Is it to late for my eight year old?

I have two sons (6 and 8). My 6 year old has been in therapy for Auditory Processing Disorder and will be starting OT for SPD. But I think my oldest child needs to be also. He has had issues since a baby (mainly social, tactile and oral). Since he has been in school we've been thinking his extreme anxiety is due to the social aspect of life.




He was a very sleepy and compliant baby, but didn't eat alot. Extremely frightened of crowds and groups of people especially other children. I remember the screaming and crying when nail clipping time came and when the bath water was too hot or too cold. But the main thing that has been such an issue for us as a family is the emotional upheaval. At age 3 the rages started up over nothing and would last for hours, the only thing to calm the meltdowns would be strapping him in his car seat and driving. Once they were over he was back to his loving self - It was definitely a Jekyl and Hyde scenario. He had feeding therapy at the age of 4 but the mood swings continued. One minute he was fine then a full blown rage ensued for hours. Since the age of 4/5 his moods have been getting better, but the anxiety is off the top. School has been a nightmare, so first grade he started seeing a counselor for social anxiety. We have seen a couple counselors, but I'm not feeling we've got to the root cause. The counselor isn't saying for sure, but it seems she is looking at the possibility of bi-polar.

After reading alot of the comments others have written and looking over the checklist, I'm thinking the root cause is all due to sensory. If the sensory were addressed I feel my sons social problems would become significantly less. Have I made a mess of things and is it to late to turn back the clock? Any insight would be so appreciated.

Thanks



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Aug 28, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		I am in the same boat as you.
by: Anonymous

Hi, I too just posted a question about my 8 year old son. I always knew he was slightly different but I never knew why. No one would seem to listen to my concerns either. I was told he is just quirky. I too did some outside research and I am convinced more than ever that he definitely has sensory issues. I would absolutely get him evaluated by an OT in your area that has sensory training. I am in the process of doing the same thing.

Last year I finally had the school to evaluate him and I almost did not get services because he does so well in all his classes. However the OT who evaluated him through the school did agree with me that he has some sensory issues and he is on an ED plan. She has been working with him for almost a year. However I think he needs more OT help outside of the school setting. He too has social issues. He wants friends and does better with one or two kids at a time but in larger settings like recess, he tends to keep to himself. Kids like ours may get wrongly diagnosed. For example my son's first grade teacher thought he might have ADD because he is easily distracted and unorganized. But I now know he has trouble filtering out all the auditory stimuli around him. If I simply treated him for ADD he might be on meds that aren't really addressing the bigger picture. For peace of mind try to get him evaluated. I am hoping it is never too late to help our kids. good luck!!!! Gina
Jun 18, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		it's not too late.
by: Anonymous

I was reading somewhere that sometimes sensory issues can look like bipolar disorder. Also, be aware that many counselors don't know a lot about sensory issues. Educators as well know very little. If you are worried about a mental health issue I would go straight to a child psychiatrist.
Jun 09, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you for your encouragement!
by: Anonymous

I can't thank you enough for responding to my question. I feel like I am continually moving backward instead of forward, my patience is wearing thin and sometimes I just want to crawl in a hole and not come out. But I've got to keep going and keep trying for my childrens sake, for their well being and happiness. It's nice to know there are others to support and give encouragement. Because as a lot of us know, it's like banging your head against the wall to get anyone to listen.
Jun 08, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Never too late to help your child
by: Jessica

I am a strong believer in being your child's advocate - no matter their age - if they are in any need and can't do it themselves. In this case, therapy to help him develop into a happy & responsible adult.

My son is almost 8. I knew something was wrong when he was 1st born. We moved to another county from his 2nd to 6th years and I fought everyone to listen to me. His teachers and doctors said he was "normal" yet would complain about the same things I was noticing. I didn't know how to help him until I researched everything on my own & made someone listen.

He's been in OT & other therapies since August - he was a 2nd grader. He got so much help and support (and so did I) this last year that I was overwhelmed (both good and bad) by how much there was to deal with. But - he finally got it! That's the point. And he has made a huge leap in his abilities and ways he deals with things.

It is never too late - don't feel bad. I didn't know what was wrong and trained doctors & teachers told me I was overreacting. This is also still a new "diagnosis", so older children often aren't helped when younger ones are noticed to have these issues.

Keep it up and make sure you go with your gut. It is important that you keep asking questions and doing what you can to make sure both your sons get the help and support they need (or initial evaluations to rule it out). You'll be glad you did. -J

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