So I went through a phase several months back when I was doing a lot of product testing. Companies would send me their products, I test them out, then I'd blog, Tweet, or Instagram about whatever I was using. For the most part, most everything was good. Occasionally, I'd find something so wonderful I'd buy more when I ran out.
One of those unexpected items were wrist wraps (If you go onto Amazon you can find the for under $10). If you don't lift weights, you probably don't know what they are. But the concept is simple. It's a thick elastic band, much like an ace bandage, that wraps around your wrists and Velcros at the end. It's designed to strengthen your wrists when you're lifting heavy weights. Since my kids are big into lifting because of sports, I decided to get a pair of wrist wraps.
Lo and behold, little Jacob got a hold of my wraps and LOVES them! I think it's a sensory thing for him. He'll put them on and take them off several times a day. At first he needed my help, but now he can pretty much do it all by himself. He wraps the elastic around his forearms as tight as he wants it, then runs around the house doing his thing until he decides he's done and takes them off. I figured after a day or two he'd be tired of the novelty. But it's been nearly 6 months now, and he still pulls them out and wraps his arms.
I'm finding he also likes having the weight of my arm over him while he sleeps, and I've heard them talk about getting him a weighted lap blanked for school to see if that will help settle him down.
I guess the moral of this story is: As a parent of a special needs child, I must always think outside the box. You never know what your child will find beneficial.