Growth spurts affecting SPD

by Cherie
(Perth Western Australia)

My 5 yr old son has just been diagnosed with SPD (about 3 months ago) He has always had what we called "quirks" he has NEVER been a good sleeper( even as a baby he had to sleep on my chest and now will only sleep in my bed) he had to wear rubber gloves all the time (thank god that lasted only 6 months).




He has no feeling when it comes to extreme hot or cold if the weather is 40 degrees he puts on pants and a jumper and on a cold day he will run around in his jocks.

He always had problems with social skills from being a baby and biting everyone (oral seeking!) to getting very rough with children ( now know he has problems with proprioceptiom). He is a chronic sensory seeker. We have been using a weighted vest, chewing gum ( he was eating anything and everything),a weighted pen to help with his writing.

Over the past 6 weeks he has been having very angry outbursts, they are only happening in the afternoon I'm sure he is just frustrated and over tired by then from trying so hard all day, but I am finding that his sensory diet doesn't seem to be working to help calm him. His paed. want's to check for ADD but I don't think that that's the problem ( and dr's seem to want to hand out medication way too quickly don't they?)

When his sensory needs are being met he is able to concentrate for a good period of time. Having just read that growth spurts can affect SPD has just reassured me that I'm not a mum in denial (as a dr has told me on the past) He has grown 5 cm in the last month or so!!!! So thank you!



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Feb 18, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		growth spurt
by: Anonymous

just to add that my son is now .8 has spd, can't regulate heat and control his body, can't focus very well. he had 15 sessions last year of OT and we did a OT diet st home, sensory baths, deep compression, ice lollies, trampoline and bean bag circuits ., he's been amazing for months and we are super proud at his coping and self-esteem and confidence.

However he is going through a growth spurt now !! can't stop eating , emotional and exhausted his body is aching !! he hyped but exhausted. So tonight i've gone back to sensory bath , shaving to smear over the tiles and squash , turning the shower to a mono jet blast with cold and i did back massage and lots of hacking on his legs which he asked for quite hard pressure ??

it's a long journey but he was out like a light within 10 minutes !! it does work !! keep calm and keep smiling it's worth it in the end xx
Sep 17, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Leg pain
by: Anonymous

My son is 6 (last August 2015) he is in process of diagnose with autism spectrum ,I think is spd because since he is taking
Sensory diet with OT for around 3 month he is blooming .
He seems more happy,try to communicate more.
He is been complaining about knee ,legs,foot pain soreness
He do not like to walk much but he is always seeking crashing ,jumping ,hitting .
Dr did blood test for juvenile arthritis it was negative.
He told me he must be having growing pain (he is tall )
I would like to get a pediatrician with spt experience but it's hard.
My son do not want to go to school because he has to walk long areas ,should I ask to accommodate him with his IEP?
I do massage y compress legs morning and night .
My husband think I am giving him royal treatment ,(still hard for him accept his son has some challenges )
Any suggestions ?
May 06, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Hi
by: Anonymous

Hi Cherie!

My daughter experienced the same type of frustration and anger. She was such an intense little person! Throwing things, biting, not knowing when enough was enough and not really caring. She's now 12 and looking back I have to say that I underestimated what not being able to do what the other kids could was like for her. Everything was harder because of the SPD.

She couldn't keep up in conversation, didn't read social cues well. She couldn't jump rope, couldn't sing along on time (she has auditory issues)And to top it off it seemed that everyone loved these things!I enrolled her in piano and art classes to help her self esteem and it would work to a point. I did end up having to put her on ADD meds. By the 5th grade. It was a very difficult choice but once I did I wished I hadn't let her struggle for so long.

The right med. seemed to help her slow down enough to read social cues and cleared the fog with her school work. She was much less exhausted after school because her energy seemed better regulated. She is very successful now and we are actually seeing if she is able to go off her meds. O.T. seems very fluid working great one minute and not the next but hang in there because we definitely have noticed over the years the things that used to trigger my daughter aren't even a thought anymore!

FYI on the leg pain my daughter's OT explained to us that her leg pain might be due to the "Flight/Fight" response. My daughter has auditory defensiveness some noises literally terrify her air-conditioners, vacuums, ect. The OT said that her body was still receiving the panic message but she knew she had to sit still in class, fighting the urge to flee the classroom. So her muscles especially in her legs were tense much of the day. She often complained of intense hip/thigh pain.
May 05, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		sore knees
by: Anonymous

Maybe someone can help me with this, my son knees hurt every morning he is 5yrs old will turn 6 in July.this has been happening for abt 2weeks.Ive had x rays done on his knees, no problem there. So now we are waiting on blood test to come back. Do you think he is going thru a growth spurt?
Feb 08, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Growth spurts
by: Denise

Wow, I am having the same problem with my 5 year old SPD son. I have noticed he is growing because his hips hurt during a growth spurt but I have never thought that could be his trigger. HMMM, I wonder......
Feb 06, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Listening Therapy
by: Deanna

Has you OT ever tried Listening Therapy? Along with a sensory diet, Listening Therapy and brushing made a drastic difference for my son who was six at the time. We went from complete meltdowns to "ok mom".
Feb 06, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		growth spurts
by: Jason's Mom

I am so glad to read your blog b/c my son is all of the sudden experiencing similar angry fits and is the same age. I am going to definitely check if he has grown. Usually I can figure out what sets him off and change it, but for the past week and1/2 I haven't known what has been bothering him. Enjoyed reading your story!

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