Very Overwhelming

How do you know where to draw the line between a sensory disorder and a quirky kid? I'm checking lots of things off, but at the same time these things aren't causing my child to have a more challenging existence. Yes, they're odd and yes, they're noticeable, but that's just him. He seems to do quite well, despite them. Actually, I think a lot of his quirks have been tuned down as he's gotten older and he even is able to find ways to not show them in school and outside the home.




If your child covers their ears and feels overwhelmed with a loud sound, do you put them through all the testing and treatment? Or do you simply say, "yes, that was loud, but it's over now". I want to be a sensitive, helpful, pro-active parent, but if these issues aren't negatively affecting his everyday life in a gigantic way, would I be making things worse by putting him in therapy?

I'm just confused by all of this.



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Apr 02, 2009
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by: Anonymous

Thank you for your reply.

You know, since I've found this site, I'm starting to see more and more sensory issues in my son. I just watched him start to cry and look humiliated during a church event, where he was uncomfortable interacting with the other kids. I get what you're saying about it coming in spurts. It seems as if the beginning of the school year was tough (he didn't talk in class, he'd sit alone at recess, he told me he had no friends, etc.). But, as the year has gone on, things have improved. Now, though, I'm noticing some of the quirks even more again.

Does incontinence have anything to do with this? My son (7 1/2 years old) is, basically, wetting himself everyday at school. He says he "can't feel it until it's come out". There are also occasional times at home where I notice he has trouble with #2. I'm not so sure that it's not just him not wiping well enough. But, I have heard the same comments occasionally, that is, "it just came out!".

Thanks!
Mar 30, 2009
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by: Anonymous

Hi, Most of us seek a diagnosis because our kids definitely suffer from their ailments. What starts out as a quirk will turn into not being able to enjoy things other kids do. What started out as things being too loud, vacuum ect. turned into not being able to learn in the classroom because my child couldn't "tune-out" the sounds of the lights, air-conditioner, other kids, ect.

That unfortunately turns into low self esteem, feeling dumb, and feeling like they don't fit in. These things go in waves of everything's fine to everything's falling apart and it often takes many people and much support to get help. The bottom line is most parents I know are desperate to find help for our kids because at some point they've bottomed-out.It's very, very painful.

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