Steamroller Squeeze Machine

The squeeze machine you purchased for our therapy team at Southside Elementary is still going strong; we have maintained it well. After nearly 6 years it still offers our kiddos lots of calming deep pressure to improve focus/attention. We still love to use it as part of our therapeutic interventions and still have students that request it when it is not out in the therapy room and instead in the closet. I would say it is utilized at least 1-5x per week (and sometimes more frequently) within a week. I can't say the exact number of students but an average of our caseload over the last 6 years I estimate 480, but the use has significantly impacted our students positively at Southside Elementary OT/PT Therapy Bungalow. We are grateful; as it has joined our loved list of equipment we utilize as part of therapy sessions within OT/PT and for students who need a sensory break. 

Mostly it is used as a warm up activity within therapy as we utilize the tactile/deep pressure and proprioceptive input with a quick activity where the student has to start on one side of the squeeze machine to obtain either visual memory to go retrieve an object going through the squeeze machine with an item or using a bag (which incorporates fine motor skills) or handing to the therapist they crawl through and display weight bearing through their arms and hands which is also beneficial within OT and PT. Sometimes the student will want more or want to be done, but the important thing is that when they use the squeeze machine they are independently providing the input their body needs to regulate their nervous system (as we work on other things that are beneficial for their fine/gross motor development impacting them in the academic setting).  

The squeeze machine input applies deep, firm pressure to the body, similar to a hug, to calm and self-regulate the nervous system. This opportunity allows them to control the intensity and duration of the pressure for soothing sensory input, helping with anxiety, focus, and body awareness, allowing them to engage in requested tasks with improved attention and on task behaviors. 

sometimes we help them get started through the squeeze machine as it is difficult to initiate going in for our smaller students.