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Special Needs
SPD???
Can someone tell me how your child with SPD was as an infant? I see signs in my 7 month old and have an EI scheduled for Friday. My LO has never been able to sleep or stay asleep anywhere but in me. Noise and light bother him however he likes noisy toys. He is ebf and had a bad latch and now will not take a bottle or eat solids. If any food or liquid do make it down his throat he gags and often pukes. He hates diaper changes and getting dressed. He has to be nursed or walked to sleep and wakes often. Anyone else have similar experience? My son also seems very smart like he knows what he wants to do walk, crawl, etc but he just can't make himself do it. He is trying to sit and crawl but can't make himself go forward. He was alert since the day he was born and needs constant interaction and moved from toy to toy. He hates car rides or to not be in my arms. Going anywhere is a nightmare so we usually stay home. Did OT help your infants much or how did you survive? I am so sleep deprived and entertaining him all day is hard. I just wish my Lo could talk and tell me what he sees, feels and thinks. How early did your LO show SPD signs? Is it ore manageable as they get older? Do you feel your child has a good quality of life or do they seem scared and upset a lot? Thanks for any input?
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Re: SPD???
H was the easiest baby ever. he never cried and never needed to be entertained. he never took a bottle (by HIS choice), but he took to solids well. we did BLW and didn't do purees though, so that might've had something to do with it.
my kid started really demonstrating sensory seeking behaviors when he was walking (at 1). he's always been very energetic and thrill seeking, but he's still a great kid. he rarely gets scared or upset, but that would vary from child to child, and would probably be more prevalent in sensory-avoiders.
i feel H has a wonderful quality of life! he's usually in a great mood and enjoys most activities. hope you get the answers you're looking for.
DS shows some signs similar to SID/SPD/HSP (its all the same IMO). (sensory avoidance in large crowds & sound sensitivity)
Can someone tell me how your child with SPD was as an infant?
DS did not want to be held for long periods of time, which interferred with BF. He didn't like crowds and would cry during events where many people were. He needed to be swaddled until 6mo, and still enjoys many blankets at night and a noise machine. The car vibrations/noise soothe him.
Anyone else have similar experience (Food sensitivity)?
Yes. DS refuses to eat certain textures, anything which is hard on the palate. He seems to enjoy smooth textures (peanut butter sandwiches, spagetti noodles, fruit pouches, bananas), however will sometimes eat a hard/rough texture like taco shells.
Going anywhere is a nightmare.
I understand 100% this - and only in recent months has shopping trips been a little easier. I've even recently went on a week long vacations - a plane ride with him! What helps is, giving him jobs to do, help find items in supermarkets or help mommy place items in the cart...he also loves to push the cart too.
However in your case, since your LO is so young still, I would look into a book that got me through the "hard years": "Happiest Baby on the Block" and "How to Raise A Highly Spritied Child"...IMHO its the best books out there. Sometimes I felt like I was missing out on doing things with DS because I avoided places. However I found that by just learning to cope with, and knowing this was only a short period of time...time went quicker. I had a routine with him at home...and to soothe during a rough patch, I would give him a nice long bath.
Did OT help your infants much or how did you survive?
We did have an OT eval which confirmed a sensory issue, but we are not utilizing OT yet; We feel that with time he has notifibly become desensitized to many of the environments that used to bother him. He has learned to cope when sounds upset him now (like putting his fingers in his ears), he's maturing.
I am so sleep deprived and entertaining him all day is hard. I just wish my Lo could talk and tell me what he sees, feels and thinks.
Its hard when they are so young to try to express themselves, but I found when his speech improved, he was not only able to communicate issues but to also understand his feelings & ours.
How early did your LO show SPD signs?
I'd say he was showing signs as an infant...but I could be mistaken. However many people I know in my life (both relative & friend) who show similar signs of SPD/SID/HSP, including myself.
Is it more manageable as they get older?
Yes!!!!! Many people have said so too...
Do you feel your child has a good quality of life or do they seem scared and upset a lot?
Quality is excellent. In school I'm finding the long hours a challange at this age...since he is quite suseptible to meltdowns school still, unless its strictly "free play," or activities he specifically enjoys - he will melt. Right now I'm looking into a daycare environment where he could learn to be around others.
