up the courage to get in line to see Woody from Toy Story.  She lasted about 5 minutes in line and started hyperventilating.  So we left.  I was starting to get really worried at that point because we had dinner reservations that afternoon for a character dinner (I figured she'd be over her fear by then) and it wasn't looking so good.

Then, all of a sudden, we happened upon Donald.  It was a short line in an area that was relatively quiet and M just jumped in line and asked for her autograph book.  She almost backed out when it was her turn but she braved up and DID IT!  I was almost crying.  It was my proudest mommy moment yet!  (I had quite a few during our vacation!!).

We went on to meet many, many characters; we became character stalkers before the week was over.  She was still hesitant after Donald; she started crying on the porch of the Crystal Palace before we went in to eat with the Pooh characters (more pix later in another post), but the older waitress that we had took her by the hand and told her she was a big girl and needed to come on in.  And she did!  It was all better after that.

Our first parade was an interesting affair.  She was so excited and waited patiently but then realized it was full of characters.  She almost killed me trying to claw her way out of the area.  But she managed to get herself together and sort-of enjoyed the first parade.  After that one, parades were awesome affairs.

She also had a fear of one of the shows in front of the Castle as it had 4 short bursts of fireworks in  it (she hates fireworks - we never stayed at any of the parks late enough to see them).  We watched it 3 times from the side until finally, on our last day, she got up the courage to watch it from the front.

One of my strategies for the week was (non)planning our downtime.  Since we went off-season and got a discount on our accommodations, I upgraded to one of the moderate resorts.  I wanted a place that was truly relaxing to come back to after all the sensory overload.  We picked the Caribbean Beach Resort since we love the beach so much.  It was perfect for us and I'll post more on it later! 

We spent every evening at the pool, the beach, or dancing at the food court.

I love her intensity as she watches Disney Channel Rocks show...she ended up getting up and dancing with them!

When we went to Epcot, I (finally) allowed M to get her face painted.  I have nothing against face painting, it's just that she always seemed to find the booth at the end of the day when we were heading back to go swimming.  She found it early in the morning at Epcot and picked out a fairy face.  I can't stand anything on my face but she loved it.  Never messed with it and protected it all day.  Isn't she beautiful?

We loved the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot.  Seems like we were the only ones that headed that way and had the place to ourselves.  Such a hidden gem!  The Pixie Hollow Gardens (Tinkerbell!) were completely empty and so quiet.  They give the kids a sheet to go around and rub etchings of the characters' signatures.  When they find them all, they are rewarded with a sheet of fairy stickers.  This was such a fun activity!!

The butterfly house was nearby and, again, empty.  It was so beautiful and had that wonderful mix of quiet calmness but stimulating to the visual senses.

Sometimes even fairies need a break!  I stayed very in-tune to M all week - probably why things went so well - and if she started to get the least bit grumpy, we found a patch of shade and I forced her to have a snack and some water.  The only argument we had all week was surrounding food; she just wasn't interested in eating all week.

I had many people suggest strollers to us.  Take one with you, take ours with you, rent one, buy one when you get there, etc. etc. etc.  I kept that option open but M has never been much of a stroller person.  It never became an issue.  She would start the morning running to the bus stop and would still be running at the end of the day.  She never once complained about walking or being tired.  The only time she ever asked me to hold her was when we were just standing and waiting in line.  (And I was secretly very glad because I did not want the nuisance of a stroller).

Forced break time!

M needs a high volume of physical activity daily to keep her sane.  I was worried that this would be an issue, despite the walking we did.  It was not.  I completely underestimated the amount of pool time we would have and I didn't know about all the fun activities there were to do in the parks.  Every day, there was some kind of dance party.  While we were waiting on one parade to start, they brought out a zillion hula-hoops for the kids.  It was just right.  Everything about Disney is just right.  They really know what kiddos need and when.

M, hot and sweaty and very happy, after dancing at the Move It, Shake It Dance Party.

The last day was the only day that M fell asleep on the way back to the hotel.  It took 6 full days to get her exhausted!!  But after a 15 minute power nap, she was up and ready to hit the pool!

Our plane ride home was late at night.  She is usually in bed before we even boarded the plane.  I expected her to sleep all the way home and was worried about carrying her and both backpacks through the airport.  I didn't need to worry, she saw the awesome lights outside after take-off and was wide awake, running through the airport at 10:30 pm after landing.  It was a great, cooperative end to a wonderful week.

More posts coming soon - posts about characters, our resort, the parks, and eating gluten-free at Disney.

Pain - It's all in your head!

