Monday, January 04, 2010

What does Sensory Processing Disorder look like?


I warn you, this is a very long post. You may wish to come back to it with a cup of tea and some cookies and some time...



Today I'm completely frayed and I need to write about it in this journal. I really appreciate the kind comments and emails about the inspiration you find in my diary entries. It does my heart good to know that you too, see the snippets of beauty that I try to focus on. I'm very grateful for my life, but this diary doesn't give you the whole picture. And today I need to write about the grit. This is not a rant, this is not a complaint...it just is.

I don't remember how or who put the bug in my ear about sensory processing, but the more I read, the more bells went off. After reading more about it I felt that Satch should be evaluated. This was not an easy decision. I was confused and uncertain, but I also felt, that as his mother, it was my duty to find out what was going on as things were becoming more intense. And that is the best way I can summarize these 4 1/2 years...it's been"more" of everything and the only thing predictable about our days is that they are always unpredictable.

From the time Satch was born, I have been teetering with self-doubt. I kept wondering if I just didn't have this maternal instinct I'd heard about. I was wondering why I kept missing his cues. I kept muddling through motherhood reading as many books as I could trying to figure things out. Meanwhile I kept noticing certain characteristics that really stood out to me as they were not typical of what I had observed in other children. Yet, I couldn't put what I was feeling into words.

As an infant, Satch never gave me any of the hunger cues that babies do, like nuzzling the breast etc. I had to offer the breast every two hours and at any sign of fussiness. Though, he never really fussed, he was (and still is) very particular. My motto became, when in doubt, offer the boob. He wasn't a colicky baby. He almost never spit up. Satch hated to be swaddled. He hated his swing and hated his sling until he was strong enough to sit up in it. He became so distressed by tummy time that I had to discontinue it. He was not the kind of baby who happily sat on your lap sucking his fist or shaking a toy. Instead, it was as if he was hyper-present, very aware, following conversations, and observing his surroundings. Play had to be initiated - always - and I noticed that if I stopped playing, he would stop. He never crawled. He rolled, then walked.

Satch NEVER slept through the night and naps were sporadic, unpredictable and took great effort to induce. I had to watch for signs of sleepiness, and the times of which could vary from day to day. It seemed as though just as I began to see any sort of pattern forming, he would change things up on me. The only thing I knew for certain, was that the stroller helped and I put a lot of miles on those wheels in order to help my son sleep. He didn't sleep through the night until just before his THIRD birthday. He is now 4 1/2 yrs old and he wakes me up at least once during the night...by twisting my hair so hard that it hurts, by insisting that I roll this way or that. He does not like it when I cuddle him. He wakes me just to talk.

On a bad night, like a few nights ago, I could not even tell you how many times that he woke me up. I felt like a stone being skipped across a lake. Every time I would begin to sink into sleep, he would wake me up again. And when he finally went to sleep, I could not. I got up at 4 AM with a cup of coffee to take advantage of the moment of solitude. I was so tired that I felt ill. THEN suddenly Satch came creeping down the stairs. I lost it...I cried.

I don't come to this page so early in the morning because I WANT to. I'm up early because my body has become accustomed to being awake at this hour for the reasons stated above. I get up this early so that I can have an hour or so alone before the perpetual motion of the unpredictable day begins. It is then that I write my diary entries and remind myself that this time (no matter how stressful) is precious and fleeting. I remind myself that before I know it he'll be off to college and I will have more time than I will know what to do with. I also tell myself that this roller coaster ride will have to sort itself out sooner or later and in the meantime, I will keep asking questions, keep reading until I find an answer, a groove.

"Focus", I tell myself, "on the beautiful parts".

It seems to me that over the years a few things have gotten easier, but as a whole, many things have gotten a LOT harder. Satchel's toddlerhood (sleep habits notwithstanding) seemed rather mellow in some ways. People often commented on how calm and happy he appeared in spite of his (and my) lack of sleep. Yet, the older he gets the more wired he gets and now my son is unable to sit still during a meal. There are times when I cannot have a conversation with my husband at the table without interruption... and I'm not talking ordinary interruptions like interjections to add to the conversation, nor your average kidley questions. When Satch is having "a hard day", he will make noises every time one of us opens our mouth to speak. I've tried the talking stick. I've tried NVC, time-outs and time-ins, you name it. No form of consequence seems to help for any length of time. The only time I can talk to my husband uninterrupted is when Satch is asleep and frankly, I'm so exhausted at 8pm that I can rarely stay awake to creep back downstairs to talk about anything. I'm drained. Moreover, I never actually know what kind of a night it will be as they are as unpredictable as our days. I usually fall asleep before 9pm.