Also, this website has helped me out...
https://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/index.html
TRUST ME, it does get easier! {{{HUGS}}}My DD was very intense and alert. She didn't like to be held by anyone but me or DH. When she was really little she would cry if someone else held her, and as she got older she would just squirm away from them. She always wanted to be moving around and doing something. We took her for several walks a day when she was a baby. Once she started crawling, she was much happier because she could explore as much as she wanted. She hit her gross motor milestones on time or early. She was a crappy napper until she was around 9 months old, but she was a pretty good sleeper at night. She was always very particular about clothing, hated wearing coats, hats and mittens, hated putting her hands under running water. She was very smiley and social and loved to go out places with me and DH.
She has tactile sensitivity and vestibular issues, and the signs were definitely there from the time she was born.
Can someone tell me how your child with SPD was as an infant?
Easiest baby ever. Rarely fussed, was easily entertained. The only challenge was the fact that he always needed to be held, but that wasn't a big deal because I was open to bedsharing/babywearing.
Anyone else have similar experience (Food sensitivity)?
We had a tough time with purees, but we did BLW so that wasn't a dealbreaker for us. He's a great eater now.
Going anywhere is a nightmare.
Anything is a breeze now. A few things help. One, following a routine really helps. We don't have a strict schedule, but we do our errands/fun activities in the morning, come home for lunch/naps, then playtime at home before dinner. Another thing that helps is talking out what we're going to do/what's coming next. "First...then" is a popular phrase. 5-2-1 minute warnings before ending desirable activities is a lifesafer too.
Did OT help your infants much or how did you survive?
We did not start OT until 2.
I am so sleep deprived and entertaining him all day is hard. I just wish my Lo could talk and tell me what he sees, feels and thinks.
I found that once we started OT, the speech improved dramatically and when he could verbalize things he was a lot less frightened/upset.
How early did your LO show SPD signs?
I honestly was blindsided when my son's SLP told me she thought he had SPD when he was 22 months old. Sure, he had a short attention span and was a busy kid but I thought that was more age/temperament. He had an aversion to his hands being dirty, but again I just thought that was his personality and not a warning sign of something being wrong. After his second birthday was really tough--he started to be hypersensitive to everything it seemed-fabrics, noises, etc. He literally would shake in fear when touching certain materials.
Is it more manageable as they get older?
I notice sensory behaviors really peaked between 2-2.5 but has gotten progressively better the more verbal he has gotten.
Do you feel your child has a good quality of life or do they seem scared and upset a lot?
My son is always happy! Definitely not affecting his quality of life. He has fears of things like loud noises and such, but I think you'd see some fears like that in a typically developing kid too. He's not always fearful of everything either.
DS is three and I SAHM with him now. 2 private preschools have told us that they couldn't handle him.
I spoke with the Department of Education for our area, who said that when we decide to place him into the public school setting, there are "plans" in place for children with special needs which give plans for teachers and show them how to handle situations with your child who is SPD/SID.
These plans are called "504" or "IEP"
Once a plan is in place, within weeks of entering public school they will know if your child will need an evaluation, and if so, these plans will help them stay in your school of choice. These plans are private, so no one but you and your child's school will be aware of any special requirements. Its a contract of sort, which protects your child, and you could be present for all such evaulations and have a say in what he needs.
During this time Im SAHM with him, we will be in small 1 hour group participation classes (gymnastics class, speech therapy, church, swim class). He sometimes will avoid the circle time, however I will help guide him back when he does so, so its not all on the teacher to redirect him. DH and I feel with time he will get there...I have a small goal for him, to have one class where I don't have to step in.
I personally think its genetically related.
Myself, DH, my brother, my mom and my grandmother all seem to have a sensitivity to something, whether it be crowds, noise, textures...
What I have noticed is that in the until the 2000s, these issues we're "quirks," if you will, in people. No one knew of SIP/SPD/HSP...its just you learned to cope and/or you were considered a problematic child.
PS. DS is now being signed up for OT...I figure since I'm at home with him any help that I could get to help him learn how to cope with life, will be wonderful!