Pain is such an interesting subject.  Working in the medical field, I've seen a lot of work aimed at quantifying pain and marvelled at the subjectiveness of rating pain.  We'd see patients in the ER that were complaining of a hangnail and rated their pain as the worst of their life (no really, people do that!) and then you'd have someone come in with an obviously broken extremity and they'd rate their pain midway on the pain scale, understanding that they may hurt but it could be worse.  With children, we tended to move away from the subjective pain scale and look at more quantifiable signs - were they grimacing, were their vitals elevated, were they guarding the painful area, were they apprehensive?

But what if your body doesn't understand pain?  What if your neuro-sensory system is screwed up and you feel things differently than most people?  What if your early life conditioned you to ignore pain?

I bring this up because it was something I hadn't thought much about and I feel like I have failed my child in this area.  We had a very bad couple of days, some very difficult and unusual behaviors - these were preceded by an illness, a cold/bronchitis/high fever, but M seemed very healthy during the actual days of monsterishness.  I exchanged emails with her developmental pediatrician and while we don't really know what triggered M's behavior, she did bring up some awesome points.  Even though M was recovered and feeling well, she could have still not felt great.  Even something as small as a lingering sinus headache could have bothered her enough to make her come unglued.  Even though she was begging to go back to school, her body probably still needed more time to rest.  The pediatrician pointed out that kids with sensory difficulties just don't feel things the same.  Not only could she have been experiencing symptoms she couldn't interpret, she also did not know how to address them or react to them.  So something as simple as shopping for birthday party supplies could be overwhelming enough to make her flip out if she wasn't feeling well (sorry to anyone who was at the craft store last Saturday!).

It really got me to thinking.  M is an extremist, all or nothing.  When she was an infant, she had ear infection after ear infection.  Most of the time these were surprises - found during a well baby visit or when we would go to the doctor for her respiratory illness.  I wonder how many untreated ear infections she had in the first 9 months of her life - ear infections that she was not treated for, not comforted for, not addressed at all.  How desensitizing that might have been.  She's never been a complainer when she's sick.  The only two times I've ever seen her "lay low" from an illness were when she had pneumonia and when she had influenza.  Even then, she was cheerful, playful, and bounced back incredibly fast.  She can spike a temp up to 105 and will only complain of being "a little tired".  Her body doesn't interpret illness the way others do.

I said she was an extremist, though.  There is a flip-side.  M is a drama queen when it comes to small injuries.  She probably gets hurt 12 times a day, at least.  I joke that she does not get TRAUmatic injuries, she gets DRAmatic injuries.  She has only had one injury in her life (knock on wood) that truly needed any care beyond a quick bandaid (and it was a badly scraped knee - a rite of passage in a preschooler).  But yet, she can fall down and scream like she's broken bones.  So, if she doesn't feel pain or doesn't interpret pain, why the big response to tiny injuries?  I have two theories:  #1 She is more sensitive to small injuries because her tactile sense is so acute.  Yes, she is sensory-seeking in that area (meaning she is hypo-sensitive) but at the same time, she consciously thinks about her sense of touch.  Since she craves different sensations to fulfull that senosry need, I think small, unexpected injuries are a disruption to her brain - she prefers deliberate input.  Theory #2 is that it's a learned response.  We teach our kids through our reactions that boo-boos hurt, boo-boos need attention.  They see their playmates (that really do understand pain) have big reactions and get big attention (and big bandaids) and then a learned response is formed.  M didn't start having dramatic injuries until she started being around kids in a setting that full of injuries (playground at preschool).  So she does what is expected of a little kid when they get hurt - M makes sure you know it!

I'm such a "shake it off, you're okay" kind of mom that I'm going to have to work very hard on tuning into pain.  The pediatrician suggested medicating for pain anytime M is sick because she may not articulate that she is hurting (just think how achy you are with a cold).  I also need to be more empathetic to her small injuries, remembering that she feels things differently.  Ignore the drama, address the boo-boo and the hurt feelings.

Pain.  Interesting subject, huh?  Such a learning process.

Panic Box

One of the things that we have the most problem with in this house is anger management and stress control.  Mariposa tends to be very dramatic and impulsive, easily driven to panic.  She doesn't seem to be very aware of her emotions or how to react to them.  This makes very small situations become blown out of proportion very easily because she's like a freight train barrelling down the tracks with no brakes.  She has no idea how to calm herself once she's upset and she has no idea how to not get upset.

I've been doing some research (okay, okay - pinterest and FB can be considered research if used properly) and decided to come up with a stress box.  Two, actually.  One for school and one for home.

We worked on this together all weekend and went through every item tonight and talked about why it's there.  I also reinforced the idea that this is NOT a play box, it is NOT a box to get her out of doing something unwanted, and it's NOT a box to get her out of trouble.  It's a box to help her recognize her emotions and keep her from getting INTO trouble.

The box:  I think it was like $2.50 at Target.  We have a green one for home.

