The response to these posts have been astounding! I think it reflects how desperately we all need to feel like there are parents out there who are going through the same things we are and understand the craziness of sensory challenges.
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Finish this sentence… “You know you’re an SPD parent when ____.”
You have five pairs of the exact same pants because they’re the only ones that feel “right.” – Brenna W.
Your child has a breakdown in public and you don’t get embarrassed. – Elissa M.
You stop asking “are you okay” and questioning why they run into a wall, crash on concrete, spin or fall. – Megan W.
You massage your daughter’s back harder then you want your own back massaged as an adult and she thinks it feels good. – Staci B.
When you spend most of your Facebook time on The Sensory Spectrum instead of with your friends! – Nanda G.
You get excited if you child just touches a new food. – Diana B.
Your child wears socks at the beach and you don’t bat an eye. – Laurel B.
When another parent says so-and-so is ‘always mentioning’ your child, and you think, oh, gosh, why?! – Charlotte E.
When the phone rings, you look at your caller Id and it’s the school and your stomach does a flip flop. – Carol L.
You can read a thread like this and know for every moment you’ve thought no one understands how frustrating it is to be frustrated at a kid who can’t help it, there is in fact plenty of people who understand. – Pamela R.
Sensory Processing Disorder Resources
For further reading about Sensory Processing Disorder:
The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Differences
Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing IssuesUnderstanding Your Child’s Sensory Signals: A Practical Daily Use Handbook for Parents and TeachersHelping Your Child with Sensory Regulation: Skills to Manage the Emotional and Behavioral Components of Your Child’s Sensory Processing Challenges
I babysat a little girl with SPD for about 1 1/2 years. I enjoyed every minute of it. A lot of what I seen, was déjà vu from my own son. The major difference between my son and my daycare sweetie is that my son was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD/ODD. I haven’t had my little daycare dollie for around a month now. Sure do miss her. Hind sight is 20/20 and sometimes kids are smarter than adults. I hope she is doing well in her new daycare/surroundings. I <3 and miss u sweetie,
I just found out that my 7 yr old son has spd which in front of him we call special person disorder 🙂 and im finding this page informative and reassuring so thank you.
When your child grows up and she is beautiful, quirky, goofy and she likes herself that way. Keep your head up because what you are doing will pay off!
When my son was eight or nine years old, I heard one of the OT’s employed at our medical center being interviewed on television about an article she wrote for the local newspaper on children with SPD, the symptoms and treatment through OT. Really? Someone finally answered my questions after six years years of asking my son’s physician about his hearing and his behavior at parades and crowded social functions. My daughter called me at work when the article was published and said, ‘Mom, this is what is wrong with David!” I called the medical center, made an appointment for my son to see the OT and we learned that a heavy koosh type ball rolled up and down his back relaxed him to the point where he fell asleep within minutes. She taught us so much. Then I found out that my insurance did not cover the therapy sessions because she had to be certified. Why would I bother to call my insurance company first to find out if these sessions would be covered? I took it for granted that because he has a “disorder” his treatment would be taken care of. Was I ever wrong to the tune of a couple of thousand dollars. SPD not on the list of physical health problems nor is it on the list of disorders treated by OT, who had to be certified in that field to boot! He had to quit going to therapy sessions. I could go on for hours with my frustrations with medical and education professionals lack of knowledge and understanding about the subject. It involves children!!! Why aren’t they interested in reading about our kids with SPD? Instead I get the “deer in headlight” look. My son is now 15 and he is doing better, but depending on how his day is going we still walk on egg shells waiting for something to set him off. Every now and then I have to haul a ball out and roll it on his back or “karate chop” as he calls it his back, up and down, up and down, on his arms, down the back of his legs. Whatever works.
I’ve come to this forum and learning about SPD very late for my son (he’s now a teen), He’s outgrown most of these things, but they very much described my life until the last two years or so. Some things that still linger, like he must wear socks & he still won’t put his face in water. Now that he’s older he’s also better at communicating what is happening to him, so he can articulate, that store is too loud (he doesn’t have to go with me anymore), the sun is too bright, those people get too close to me, etc. I wish someone would have told me about SPD when he was young, but he’s an amazing kid and I’m so proud of him and all he’s endured and all that he’s overcome on his own. It’s only up from here!
Many people are still learning what Sensory Processing Disorder is, so I’m not surprised it wasn’t caught for your kiddo. I’ve noticed with my own child (who’s now in 2nd grade) that he hasn’t really outgrown the sensory issues but that he’s able to manage his response, communicate what he needs and avoid sensory situations that he doesn’t like.
When wearing 5 pairs of pajamas to bed has become normal, because it feels like a big pajama hug all night