SPD? Different from Day One

My daughter will be 7 this summer. She is beautiful, very bright, empathetic and "different". I had a normal pregnancy except she was breach, anterior placenta, c-section, and cord around her neck twice. She had normal apgars though and was ahead on all her milestones except toilet-training. She never slept though as an infant. Her dad and I slept no more than an hour to two the first four months. She would cry immediatley if we laid her down.

I breastfed, but she was colicy and would pull her legs up as if in pain while crying. She was half soothed by dark rooms, heavy bouncing, and loud white noise. She cried A LOT! Even family didn't come around much at all. She would be up for hours every night.

We ended up having her sleep with us because it was the only way we could get a min or two. By the time she was one, she still hadn't slept through the night. If I tried to get her to sleep in her crib, she would cry until she threw up. She could keep herself awake crying all night if I let her.

The first five months were hell. It got slightly easier after that, but she was sensitive. We hated bringing her places cause it seemed to bring out the worst in her. Everyone thought they had the answer, but nothing worked.

Age 1 1/2 till four, she pulled her hair out at night. We had to shave her head for a couple of years. She is VERY sensitive to sleep deprivation. Now she sleeps without trouble, but even a small change in her sleep schedule will make for a TERRIBLE day! Everyone calls her a "different kind of kid". She is not autistic, she is loving and sweet but SO sensitive and reactive! I feel like I'm walking on eggshells with her. She sees a therapist, but I don't feel like he gets the gist of her yet.

She also has clothes issues. She gets dressed in the morning (no jeans, no zippers or pockets, nothing too tight or too big, no sweaters or hoods, no short socks or socks with decorative stitching) but will lay on the floor saying "ahhhhh" while trying to adjust and tolerate what shes wearing.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? I love her more than ANYTHING, but my heart breaks everyday. She says her life is horrible. I took her to Disney Land and she cried in line for every ride convinced she'd hate it. She played with crabs on the beach but wouldn't put a toe in the water. I just want her to enjoy things like other kids do. Her moments of true childhood happiness are so rare.