We made these ourselves and they are, by far, Mariposa's favorites.  I even like them.  Very simple.  Playdoh in balloons.  Sharpie on some faces.  I added the words on the back because M is such a reader.

M loves fleece.  It is her comfort, her companion, her "zone" - it soothes her tactile seeking.  Since she can't carry her fleece lovey around with her, I made her a miniature blanket - she picked out the fabric.

A squeezie/bouncy/squishy ball and her Klix fidget bracelet.

A (very outdated) picture of us.

A notebook and post-it notes, mini gel pens (thanks Target $1 aisle).
I asked her, everytime she needed to use the stress box, to please write me a note telling me her feelings and then put that note in her lunchbox so I could help her at home.

Some flashcards to help her write her notes.  They say "Today I felt...." on one side and then a variety of feelings on the back.  I'm sure she'll get creative and start making up her own soon.

Two mini calm tubes.  The top one is a mini version of a "calm jar" (see below) and the bottom one is a mini version of a shaker.  The bottom one has letter beads spelling her name (hence the photo-shopped swirls) and seed beads.  It makes a very nice (but soft) rattling sound when shaken - sort of like a quiet rainstick.

And that's the contents of her Stress Box.  I'll let you know how they work in the coming days.


Calm Jars:

(found multiple different "recipes" on Pinterest - this is the one we used)

Used a coke bottle and then just poured a little into our mini tubes for our boxes.

1 cup hot water + 1 tbsp glitter glue + glitter + food coloring = calm jar.
Shake up to make a glittery bottle, then watch the glitter slowly settle to the bottom.



Just another day.....

Typical scenario at our house:

I'm washing dishes at the kitchen sink (big muffin pans that won't fit in the dishwasher easily) and I decide I need a big towel to lay them on to dry.  Mariposa is sitting at the counter eating a snack and since I'm up to my elbows in soapy water, I ask her this "M, can you please go to the towel closet and get me a blue towel like I use for washing your hair?"  Okay, Mommy.

She hops off her stool and heads towards the closet, getting sidetracked by her playroom next to the closet.  She goes in and turns on her CD player, comes back out and starts dancing to the music.

"M!  The towel please!  I'm dripping here."  Oh yeah!

She comes back to the kitchen and opens the towel drawer (which I'm standing 1/8 inch away from).  "M, I can reach those towels, I asked you to get one from the towel closet."  OH!!!

She goes and stands in front of the coat closet, looking confused.  "M, the other closet, where the towels are."  OOOOPS!  Hahahahaha!  Sorry!

She goes to the correct closet, grabs a washcloth.  "No, M.  I need something bigger than that to lay the dishes on to dry."  Sigh.  Okay.

She puts back the washcloth and grabs a beautiful princess beach towel.  "No, M.  That one's too nice for dishes.  I asked for a blue towel like I use for washing your hair."  Blue towel.  Got it.

She walks over and hands me two blue towels.  "Thank you, M.  Please go put away the second one, I really only needed one."  Okay, Mom.

Puts the towel away.  Walks back towards her stool to finish her snack.  "Umm....M?  Do you think you can close the closet door?"

Just a typical day in an ADHD household!!!!

Behavior Modification - Sticker City!

One of the changes we have made in our house is adding in some serious structure.  M has always craved structure, to the point of almost being unable to function if she doesn't have a specific activity to focus on at any given moment.  Can I just say, as a single parent, this is soooo draining.  (She couldn't even go in her playroom and just play, I'd have to direct her activities and name specific things for her to play with otherwise she'd be back out in 5 minutes asking to watch TV.)  The developmental pediatrician recommended having a structured system in place for expectations, goals, etc.  We have had moderate success in the past with behavior charts, sticker charts, etc. but the novelty always wears off quickly and M doesn't seem to want to stay on board.  I also felt like we'd get to the point where I was rewarding things that she should be doing anyway and we also focused on a lot of things that could be highly subjective depending on the mood of the sticker-awarder.

It took me a little while to come up with a plan of action.  That's okay because she is doing so much better, that it's not as much a lifesaver now, more just a system for keeping our lives in order.  It's actually a multi-tiered plan (stolen from a good friend) that is specifically catered to our house and my expectations and is very focused on the areas that are most difficult and distracting.

Our first sticker chart is a basic layout of our day.  When she meets a goal, she gets a sticker.  If she meets all her goals for the day, she gets a bonus sticker.  Each sticker is worth 10 cents, so by the end of the week, she has the potential to earn $4.90 - which of course, I'd round up to $5.  (I'm also planning on buying her one of those banks that requires her to put money in a section for spend, save, and give.)

Monday thru Friday is the same routine (Morning, School, Clean Up, Feed Pets, Bedtime, Good Day); on weekends, we take out the School and Clean Up chores and throw in Clean Bedroom and Clean Playroom.  These two are each worth two stickers and she can do them on either day, her choice.