Within just the last few months I have been able to have a somewhat normal conversation on the phone with friends, but I have to be ready to abruptly end a conversation if needed if he's having "a hard day".

On "a hard day" if I attempt to start dinner before my husband comes home, he will often create distraction in the kitchen. He may crash repeatedly into the front door; try to swing on the refrigerator door; or run up and yank the hot oven door down and nearly burn himself. One evening was so insane, that I had to sit him on a chair in our very small kitchen as a consequence while I finished preparing the meal. Here, I should tell you that I have always kept a magnet board in the kitchen because I thought this might redirect his energy. I should also mention that we have a learning tower so that he can safely help with the prep. Sometimes, it's a lovely experience, but often he gets distracted or goes into over drive and it becomes stressful. I'm still trying to figure out which kitchen activities interest him, which is soothing to him, and which turns him into the Tasmanian Devil. The only thing I know for certain, is that cookie dough is a safe bet, though he will not roll it or play with it. He'll only cut the cookies. He doesn't like getting his hands sticky, that is clear.

In his early years, Satch seemed to enjoy baths, but somewhere in the course of a year something shifted. He would scream so loudly when it was time to wash his hair that I thought for certain someone would phone the police - and I've never once got soap in my son's eye and keep a dry hand towel nearby, because he freaks out over the tiniest drop of water that may roll down his face. I've tried everything, toys, tub flutes, tub crayons, foam creatures, foamerator, and even shaving cream. It's all hit or miss depending on his mood. There was one stretch during the summer where he actually wanted a bath and asked for it. I seized the opportunity hoping that this anti-bath phase had passed, but it seemed that this new bath-love was a phase and we are once again back to bath-loathe. Within the last few months, he finally stopped the screaming, but there is almost always resistance mixed with some sort of drama during bath time. He's bathed 2-3 times per week - even so I have been conditioned to dread it.

Haircuts? Out of the question. He insists on having his hair long, which is fine with us, but he has to be convinced i.e. bribed with a lolly to have it trimmed away from his eyes. We've even tried funky pirate headbands to keep the hair out of his face. We feel that he has the right to rock his own style. In fact, as soon as he was able to reach, we allowed him to choose clothing. That is how we learned our son's preferences for color, textures, and toys even before he could speak. We're totally cool with supporting his personal style, but I have now learned that it is avoidance. Brushing his hair a/o trimming nails can be an effort depending on his mood.

Satch is a picky eater. While he is adventurous in trying new foods, it is questionable on any given day what I may be able to get him to eat. And we all know that one can not thrive on pizza and mac n' cheese. Anything green is almost always out of the question unless it's a pickle or a cucumber, but anything covered in cheese or onions is usually a safe bet. He doesn't seem to get thirsty so we must remind him to drink and offer a variety of options besides water in an effort to get him to drink. We look for organic fruit/vegetable juices with a low sugar content. He is unable to sit still during the meal. In a restaurant, he's all over the booth or will try to lean across the table top, and sometimes he'll continually hang or go under the table. We keep a bag full of wonderful portable toys in our car to keep him amused when we go out to eat, but it is not about being bored...he is physically unable to sit still. He immediately takes off his shoes, even in the restaurant.

Satch didn't like bibs and became an extraordinarily neat eater very early and this really stood out to me because little ones love getting messy and that's all good. So, I made a habit of playing with finger paints very early and encouraging him to get messy. This backfired and the next thing I knew, he was picking up dog poop outside, and once a half dead bee which subsequently stung him. It was as if he was unable to decipher what was touchable and what was not. Now at 4 1/2 he's got that part figured out, but when engaged in messy play, he will insist on changing his clothes the moment he notices a speck on them. If he drops something on himself while eating, he often wants to change. "I don't like STAINS", he says. This makes for lots of laundry. I should add, that as a visual artist, I have paint on most everything I own so I'm not uptight about such things. Once during an afternoon at the stream, he slipped and got mud all over his bottom. He freaked and wanted to go home. He actually asked, if we could walk to a nearby friend's house to borrow a clean pair of pants. I had to convince him to continue to explore and play, assuring him that he could change his clothes when we returned.

