It was early in O's life that I noticed these differences. At first they were mostly related to delays in his language development. As time went by, though, I noticed more and more disparities between O and other boys his age. He was not very active and resisted certain activities. As a result, near his second birthday, we enlisted the help of an occupational therapist.
The book, The Sensory Sensitive Child was recommended to me by O's OT and has been a great resource for me. This book was written by two women, mothers of children with sensory issues, who are also psychologists. Within the book, there were several statements and reflections that resonated with me. They said, "...the child with sensory modulation difficulties experiences the world as an uncomfortable, out of control place in which it is hard to figure out how to respond."
The authors of The Sensory Sensitive Child also describe a "dysfunctional sensory integration system" in which there is a "malfunction between the brains's translation of sensation into meaning and action." In other words, the brain is unable to adequately recognize sensation as either important or insignificant or dangerous or safe. This misinterpretation can lead to illogical or inefficient responses. This is my O.
Not long after starting this blog, I began looking for others who were blogging about raising children with sensory processing difficulties. Through this search I was led to a support group on Facebook, the A Sensory Life website, and to books written by an Occupational Therapist who is dedicated to helping parents live a sensory life. As a result, we have been able to try many new sensory strategies and exercises. These things, in addition to early intervention and education, seem to be helping O be a more regulated, happy little boy.
As an individual with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), O has experienced many challenges in his four years of life, and continues to interpret the world differently than those around him. And, while we have it easier than some, each day we adjust our lives to O and his needs. It makes ours lives easier to make that adjustment, to avoid meltdowns and crises. I am forced to think ahead, about every situation and how it might effect him and then I plan and hope that I did enough to avoid the negative effect.
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For other parents' perspectives on SPD visit the SPD Blogger Network.
