SID - child Myself

by Ashley
(North Carolina)

It really hit me hard when I read about the difficulties in diagnosing a child with SID (now SPD) when something like SID is normal, how is a child supposed to explain that walking on the grass barefoot is like physical torture.

I understand because I suffer from SID. I had to have my foot held by my grandfather when I was a baby so that I would go to sleep. I could eat nothing for supper but plain fried/grilled chicken and plain white rice/potatoes. Everything else would make my eyes water the flavors seemed so strong. I still walk on my tip-toes.

Now, at 18, I find that many of my symptoms have reversed. I crave extremely sour/spicy foods, I love cuddling and being hugged by people I'm close with (although strangers brushing against me still makes my skin crawl), and I love loud music. I'm seeing alot of these symptoms in my little sister, and some in my mother. The trouble paying attention in school and remembering my homework almost every day, which destroyed my self-esteem in high school, now makes sense. Unless there were no distraction whatsoever, I was so absentminded, I nearly failed several classes. The only way to focus, believe it or not, was to listen to music with headphones. Since it was a constant noise, I could filter it out, but it also blocked out anything potentially distracting.

I just wanted say thanks so much for putting together this comprehensive list, that covers all the areas of SID. It's helped my little sister get an early diagnosis so maybe she can avoid some of the hardships I went through.