He has an aversion to old, worn clothes like my nubby fleece and faux fur vests that I wear around the house when I'm cold, he often hides them so that I'm unable to locate them. His mantra is, "Dada's sweatshirt 'what' has the string pieces on the edges is ugly!"

My son takes off his shoes and socks the instant he's in the house, even if his feet turn white from cold. Tags are removed from clothing and most recently, wash cloths. I couldn't figure out why he wasn't at all interested in Taggies when he was a wee babe, NOW I get it. The coat zipper can not be pulled all the way up; the top button must remain unfastened - or it "chokes" him and he "can't breathe". Hats are tolerated, but often "too tight". Scarves are tolerated, but often "too tight - can't breathe". He has never tolerated a blanket so he wears footed fleece pajamas in the winter or bump up the heat up a notch. If you've been reading my journal for some time you may recall the color coded thermometer. That is how desperate I was (and still am) to have have a drama free season change.

We don't have a lot of rules in our family and try to reserve no's for that which can hurt him or others. That is not to say we are permissive. Yet, even with all this freedom and regard for his feelings and individuality, it felt as though Satch was going through, and I cringe to write this phrase, "terrible twos" at 4 years old.

While moody is not a term I like to employ, I refer to my son as passionate, I believe moody is how some people would describe my son - perhaps even moody-deluxe. The bottom line is that my son is just a bit "more" of everything because for him, the world is more...more loud, more bright, more sticky, more tight, etc. I try to have a sense of humor about it all and have been known to quote that line from the film, Spinal Tap, "this goes to eleven". Yet, it is this more-ness that makes him both exquisite and exhausting, delightful and depleting...it's because, he goes to eleven.

People often ask me,"is he always so on the go". Ummm...YES! - from the time his eyes open until the time they close, he is in motion. And though he gave up his unpredictable naps a long time ago, I still insist on "quiet time" for one hour every day. He watches a movie on the sofa. I catch my breath and think. And what I think about is this...all this...everything...on one continuous loop! And when I get up before the birds, I try to write about our days in a way that will reflect the magical moments and not the melt downs because when I print my blog into yearly diaries, I want my son to look back on these journals and remember his childhood warmly. I don't want him to remember it as a struggle.

For quite some time, I've been conferring with friends and family in an attempt to figure this all out. My gut feeling was telling me all along that something was different. That it was if Satch was not always able to read body language, facial expressions and verbal cues in the way that others do, that he misses some signals. Yet, I kept doubting my gut feeling because it just didn't make sense to me that Satch could be unable to read certain cues yet was already reading simple sentences? This feeling of confusion and helplessness has left me feeling like I totally suck at motherhood. I've been feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and exhausted! That is, until now.

Satch completed his evaluation with an occupation therapist last week and demonstrated high markers in the area of sensory defensiveness, low tone in the trunk and some auditory processing issues. NOW everything is beginning to make sense...the constant movement, hanging, leaning on me to the point that it's painful; the lack of sleep; sensitivity to socks, shoes, tags, touch (he does not like hugs from anyone other than his father and me). His visual perception is advanced for his age. His sense of smell is also heightened. I guess this explains how he was able to correctly identify the owner of a hat left behind at our solstice party because, he said, "it smells like her head". It ALL makes sense!

The part of Satchel's nervous system that processes specific input about the world around him is developing at a slower rate than is typical for his age and that is why he is behaving the way that he is. Intellectually, he's very bright, but in certain sensory areas, he responds more like a two year old. It is not because he is a "difficult" child, though I would not say that being his mother is easy, by any means. I have lost my patience, raised my voice and even sobbed on more than one occasion. He behaves this way because he needs a little help smoothing things out and I'm determined to see that he gets what he needs.

While the veil of confusion had been lifted, it still left me with a few questions. Why? Did something happen at birth? What did I do wrong? What did I not do that I should have? Why?

I learned as babies, we all learn about the world around through our senses. We all grow at different rates and this includes sensory processing. I learned that there is a large genetic component. I learned that many adults have some mild form of sensory issue, but the difference is that today we know more about the physiology of the brain and there are specific therapies that can help restore some balance and help with integration. Most importantly, I learned that it was nothing I did or didn't do, and that it just IS...and that I may actually have some sort of motherly intuition after all:

I know my son. I know his likes, dislikes, and interests. I know that on vacation I need to prepare some crafts and activities to engage him the same way I do at home. I know that I must bring certain toys. I know that the Fall weather brings many challenges. I know that certain textures bother him. I know that he has some difficulty sleeping. I know what sets him off. Most importantly, I know that my son is a passionate, creative, playful, intelligent, witty person and he is not simply acting-out. He is trying to be.

