Helping A Hypersensitive SPD Child Who Is Injured Or Sick

by Carly
(Pennsylvania)

My 4 1/2 year old daughter, who has hyper SPD, seems to feel pain more intensely than other children. The slightest injury or illness can send her into a meltdown or get her hysterical.




When we are trying to help her feel better, she does not like us to go near her. It is difficult to pinch her nose with a nosebleed or even put a bandaid on her sometimes.

How can I still respect her SPD and help her when she's sick or hurt?

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The bottom line Carly is that this will all get better with some intensive Occupational Therapy treatment. As her nervous system begins to better integrate sensory input and regulate perceptions and responses, you will see less and less of this.

Can you give me some further information about her treatment?

How long has she been in OT?

What have they done to help her?

Have you done any of the following, ie. Listening Therapy, Brain Gym, Wilbarger Brushing Protocol, a home program and sensory diet, Earobics , etc.

How often does she go to OT? Is it private, in a clinic/hospital, or through the school system?

What improvements have you seen?

Also, do you feel you can communicate effectively with your OT? Can you approach her/him with questions and get thorough answers that you understand?

Do you have a copy of her evaluation? Did they go over it with you and set up the treatment plan WITH you?

Is your OT "SIPT" Certified or do they have a significant background in evaluating and treating SPD kids?

Do you feel the OT is helping in general?





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Feb 06, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		chap stick
by: Anonymous

Thanks! I hadn't thought to put it on while he was asleep! We've tried many different kinds and for a while he was willing to put on aquaphor, but now he won't use that either. He says it stings, but I suspect he just doesn't like the greasy feeling. (he also refuses to use moisturizer even when his skin is so dry it's flaking)
Feb 06, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Chap Stick
by: Anonymous

We went through this. I went and bought 5 different kinds that he chose. Stick with basic smells he is familiar with. He didn't use any of them but when he went to sleep I put on a medicated Polysporin. If he woke up a bit I just showed him the chapstick and he went back to sleep.

Once he was upset so I had him rub it off. But that just rubbed it into the sore nose area and his cracked lips. So it worked. Good luck!
Feb 05, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		How do I know when to call the Dr.?
by: Anonymous

My 5 yr old son has been suffering with tactile hypersensitivity for years, but only recently diagnosed. We are working with an OT now and we LOVE her!

He's beginning to regain trust that we are able to help him with some difficult things, but when he gets sick it all goes downhill again. He currently has what appears to be a cold, and his nose hurts so badly he declares he wants to kill himself and smacks/punches his face. It's hard for me to tell how sick he actually is as his reactions are very dramatic. (And I know they are very real too!)

How do I know when to take him to the Dr., and when it's just working through stuff at home? And how can I get him to put chapstick on?!
Oct 17, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		5 year old
by: Kay B

My 5 year old boy has been diagnosed with SPD. We have seen his OT once a week, for about four months now. We are brushing and following a sensory diet.

Any kind of paper cut is a major thing to him, it will hurt for days, especially in the bath. He doesn't let us put a band-aide on anything because of the pain involved in its removal. We have tried all sorts of cool band-aides and watching videos of kids removing band-aides etc.

Falling off of his bike that lead to road rash meant he cried for an hour plus. While he is still crying we clean him up - wash with soap and put antibiotic ointment on. Its best to clean him up soon after otherwise it will lead to another hour of crying on top of the initial pain.

The best thing that has worked is holding him and acknowledging he has a boo boo. Trying to get him to think of happy things, in his case its trucks. Giving him his favorite stuffed animal. Letting him watch a bit of his favorite show, with his favorite liquid - rootbeer. having him drink helps him slow down the crying a bit.

We hope in the future he can be ok with band-aides. We hope for many things for our son and for all kiddos with SPD because its very real.
Sep 03, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		pain sensitivity
by: Anonymous

I am so glad to have seen your post. YES, my son is exactly like this. He has extreme emotions when he gets hurt... and it is very hard to handle when in public when people just think he is being whiny.

If we are at home he refuses to have anyone look at him, talk to him, touch him etc. and he is the same in public but it was often made even worse because friends will want to come up and comfort him which just draws him more into himself... and it will take up to half an hour for him to rejoin his friends again.

He has the same reactions to being sick.... he is over the top and sobs and says things like 'why is this happening to me'... it is just torture for all of us!

So...you are not alone! This is one of those things that was so comforting to read about because I could never understand why he acted that way... and now it is like 'aha!...there is a reason'!

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