Mom and Me SPD

by Karla Cothren
(Arkansas)

My name is Karla I am 34 and this past year I was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder! I am married with two beautiful little girls 7 and 2!

I have always known I have had issues and things that didn't feel right leading back to my childhood but I always found artistic ways to deal with and cope with my emotional struggles!

It wasn't until I had my first child in my 20's that it started to get worse. The high pitch of her cry rattled my ears so bad I couldn't function. Small things set me off I had a very difficult time copying with tasks and maintaining with day to day things!

Postpartum depression hit and I felt like the worst mother in the world. How could I be this way and want something so precious so much and love a child so much and not be able to function like a normal mother! This all was chocked up to postpartum depression I was put on Zoloft and after a week I was fine! I left it at that and started making up for all the lost time I couldn't deal with my baby! Spent time enjoying her loving her! It was wonderful!

Then 5 years past and my second came along ( Evey ) my Red headed mystery from beyond! I was completely enamored by her I did everything right breast fed, 6 weeks her sleeping next to me close contact bonding it was beautiful!! Surely this was going to be the right thing!

Well here we are 2 years in and Evey is a sensory processing baby, high anxiety, lashes out in anger, worst of it is I am sensory processing too! Seems we both struggle with it! Every day is a battle in my house of emotions! It is extremely difficult to be a mother and have this disorder struggling with it and trying to help your child who is struggling with it to at the same time!

I have went through the blame game with myself of have I caused this and is this my fault? I'm in therapy myself because I literally don't know what else to do! I am on medication to help with mine and it does help with my anger!

I also have ADD which I am on adderall. I have never wanted to take medications but now at my age I felt I could try and it has dramatically helped with my moods and coping with tasks and getting frustrated! My anger has improved allot!

I no longer spend most of my day yelling and instead try to find peaceful solutions which Inturn is way more helpful to my children! There is no right way or wrong way! It's finding the best way that works for your family! Meds are not always the best route! Please don't take them if you don't have to and don't run out and just start medicating your children there are better alternatives!

Sensory processing disorder is a overload of the senses and a very misunderstood disorder! At 34 I still catch myself wanting to through a fit because I can't fix my hair right and almost crying while my husband is looking at me like I'm crazy!

Lol I know it feels like you a overgrown child taking care of a child at times but always remember that if your a parent with SPD taking care of a child with SPD you have a unique view inside their world and can understand better then anyone what they are going through! You have the upper hand and the sooner you realize that the better you can help them! Most of all they won't have to travel that road alone you can be there every step of the way getting better every day with them!