During this new year, we will be hopping a bus cross town twice a week for the next 9-12 months so that Satch can receive occupational therapy. This is in addition to the other mommy-and-me-classes that he enjoys. Therefore, I have decided that I will only be writing here in my journal on Mondays and Wednesdays. I have kept a journal for nearly half my life and I realize that talking to myself on this page (and to you) has been a very big part of my own self care as it helps me to feel grounded. However, I will be unable to commit to writing four days per week and I think that this is the only way I can meet the needs of my family as well as my own. This is what feels right for me at the moment.

*For more information about SPD, click here and here.

I will return on Wednesday with a really swell tutorial for Charlie & Lola lovin' kidlets.
Most Alive Monday will resume next week.

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posted by Wendy at 4:34 AM

25 Comments:

Blogger ommom said...

thank you for sharing all your beautiful moments. I have be following you for quite some time and truly appreciate your wisdom, and have 'borrowed' many of your beautiful traditions! (ie, Sugar Fairy) many thoughts of peace and white light being sent your way!
K

8:52 AM  
Blogger Wendy said...

thank you, k. savoring your thoughts of peace and white light. xo

9:05 AM  
Blogger Duffy said...

I have so much respect and gratitude for your ability and willingness to write this post.

I love your journal, but have often craved to know more of the "gritty" side of motherhood. I think because in many ways I look up to you and admire you so much and when I experience my own gritty moments it helps to know that a mother who is obviously so attuned to her child and so loving in her parenting, has struggled too.

That being said, I read this as an honest and brave truth that will help many - but also, and maybe more importantly, a story of a mama who went to great lengths, and often felt frustrated, alone, and confused, only to find that she was following the right path all along without knowing it (well, I think you knew it in a deeper way). It is a wonderful reminder to us as mothers that even in the hardest and darkest and messiest hours, we are learning about our children, and ourselves. We are collecting valuable information and we are knowing them.

Thank you for this Wendy. I have so much respect for you and all you are doing as a mom and an artist. Mercies to you in this journey.

10:38 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You've come a long way, and we're both still here together.

11:11 AM  
Blogger Nancy Bea Miller said...

Seeing the stunning photos of your beautiful boy and your gorgeous crafts and lovely home and inspiring focus on the luminous aspects of life, somehow I did not expect this. I really appreciate your also sharing the "underbelly of the beast" that we all know so well. Hang in there Wendy!

11:49 AM  
Blogger Wendy said...

Thank you, Stacy, Mae, Nancy.

I didn't expect this either, believe me. I did everything that felt right for him and most nurturing...when I ate healthy during my pregnancy. When I found out I had gestational diabetes, I kept my glucose levels within range - I didn't cheat. I had an un-medicated labor until the unexpected c-section. I nursed for an extended period of time and didn't even introduce solids until he was clearly ready and interested. Child lead weaning, co-sleeping, preservative free vaccines - I've done it all. And it still is....and quite unexpected.

Just another leg in our journey together. XO

12:41 PM  
Blogger Emily Baker and said...

Wendy,
Wow! I have followed along on your beautiful diary for sometime now, for inspiration and the desire to do a better job of grasping those fleeting and magic moments of my own boys' young years. Imagine my surprise today to find an entry that I could have written. It took my breath away. I think that Sensory Processing Issues are far more common then most people/doctors recognize. I hope that your OT becomes a wonderful partner for you as you all learn ways to tune up and more fully turn on Satch's nervous system. I will look forward to reading about your progress. Good luck. Emily
PS. Have you tried guided mediations at bedtime with Satch?

3:25 PM  
Anonymous vickie said...

Wendy, wow. wonderful post. why? because you are so truthful and in sharing your challenges it simply makes one feel less alone in theirs. So thank you for sharing what is going on. you also know that i think you are one amazing mom. and i know you can never hear that enough if you're like me. i'm so happy you've searched and now found a course that is offering some much needed positive steps you can take to feel better. i hurt when you talk about being so tired that you feel ill. i know that feeling.

a LOT of these things you mention are things my children do. sitting still at dinner and out at restaurants, taking shoes off everywhere....but alas we know our kids.

best of luck in this new venture with your beautiful son Satch...he is a dear and you are both so lucky to have eachother!

5:53 PM  
Anonymous Michelle M said...

