Is it possible to really tell if a 1 year old has SPD?

by Michelle
(Englewood, Florida, United States )

My daughter turns 1 in the first week of December . She has a physical therapist who says she believes she has SPD and here is why.... She can't figure out how to do something unless she is shown over and over again for months. She bangs her head and body on everything,she has a real problem with being hugged or held close because her face and mouth are extremely over sensitive to the point if water gets on her face or I have to clean it off she cries hysterically . She doesn't and never has put things in her mouth and if you put any food with texture in her mouth or even anything besides stage 2 jarred food or her bottle she gets upset or tries to spit it out , she does vocalize but more often than not to toys unless she really wants something , or is in pain . There are other things to , but to keep it a little shorter.... Does anyone know if it's possible to tell if a child as young as her has SPD with the signs she is exhibiting ?



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Jun 27, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Son showed signs at 8 months
by: Anonymous

My son started showing signs really early. I have two other children that are totally different. My nephew is ADHD, sod, schizophrenic and bipolar.

I also have issues myself along with most every one of my family. He felt the air in the car and it hurt, he heard the engine sitting still and it hurt his evars, he won't sleep without me, I have to always be in his site of vision to the extreme of being in bathroom with him at all times, he constantly has his hands on me sometimes it is so bad he puts his hands in the back of my pants,he is constantly climbing and jumping from couch to floor, he constantly kisses me, if I get up at night he wakes and follows me even if he can see me.

It is very difficult to deal with as I have a avoidance issue a large part of the time. He only eats certain foods and very textured orientated. He says any type of sauce burns his mouth, no matter what it is, he Eats dry oatmeal, dry cereal, dry noodles, only chicken, but no other meats, very few vegetables and cold waffles and pancakes. In 13% tile in weight and height. But no signs of reasons why.

Gets explosive anger to the point of physical threats of killing other's and himself. He is 7 now and I have had to take him out of the school system because he can't do anything more than minor pre k work but he was failing and they pushed him to first grade. The really hard part is his dad thinks I am making it all up and won't listen to the Dr and asked the Dr what qualifies them to diagnosis his child four times in the only appt he ever went to. She finally told him that she has already explained to him that she is qualified and she doesn't know what to say and he threatened us with a lawyer. His psychiatric Dr believes he is also dyslexic, has a learning difficulty and possibly autism.
Feb 09, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Early symptoms
by: Sunshine

My son was 11 months old when we realized something was wrong. His early symptoms were VERY similar to your daughter. He is now 4.5 years old and has been officially diagnosed with SPD. He still doesn't put anything in his mouth (except his fingers to suck or chew on them). He won't eat textured foods or feed himself or drink independently. Overall, he's only on a 2 year old level. I'm having him evaluated at Vanderbilt this year to see if there is anything else going on besides SPD.

Will you update me on your daughter's progress?
Nov 22, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		You're welcome
by: William

You're most welcome. SPD usually runs in family's I've read this site for along time and never really joined in much, like i have lately, my journey to understand what i was going thru, i knew for all my life i've been suffering with some disorder, i didn't seek diagnosis after i became an adult because i didn't want to know. I felt ashamed and certainly didn't discuss it with anyone, not even family. I didn't learn the name of the disorder i suffer from until i was 32, i'm 35 now.

I always thought i had Dyspraxia a form of Dyslexia, because 6 years ago i did a Google search of fabric sensitivity and learned Dyspraxia has a mouth and touch sensitivity symptom. I made the same mistake 1,000s have made, i just found my symptom listed with the first disorder and diagnosed myself with it. None of the other symptoms of Dyspraxia fit me so i just told myself my other idiocies and strange behavior were just a result of who i was. I was dead wrong, when i discovered SPD the world of understanding opened and allowed me to explain to others and understand myself what exactly i struggled with as a child, and what i continue to suffer with to this day.

I've dedicated the last 3 years to the study of what constitutes proper SPD diagnosis, treatment and symptom discovery. Along side that i've studied the techniques to combat the un-diagnosed child's behavior. While studying all forms of SPD it had lead me to other disorders, and i have painstakingly studied them and the most common disorders which by the way are also the most commonly misdiagnosed disorders to. These disorders include ADD, ADHD, Autism, PSN, Dyslexia, Ect... I can say i've pretty much become and expert on behavior correcting, diagnosing, misdiagnosis and its prevention, treatment and new symptom discovery.

It's a long road to get to where you can actually understand what causes it, ways to control it, the overwhelming urges, and how to cope with the embarrassment, shame and depression all of us with SPD go thru. It's not easy to become comfortable to be open publicly and or privately, it affects how relationships progress and digress. It tests friendships and families beyond breaking point. It's taken awhile for me to truly accept i have a disorder, much less one like SPD. But over the last 3 years i have accepted i have SPD, and since i have accepted it, i can say i truly say i understand it. The first step to understanding it is accepting it.
Nov 22, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks
by: Michelle

Thank you for the input I appreciate all of it. It means a great deal to me , I'm just beginning to learn about this and that I was diagnosed as a kid myself, but was never told. Which actually does make some things make a little more sense to me . However it also kind of stinks, because I'm also learning that my little girl is somehow also not what most people would consider a typical baby. I will love her the same no matter what , but it is hard to learn how to help myself and her at the same time .... So any input at all people can give me on this topic is very appreciated
Nov 21, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		Forgot to add
by: Anonymous

Sorry forgot to add if the touching is painful have the child tested for Painful Sensory Neuropathy (PSN)
Nov 21, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		Yes in some cases its possible
by: William

I have read cases with children as young as 11 months old. But they will only classify it as a preliminary diagnosis and require follow up tests as the child ages. Having it classified as only a preliminary diagnosis can cause insurance headaches. Because it's not a real diagnosis most insurance don't see it as cost effective to approve specialist visits and treatment. They never reimburse for sensory toys and equipment under the preliminary diagnosis classification, so any equipment and or sensory toys you purchase would be out of your pocket.

I would suggest highly you schedule to get sensory toleration tests done and then tested for SPD if the toleration tests show its a wiring issue or a mental disorder issue. This will tell you if the touching is painful rather than uncomfortable. In SPD touches aren't painful they are either uncomfortable or pleasurable. If their is pain involved when touched that's a whole different ballgame.

Good luck please update us on your families journey.

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