ABSTRACT
The first thematic group of 14 weekly letters covers the fundamentals of the QST sensory protocol, beginning with the two key hands-on skills, patting and pressing. The grouping provides detailed guidance in how to refine the hands-on technique specifically to a child’s behavioral responses in the early weeks of the one-year support program. Letters then address the importance of a parent’s own capacity for self-care and self-compassion and include one mother’s letter highlighting her typical early experience while others provide lessons from experienced QST Master Trainers. Parents are given guidance on how to address typical problems that can arise in the early weeks such as resistance, pain, and ticklishness. Subsequent letters focus on increasing a parent’s awareness of often-overlooked body cues that signal progress and those that indicate stress. Strategies are provided that help parents adapt their QST technique to address specific stress reactions and effectively normalize touch sensitivities in difficult areas. The grouping ends with tips on how to include other family members and caregivers in the at-home technique.
