A happy spin on the world

Supported by Satan’s Little Helper, a spin seat has brought laughter, comfort and connection into the world of three-year-old Fox – a little boy with a rare genetic condition.

Fox is an extremely happy little boy, who rarely stops moving.

“He is constantly on the go,” says his mum Jessica, laughing. “People always joke and say they want to put a pedometer on him to see how far he goes in a day.”

He loves climbing, spinning, going for walks and being outdoors, and lately his happiness comes through in a stream of giggles and excited sounds.

“He has become very vocal and does a lot of happy squeals,” says Jessica.

But Fox’s journey has been anything but simple. Jessica said she first noticed something wasn’t quite right when Fox was around eight or nine months old.

“He wasn’t hitting his milestones. He couldn’t sit by himself; he made no gestures, no babbling; he didn’t crawl and he wouldn’t respond to his name,” she explains.

Long journey

As time passed and little changed, the family began seeing a paediatrician. What followed was an exhausting journey of appointments, hospital visits, MRI scans and testing.

“The journey has been very hard with not knowing what was wrong,” says Jessica. “It took over two years to get a diagnosis.”

Eventually, Fox was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called SCN2A-related disorder, which severely affects development. Symptoms include autism and he’s also non-verbal.

For Jessica, the hardest part has always been communication.

“There was no way of communicating with him,” she says. “He used to get sick a lot – but with him not being able to tell us what was wrong, what hurt, or even point to where it was, it was extremely hard. It would break our hearts.”

Fox is still mostly spoon-fed, as he struggles with hand control. Reading Fox’s cues is something the family is still learning.

“This one we are still working on,” Jessica says. “We have tried sign language, pointing, call cards, talking, but have not had much luck.”

When Fox becomes upset, they work through basic needs one by one to figure out the cause.

Sensory seeker

What does consistently help Fox regulate is movement. Jessica says swinging and spinning have become powerful tools for comfort.

“I feel like it gives him the same sensation as being held and rocked, which he loves,” Jessica says. “He is very cuddly and when he is spinning, he goes into a giggling fit.”

Knowing this, Satan’s Little Helper helped to supply Fox with a sensory spin seat – something his family hoped would give him safe, accessible sensory input at home.

When the seat arrived, Fox explored it by spinning it with his hands and quickly learned the enjoyment that comes with sitting in it.

“We popped him in and spun it, but he was unsure. We popped a fluffy rug on it and he loved it; he couldn’t stop laughing.

“He can’t get in it himself but will go up to it and spin it,” Jessica says.

Since then, the change has been simple but meaningful.

“He definitely enjoys it and it’s so great to have something he is interested in.”

Long-lasting impact

For Jessica and Fox’s dad Nick, the impact goes far beyond the seat itself.

“It means the world to us,” she says. “Not many things catch his interest, but to hear his giggles as he spins around is heartwarming.”

With the right support – and sometimes, a simple spin – Fox continues to show that joy doesn’t need words to be felt.