Mom

by Lacey
(Idaho)

My son is 6 almost 7. I have noticed many little differences in him as he's started school at age 5. His kindergarten teacher also noticed somethings that seemed to be red flags in her mind. I have had a couple Doctors look into this and have had no real results. Now in his first grade year hes falling behind terribly and all through the year his teacher has told me the same things. He cannot sit still, has hard time focusing, easily distracted by sounds or movement within the room or halls, chews excessively on his clothing, has a difficult time with other kids and making friends, complains of loud noises hurting his ears, and so on.




I am currently rechecking into ADHD and ADD, but his teacher brought to my attention the possibility of SPD. It is my understanding that these can all be linked. I am willing to try anything for my son, with the hope it will make school a little more enjoyable for him and his education wont be lacking. I have looked over the signs and symptoms check list and after reviewing it I have decided there is a strong possibility for this. I am going to bring this up with my sons doctor and hope that I can understand why he behaves this way and find a way to help him cope with it at school and at home. My only wish is help my son in any way possible to enjoy school and everything in between.



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May 05, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Your Son
by: Charlotte in Idaho

I know exactly what you're going through. My son exhibits almost exactly the same things as your son and I still have no real diagnosis for him .Over and over ADHD has been brought to my attention. Due to problems with school and his so called delays I decided to homeschool my child. He is no longer behind but very advanced. When he is in his home environment he concentrates perfectly. School was overload to him. My child only seems to be hyper only around unfamiliar people, too many people, and in public places. Im sure that he does not have ADHD.

The only advice I can offer is to learn your child and what he is sensitive to. Don't ever accept a doctors diagnosis if you feel its wrong. You know your child better than anyone else. I hope the best of luck to you.
Jan 23, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		ADVICE
by: Anonymous

Very interesting post above if you would like to ask: if you can advise on how to help a child 6 years of SPD. Who has difficulty writing letters to focus and concentration deficits also. Thanks.
Jan 22, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		RE:
by: Anonymous

spd can very much look like or be mislabeled, add, adhd. it can also be viewed as autism or aspergers. it is because they are both related very strongly to the neurological system. all children on the spectrum has sensory processing challenges. but not all children with spd are on the spectrum.

if you suspect spd, if possible, i would hook up with a qualified occupational therapist and start there. my son (now 6) has benefited greatly from working with one on/off for a few years now.

there are many great resources out there to help in this journey. you are not alone. :)
Jan 22, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		I hope this helps
by: Anonymous

Hello

I grew up with SPD. I struggled a lot in school and in day to day functioning. Since your son is still small it will be hard for him to articulate how you are able to help him. I know this can be frustrating. As I have reviewed the information it may very well be a possibility that your son has SPD. SPD is different for everyone and affects them differently. One solution for one person with SPD may be torture for another person with SPD. It is trial and error. You need to experiment to find coping skills for your son. This will take a lot of work. But once you find those coping skills it will make all the difference. If he does indeed have SPD it will mean he could also have some learning disabilities. You should try to have those diagnosed if you can. He may need to go on medication to help him focus as well this helped me a lot as a child.

As of now I am currently on no medications because I am old enough to understand my mind and body to control my impulses but as a child my mind was all over the place as were my emotions so it was difficult to make friends.Try testing him to see how he learns best. IS he a visual-spatial, verbal-linguistic, musical-rhythmic, logical-mathematic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, bodily-kinesthetic, or naturalistic learner. Once you nail this down hopefully you can use this way to teach him. You must remember that it doesn’t just need to be one learning method he could be good at two so don’t just be looking for one. As for coping methods with his SPD try activities with him using the senses. IF something such as his clothing is bothering him try distracting another sense. If he is having difficulty focusing because his clothing is bothering him try brushing his skin with a baby brush or filling bowels with different materials such as sand or grain or oatmeal or beans. Or giving him a stress ball to squeeze. Or playing music. Give him different textures and fabrics for him o run his hand over.

You could also try distracting him with taste. Give him small snacks to work for. Tell him if he finishes a school activity he will receive a small reward. Be sure not to do this all the time though. I hope some of this helped please feel free to ask questions.

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