Dealing with 2 children with SPD

by Stephanie
(Oklahoma)

I will first start off with my daughter who is now 7 years old and we are just confirming she has this problem. I have suspected for 4 years and could not find the right place. We had her tested at 3 by the public school and was told they simply did not have her long enough to see a problem.

Some of her problems included:

She could run her hand under hot water or stand on a furnace grate and not be bothered. She does not like unexpected touch. Loves bear hugs. Could not go to sleep with out me rubbing her back or playing with her hair. She could not wear clothes with tags. She simply does not function right in large crowds. She will cover her ears and scream when things seem to loud, she tends to have a loud voice, and she loves to rock and swing. She recently fractured her foot and went several hours before saying something was wrong. When I took her to the dr she laughed when they touched it.

When she was five we were finally convinced to put her on behavior medicine, but things did not get better for long. Once the sleepiness wears off the behaviors are back and they just up her medicine. We have been told she has seizure disorder, bipolar disorder, impulse control disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, memory and processing problems, speech and language disorder, and recently sensory problems.

She is now 7 and in the first grade and has rages. Things are not getting better and the school doesn't understand. They have pretty much said she is just bipolar or ADHD they have no understanding of sensory problems. We are currently in the waiting stages of seeing if our insurance will pay for occupational therapy. Hers has been denied once. We are crossing our fingers.

Now onto my 3 yr old son. We noticed as long as he was in a bouncy seat or swing or if you swaddled him in a blanket he would sleep.

As the year progressed he started doing similar things to his sister. Covering his ears when he thought something was too loud, rocking back and fourth, does not like tags in his clothes and he does not like tight fitting clothes. He will have meltdowns. He loves to wear wind pants or jeans that are 2 sizes to big for him. He doesn't want his hair combed. He will brush his teeth but his way only... no one can help him.

He screams if you wash his face or try to trim his nails. He washes his face himself as he cant stand to be dirty. He washes his hands constantly. The school says he washes his hands all the time, and melts down when He is made to sit at the table with a bunch of kids or circle time.

He can do circle time if left alone a couple of feet back so he can rock. He loves to feel silky things so he still has a snuggly. He is almost 4... He took the pacifier till he was 2. He still chews on things that he isn't suppose to chew on.

He was recently evaluated for the third time and this OT seen what I was talking about. He was approved for OT services and we are waiting on a waiting list.

The school also said he had a meltdown cause they asked him to play in shaving cream. They said he does not like playing with other kids... he would rather play by himself.

In the last month he did make a friend. He has a tendency to bang his head and bite himself. He will lash out if someone gets to close. During the summer he suffered second degree burns and did not flinch... the Doctors were impressed... they had never seen anything like this before.

Fortunately my sons preschool is making the necessary arrangements and modifications for him. He is going to get an aide and they are going to evaluate him for school services.

His only other diagnosis is speech and language delays. I refuse to medicate him like we did our daughter before we try this OT. Many people tried to convince me my son was autistic but he wasn't. We have got our diagnosis and are just waiting on treatment. We still have a long journey ahead.