Thank you for being so brave in sharing this. I think all mums worry that our children are going to have something that is going to make life harder for them. Luckily for Satch he has you - your wisdom, patience and guidance will help him be the best Satch he can be. I truly believe we can't "make" our children into the people we think they should be - it is our job to help them be the person they already are.

It gave me shivers to read how you have struggled. I dare not claim to understand, but I do remember times with my son (I also often get asked "is he always that busy/energetic/full on?") when I was beside myself with tiredness, anxiety, grief. Getting help, support and good advice was the only way ahead and it has made life so much easier for my family, as I hope it will for yours.

I hope this becomes a precious time for your family as you find your way along this new path. May it bring you opportunities for growth, pride, learning and understanding. You are in my thoughts.

9:28 PM  
Anonymous Stacy (Mama-Om) said...

Wendy,
Thank you for sharing this... I believe Satch is blessed to have such an in-tune mama. I am wishing you much strength, delight, and continued awareness on your journey together.

Blessings,
Stacy

10:20 PM  
Anonymous 6512 and growing said...

I have several friends who's kids have been diagnosed with sensory processing disorder. Labels can be confining, and also can be signposts pointing to an area needing help. All kids need help with certain areas, while they thrive in others.

Your boy is lucky that his Mama is strong enough to seek help; he will benefit with your compassionate questions. I wish you peace and strength. You are not alone.

1:34 PM  
Blogger Melanie J. said...

My heart goes out to you, and please know that your strength guides others.

1:51 PM  
Blogger Allison said...

big hugs to you mama! satch is so blessed to have a mama in touch with her instincts, in tune to her babe, and filled with enough strength and love to see it all through. i wish i could send you a nap, but an internet hug will have to do. you are an amazing mother - such an inspiration. thank you for continuing to share, so candidly, your journey here. my thoughts are with your family. xx

1:03 AM  
Anonymous christina said...

Wendy, I'm late to find my way to this post--but I'd love to share some insights with you, if you're interested. I was an elementary teacher for seven years, and spent two of them teaching a boy with Sensory Integration Disorder. He was one of my favorite students ever--and I learned so much from him--and he was just like your Satch. Unpredictable, bright, challenging, particular, advanced and delayed all rolled into one kiddo. I learned a lot of ways to help him academically and socially--and the two of us clicked. I got him, even though I was endlessly challenged by him... If you think I could be of any help at all, please email me (christina{at}mytopography{dot}com)
Hugs! You are an AMAZING mother.
Christina

2:27 PM  
Anonymous vlhsaft said...

Oh Wendy! My heart goes out to you, you have been working so hard and doing it so positively and joyfully. I've worked with many families when they have just discovered their child has Sensory Issues and none have been as attuned and thoroughly observant as you are in this post. It was so brave of you to ask for help, you are so obviously an educated, dedicated mama with tons of chutzpah. OTs are really amazing and have lots of secret, subtle things to try that no regular person would think of. They can help Satch go from 2 to 8 to 6 and sometimes 11, because sometimes 11 is good, like in Cleveland. I wish you and your family the best. I hope you get some rest. Peace. Vanessa

11:40 PM  
Blogger Kirsten Michelle said...

Thank you so much for sharing this part of your story here, Wendy. My son was a little older then Satch is now when we started working with an occupational therapist who helped tremendously with his sensory processing and our understanding of it. Kaiden is 10 years old now.
I hope we have an opportunity to talk more about it one day.
Sending you love and (((hugs))).
xoxoxo

10:51 AM  
Anonymous pix said...

Just wanted to chime in here and tell you again how proud I am of you following your gut. You've always been keen that something was up and I want to honor that, love.
You have a truly bright and beautiful son and family. Now hopefully things will ease up a bit and make some sense!!
xoxo p

12:45 AM  
Blogger Amber said...

Children are blessings in so many disguises!

4:51 PM  
Blogger happymom said...

Isn't it amazing when we learn our child is not in the middle of the bell. There is a big learning curve as you discover out how to work with and help this extreme person.

My own daughter (now nine) was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. I think there is undiagnosed SPD, plus vestibular and proprioception issues too. She is very picky about her food, and has sleep issues even now.

We did a type of OT, which I think made a big difference. Recently we took her off of wheat and added fish oil. (With a picky eater, that is an extra pain.) She is a smart person. Like you I have been respectful of her needs and wants, even when I could not understand them, and have tried to give her a good foundation to develop from.