I have also outlined for her what it takes to earn a sticker (I am SO GLAD she can read now!!!).  Obviously, Clean Up just means putting away anything she's gotten out that evening and Feed Pets is self-explanatory.  For the others, she has a chart to tell her what needs to be done (all without my nagging and minimal reminders) to earn a sticker.

• Mornings - she must take her medicine, go to the bathroom, get dressed, eat breakfast, and brush her teeth to get a sticker (all this must also be done before she can play).  Mornings used to take us 90 minutes to get ready; now, if she stays on task, she can do this in less than 20.
• School - she must stay in her seat and be a good listener (she is blatantly honest about her behavior at school), have no visits to the office, and must do her best work.
• Bedtime - she must take her bath, put her PJs on, take her medicine, and brush her teeth before bed.  Then she must stay in bed all night. 
• Good Day - No tantrums, must use respectful words, and have good listening at home.

Since the first chart is all about structure, expectations, and basically earning an allowance, I wanted to give her a chance to earn some "off-the-chart" stickers for different rewards.  Sort of a bonus.  Whenever she does something super great (and without her expecting anything beforehand), I'll give her a Super Special Reward sticker.  Once she earns 10 of these, we will have a date - dinner, movie, Redbox, park, something with just me and her and all about her.  She earned her first one for having an absolutely INCREDIBLE trip to the grocery store (usually the worst part of our week).  She's also earned them for having a great attitude with helping me do some "big" chores around the house and for reading me a whole chapter out of one of her Junie B books.

The last sticker chart we have is hopefully a temporary one (by the time we finish the chart, I hope she will understand what is expected of her).  One of M's favorite activites of the week is karate (actually tae kwon do).  She loves it but it is really stressful for us.  It's at the end of a long day of school but before supper.  It's at the time her medicine is usually wearing off and she has to focus extra hard to pay attention.  AND it's in an open, very busy gym that is filled with distractions.  Every week has gotten a little bit harder, so I decided we needed a chart to focus just on karate.  So, I just found a quick one online and printed it out.  When she gets 7 stickers, she'll get a big prize....luckily, I have 6 more weeks (at least) until I have to decide what that big prize is.  She finally had a great night last night...very minimal difficulty paying attention, only a little fidgeting.  Pshew.

So this is what the side of our pantry looks like......sticker city!!

And it works!!  Woohoo!!

"Does that make you think better?" - A Post for Granddad

There's this "thing" I do, I've been teased about it mercilessly for a long time.  And my daughter does it too.  My dad, Mariposa's granddad, likes to point it out and we have a good laugh about it.  I've never thought much about it until we went for Mariposa's OT (occupational therapy) evaluation and the therapist pointed it out.  It is something very normal, all people do it but it can be more pronounced in some people, especially if they have any kind of motor difficulties.

Look at the picture below
(Mariposa at about 19 months with her beloved Granddad). 

She's doing it in this picture.  Can you guess?

Yup.  It's the "tongue thing".

 But it has a name!  Did you know that?  It's called motor overflow.  Basically, when you are concentrating to do something difficult with one part of your body, another part of your body unconsciously starts to do its own thing.  This can be one hand making unconscious movements when the other hand is trying to do something difficult.  It can be nonpurposeful leg movements when the arms are working hard.  Or it can be the "tongue thing".

 It's a very normal thing.  Playskool even has a great little video (click here) explaining motor overflow in toddlers/preschoolers.  It's a normal part of development.

 With Mariposa, you can see a little tongue sticking out during fine motor tasks like writing, playing play-doh, doing puzzles, painting, etc.

 Children that demonstrate motor overflow beyond the preschool/early elementary years can have difficulty with differentiation.  Differentiation is defined as the ability to direct one part of the body to move according to plan while all other parts remain still.  It goes hand-in-hand with vestibular and proprioceptive dysfunctions.  DING DING DING!!!

 It becomes much more prominent when she is doing skills that stress her motor abilities to the max.  Like running AND trying to kick a soccer ball at the same time!

 I have tons and tons of pictures, since she was a year old all the way through now, of the "tongue thing".  It was hard deciding which ones to share with you.  This one was just taken last week!

And.....just for the record.  I said at the beginning of the post that it's something I've been teased about my whole life too.  I've even had patients ask me, when I worked in the ER, if I was a better nurse with my tongue sticking out!! So, here's proof that Mama Butterfly is just as guilty as my little caterpillar.  This was taken over the weekend when I was giving Mariposa her first sewing lesson.

To answer the question "Does sticking your tongue out help you think?":  Probably not.  But it seems to make some tasks easier to do.  I just wonder if the "tongue thing" will disappear as Mariposa begins therapy.  I'll keep you posted!