Here's a bonus I'd never have thought of!
I recently donated some items to the Brother Bears Online Auction, one of them being the Lavender Heat & Ice Pack in Cool Cats Blue. The winning bidder for this item sent me a very lovely email after receiving her Ouch Pouch:
"Love the ouch pack. My son has ASD and Sensory processing difficulty and we have difficulty with first aid because the pack doesn't have the same cold or feel, he was happy to use it on his bump." Martina, QLD
Now, I have very little knowledege or experience with ASD or Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) so I decided to do some research.
ASD is Autism Spectrum Disorder and according to The Royal Childen's Hospital Melbourne, "...Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder most commonly involving problems with communication and social interactions."
Source: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Autism_spectrum_disorder/
SPD is Sensory Processing Disorder. According to SPD Australia, "SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER (SPD) is a complex neurological condition that impairs the functional skills of 1 in 20 children. People with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) misinterpret everyday sensory information, such as touch, sound and movement. They may feel overwhelmed by sensory information, may seek out sensory experiences or may avoid certain experiences.
People with SPD experience their world as either Hypersensitive (over reactive, sensory avoidance) or Hyposensitive (under reactive, sensory seeker). They may also present with motor skill problems. They may react with strong emotional behaviours and experience what may be described as ‘melt downs’."
Source: https://spdaustralia.com.au/about-sensory-processing-disorder/
I know a couple of kids on the spectrum with ASD and have seen first hand how difficult their times and lives can be, how they can get very upset and not always understand what's going on around them. To know that one of my products is even in a small way helping these kids makes me feel the time I take to design and make these all the more worthwhile.
Do you or your child have ASD or SPD? I'd love to hear from anyone with any experience of ASD or SPD and whether you've used one of mine, or someone else's, Ouch Pouches with any success (or not!). I'd also love to see if there are any other products I could make to help sooth children and adults during stressful times with something fun similar to my Ouch Pouches!
Sew-long for now,
Gill