These many years of various therapies are finally paying off. She is becoming more able to play quietly, more able to listen. She is less anxious, more focussed.

So, this is a note of encouragement. Adding OT visits and diet changes can be another straw on the camel's back. However, in the long run, it is really, really worth it. Congrats to you for making the effort early to get a diagnosis, and for the commitment to giving Satch such a wonderful life. You are an amazing Mom.

8:06 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

My son has SPD as well and I am sooo loving the comment yours made about "it smells like her head" when it came to the hat that was left. These SPD children are amazingly perceptive! We are lucky to have them even if they stress us down to the very core of our existence. My son is now 6 (diagnosed at 4 as well) and I can tell you that while it doesn't always flow smoothly every day those OT's can work miracles for children as well as mommies! Be strong and courageous, mom! You were made to be his mom and it is not by accident that he is your son! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or just need a mom to understand when it has been "one of those days".

5:40 AM  
Anonymous Michelle said...

Wendy,
I just stumbled on this post and am new to your blog, but I wanted to tell you how very brave and beautiful it was for you to share this. It is wonderful that you trusted your intuition to guide you to an evaluation and I'm sure seeing an OT will make a world of difference. I wanted to share a resource with you if you haven't heard of it already....it's a book called "Is it a Big Problem or a Little Problem? When to Worry, When Not to and What to Do About It." It is a wonderful, practical resource explaining sensory issues, motor planning, auditory issues, etc and offers some very concrete strategies and solutions. I'm sure your OT will provide you with a lot of the same information, but I have found it handy to have a written guide to refer to when needed. Also, it's written by some local therapists (OT, Speech, and Behavior Management)in the MD/DC area, which is pretty cool! Hope it helps in some way. Also, the best help is patience, time, creativity and that wonderful mama intuition which you already have! You will see progress, of that I am sure.

3:14 PM  
Blogger wayfarer said...

My son is the same age and has the same thing...he was diagnosed at 2. I knew there was something different about him but couldn't put my finger on it. We have many of the same things...baths, food, transitions, getting dressed always a battle. Some has improved, some has gotten worse over the years. Therapy didn't help much unfortunately because he would trick the therapist and they never saw the true him. These kids are very smart, often very instinctively smart. It's like they have a sixth sense. Even when my son is bouncing off the walls (like when he eats) he catches everything that is said. I have a pile of books on the subject and i've been trying everything for years and can only share a few things that i know helped. Removing all additives, food colorings from body products and foods and any artificial anything. My theory on it is similar to the Mark Hyman book Ultramind Solution (too many toxins in our environment, too much negative energy...microwaves, tv towers, wireless devices, etc etc etc). Some little bodies can't handle this stuff. When these things became more commonplace, that is when autism, spd, ahdh etc really skyrocketed. They want to find one thing that causes the problem but like autism is a spectrum so are the causes. This is my opinion of course... There are support groups. I joined an online one a year ago and gained a lot of insight from it by listening to others who have been going through it a lot longer and it really helped me understand more about it. If you are interested i can send you a link. I hope everything i said is okay. I'm sensitive about the subject too. It's hard to talk about because most don't understand it and everyone wants to offer solutions which isn't so simple.

6:34 PM  
Blogger Honey said...

Hi, my son was diagnosed nearly a year and a half ago. He's almost 11. Trust me, it's hard. I remember before he was diagnosed I really believed I was a bad mother. I thought he just hated me & I didn't know why. I just found you and I came from something else but as I was looking for a follow button I saw the SPD linnks & thought...huh?! I've forgotten now where/why I came but I'm also staying for the SPD stuff.

A few recommendations... Buy his clothing from Salvation Army/Goodwill/Consignment stores. They're softer & feel so much better to them right out of the box. Play the radio. Tyler will mke his own 'music' if it's not noisy enough or there is too much going on. It really helped us by buying an mp3 player I'd download different music but only a few songs at a time cause he prefered to play the crap out of them & he can listen to it over & over without driiving me crazy. Be sure to read all the 'out of syncs' they're the best in helping you understand. Parenting a child with Sensory Processing Disorder is also really helpful in the beginning.

Honey

4:12 PM  
Blogger Wendy said...

thanks, everyone, for your support, advice, and resources. much appreciated. i try to respond to comments via direct email, but if i am unable to locate it via link etc., i try to respond here.
much love to you all,
wendy

10:17 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you so much for sharing your information. hopefully it is great information for us.

8:01 AM  

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