An adult...and a recovering SPDer

by Liz
(Warwick, RI USA)

I am a mom, and I have always had SPD due to hydrocephalus and an apparent birth injury which also resulted in epilepsy. I'm nearly 42 now, and when I was growing up, of course nothing was known (certainly not by laypeople) about SPD. It would be years and years before anyone in my family could appreciate it, and by then, things like food texture issues, food smells, and sudden, loud sounds were things I had (mostly) learned to cope with.




Even today, though, I'm still mildly to moderately picky about my food (which is a real problem now that I have a Celiac dx and have to get rid of sugar!), but I'm learning to deal, and I feel a lot better than I did 4 months ago. I'm even losing weight again!! I still have difficulty tolerating loud, high pitched sounds (EBS tests on TV and radio are immediately turned OFF), and if I'm bumped into (or physically "moved out of the way," as my husband once attempted to do), I can still panic for fear of falling due to my balance and perception issues.

My son is 14, high-functioning autistic, and (of course) also has SPD. His issues are much more severe than mine ever were, but I'm slowly succeeding at changing his diet and helping him deal as well. I keep hoping that with the interventions he's been getting, he'll eventually do as well as I have, since I had none. (Curiously, he has Chiari Malformation, which is a close cousin to hydro and makes me even more certain that anyone with serious SPD needs an MRI to find out why they have it.)

What I'm wondering now is if there is any help for someone my age who still wants to improve in ability to cope with SPD. Even if it isn't able to help me much (and I don't need a lot of help), maybe it can help others I know.



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Oct 26, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sensory Learning Center Location
by: Becky

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know there is a Sensory Learning Center about 2 hours away from you in Danvers, MA. Just in case you were interested.
Oct 26, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		Treatment that might help
by: Becky

Hi!
I'm a mother of a 4 year old SPD son who had hydrocephalus due to a grade 4 intraventricular hemorrhage shortly after being born 3 months premature. He has been going to PT and OT his whole life.

This summer we found out about a newer therapy at a place called the Sensory Learning Center. They specialize in a broad range of learning and neurological disorders like autism, dyslexia, and of course, sensory processing disorder. They reach all parts of the brain during therapy by treating several systems at the same time. Vision, hearing, and vestibular stimulation.

The program is for both children and adults. It's a month long intensive program that is probably the most life changing month of these people's lives. I'm not saying once you go through the program you're a completely different person, but my son is now able to correctly process auditory information, he has much better awareness of objects around him, and he is much more willing and cooperative to do the PT and OT that will help him throughout his life. His mood swings are almost gone, he transitions very well between activities now, and he has lost a lot of his fear in doing everyday activities that used to paralyze him.

The Sensory Learning Center is nation-wide, but they're not in every state. We live in Michigan, where there are two centers. You can go to their website sensorylearning.com and find out more info. and locations.

Unfortunately the therapy there, like anywhere else, isn't cheap. But they do accept insurance, so that might help.

I would strongly recommend anyone with SPD (or parents) to look into their centers as it provides the help to SPDers on a level which we as parents are unable to give, but they desperately need.

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