We talked quite a while, and she's going to send me a list of things we can do with Isaiah, based on his likes and dislikes. He craves, no, NEEDS lots of sensory-input, especially in the auditory and vestibular areas. He's also sensitive to certain types of sensations, although she said that would probably decrease as his other sensory needs are met.
I'm just excited that we might be onto something here. Not that I want him to have SPD, but that by following the OT's suggestions, maybe we can reduce the tantrums and meltdowns, and lessen the frustrations and tears over everyday tasks. At least... that's what I'm hoping.
Here's a picture of my little guy during his nap yesterday. I made him a weighted blanket since he always pulls pillows on top of him... and yet he still does, even with the blanket. LOL!
8 comments:
I like your blog. All of my children receive speech therapy.
IT MUST BE A RELIEF TO AT LEAST PUT A NAME ON IT. bEST OF LUCK AND I"LL YOU ALL WILL BE IN MY PRAYERS. I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR HOMEBIRTH ALSO. THANKS HAVE A GREAT HALLOWEEN., SORRY TATERBUG ON THE NINNIE SO I;M TRYING THIS ONEHANDED. LOL ANGIE
Thanks for your comment on my blog. As I read this post, it totally brought me back in time. 3 years ago, when my son was 2, we got him diagnosed with SPD and that has made all the difference with us. Like you, I didn't want him to have a disorder, but it was an enormous relief to figure out why he was having these meltdowns. Everything started falling into place, the more research I did.
I also wanted to tell you that the therapy does work, especially if you do it regularly at home. And it will help with the tantrums. The last time my son had a full-blown sensory meltdown was well over a year ago and even then, it was so much easier to calm him down (also it was totally our fault--we were traveling and really pushed him too hard.) Before then, it had been months and months. It takes time to see changes; they are gradual, but when i look back 3 years, i realize my son is a completely different kid sensory-wise now. He deals with things so much better. And we know how to help him a lot more.
If you ever need some validation or want to vent, feel free to email me or stop by my blog. I think it helps to talk to other moms of kids with SPD--it makes you feel a lot less crazy. Good luck.
Our Dev Ped said "If you wantto call him a martian, call him a martian if that means he will get the help he needs." I've decided all kids have something you have to deal with and autism is not the worse things my son who could have. He also loves pillows on him. He sleeps with a weighted blanket every night and it has changed my life. It is on loan from EI, but I have everything to make him his own. How did you do yours? How heavy is it?
The more sensory he gets, the less melt downs and the more he communicates, Unfortunately, he still stims and has other behaviors and his routines and his obsessions. But he is making huge strides with all the therapy he receives. I sure believe in OT.
Anyway, I am totally hearing you.
My journey has also taken me down the SPD road - mostly procieptive and vestibular for my son. If you haven't read Out of Sync Child yet, I highly recommend it. There's a profile for sensory under-responder that fits my son to a T - better than any other medical diagnosis, because it accounts for his issues with bilateral coordination and hypotonia. I was definitely like, wow, finally something that describes my son.
Good luck to you and yours...
Come check my blog out. You are a runner-up in my giveaway, so I will need your address.
I hate labeling children and putting them in a box and disorders tend to do that...but the reality is that some children are more this way than others. My son, for instance, has pretty bad dyslexia. It's not the most severe form, but it's real and it has caused a lot of grief for our family and once I realized that was what was going on, it changed our family so much. I was less hard on him. I was less frustrated because I *understood* him. Poor sweetheart of yours...it's so hard on them when they cannot communicate their needs. I have also had two girls with speech problems, although one had them much worse than the other. I understand ((((HUGS))))
How sweet and content does he look there! Wow by the way for MAKING the weighted blanket, do you mind telling me what you filled it with? I sleep with a duvet on me, one small toddler bed size one between me and my partner (I don't like being touched or watched) and a duvet tied up on the bed post so it is over my head. I think he might be sleeping like this for a while yet :0) I have a mouther and a toucher at home, so I am not the only one with a sticky house?!
Post a Comment