A CHAMELEON TALE IBD

Sinopse

'CLEVER AND INTERESTING.' - Chronicle Books | 'ENGAGING.' - Little Brown | 'CHARMING.' - Running Press | 'THE SUBJECT IS WORTHY.' -MacMillan | 'I WILL DEFINITELY PURCHASE THIS FOR MANY PEOPLE.'- Ten Speed Plus | 'SUPER SWEET.' - VikingAt any moment in time, we are taking in information about our world through our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, skin, and joints. This, sensory processing, is how we experience our world and is unique to each person. Our job as parents, caregivers, and adults in influential roles is not only to take notice of our own sensory systems, but to helpáchildren do the same. The goal of this manuscript is to bring awareness to this topic and supply tools for discussion.áWe, the authors, in a real-life OT session, realized the need for this book when Sarah didnâÇÖt have a childrenâÇÖs book to recommend for JackieâÇÖs child. Jackie had already completed two childrenâÇÖs books and said, 'Well, letâÇÖs create what we need!'áA Chameleon Tale uses the changing color of the chameleonsâÇÖ skin, differing facial expressions, and a variety of actions to illustrate how a sensory threshold can influence individual alertness. Likewise, as humans, our bodies, expressions, and actions also reflect specific levels of alertness. This text, accompanied by the demonstrative changing colors of skin, prompts children to recognize that this fluctuation is normal. Further, it helps communicate that there are tools to help when feelings (derived by our sensory inputs) impact their success in what they need and want to do. The bookâÇÖs characters, our chameleon family, will journey outside of their familiar environment, something we ask our kids to do most days of the year. Notice how this seemingly simple task affects each chameleon differently.áThe more experts (like co-author Sarah Collins, MSOT, OTR/L) learn about neurodiversity and the brain / body response to environmental stimuli, the greater they are realizing people process and integrate sensory stimuli differently. Through this story, the readers will gain a better understanding of their own brain / body connection and honor their unique responses while simultaneously empathizing with otherâÇÖs responses in the same environmental situations. Though every child and caregiver combo will benefit from communicating about their sensory needs, this book will beáespecially helpful for the neurodivergent community and their families. Use this book as aástarting point for conversation with the children in your life.Font: Avenir (visual scanning and dyslexia-friendly)Age Group Suggestion: 6-11 years