DD who is about to be 4 has always been "sensitive" "quirky" "shy". This is how I've been explaining it for years. Now it seems like every other time we go out she has a meltdown and I end up explaining, "It's not your kids, she is just extremely sensitive". So I did some searching and came across SPD. As I read the checklist I almost fell on the floor, not only does dd have a lot of the symptoms but I recognized myself as a child and as an adult in there. I KNOW she'd be worse had I not accommodated her this much, since I have many of the same issues. For instance, when she refuses to wear certain clothes (too tight, too bumpy, too itchy) I've never forced her, thinking that she was just being difficult getting dressed. I know what it's like to wear itchy clothes. I identify with her. When we walk in crowded places and she immediately jumps up into my arms saying "hold me mommy, I want to leave" and starts crying sometimes screaming meltdowns. I say ok, lets go outside and we accommodate her. I want to know if these sound like legitimate SPD issues vs. normal 3-4 year old "sensitive" or "shy" kids issues.
Infant:
refused to be swaddled
had extreme difficulty bfing for 6 weeks
slept in swing, sling, or car almost exclusively for a looong time
(I can't remember that much else from this time)
Today:
Tactile Defensiveness:
won't wear certain clothes-anything made of denim (jeans)
I have spent a small fortune on finding underwear that were not "bumpy"
socks are "bumpy"
she is always taking clothes off, unless its the super comfy ones
I even made her some "comfy" clothes with covered seams and elastic, she loooves to wear these.
Refused to participate in a karate class outside on the grass barefoot because the grass was "spiky" and hot (which it was) and too many kids (I'll get to this part later). She actually had a screaming meltdown at this event.
Avoided messy play for a long time. She will now play in the sand. She still won't fingerpaint and is always complaining about "sticky" or "messy" hands.
Excessively ticklish.
Won't use a certain quilt that she has "it's too bumpy", will only use the "soft" one made of her old flannel recvng blankets.
Complains about "bumps" under her sheets.
For a long time she would freak out if someone (a stranger) toucher her. She's got better about this.
Other "quirks":
Still won't fall asleep on her own at night, though she will sometimes for a nap. She rubs or scratches my knuckles obsessively as she falls asleep. ( I rub my feet together obsessively as I fall asleep-I know it's the same thing). It used to be the skin on my chest when she was nursing.
Hyposensitivity to movement:
slept in sling, swing, car as mentioned above
child is in constant motion: does not walk, must skip, hop, dance, gallop you name it.
jumps off of things left and right.
went through a phase where she spun in circles for an hour every night, she does occasionally now.
does not sit still.
loves scary,fast rides at amusement parks
frequently falls on the floor purposefully
Auditory defensiveness:
covers her ears and used to cry and scream at public toilet flushes
will NOT play with loud kids (screamers)
covers her ears and says "you hurt my ears" if someone raises their voice
HATES crowded, loud places. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to take her outside, or held her on my lap while she cries and says over and over "I want to go home mommy" now she will tell me "it's to crowded" "there's too many people"
has not seen fireworks yet because 2 years ago we tried and she freaked out it was a nightmare.
Smell:
This just started, she will say things or people "stink"
She's had some visual input stuff but I dont' know if it's just her age:
confuses b and d despite reading otherwise great
I often tell her to grab someting on a table or something and she can't find it when it's right in front of her face!
she loses her place often when reading or copying
she's not good at those "spot the difference" games.
Play:
Will NOT play or be extremely hesitant if there are more than 2-3 kids. Kids have already called her "weird".
If someone screams or yells she comes running at me and jumps into my lap.
Indoor playcenters are the worst-yesteday she was climbing up to the top (which is a huge feat in itself, something I've been trying to get her to do for 2 years, she wanted to but was afraid), a boy followed her up. She FREAKED out in the tunnel, started PANICKING, slid down the slide in a hurry, I saw the look of sheer panic on her face and she jumped into my lap and screamed and cried for 15 minutes. Def. NOT NORMAL here. This is one of the most distressing issues.
and a few other small quirks but I've typed so much already.
Also does anyone have any experience with Tricare referring to Occupational Therapy for SPD?
Thanks!
Infant:
refused to be swaddled
had extreme difficulty bfing for 6 weeks
slept in swing, sling, or car almost exclusively for a looong time
(I can't remember that much else from this time)
Today:
Tactile Defensiveness:
won't wear certain clothes-anything made of denim (jeans)
I have spent a small fortune on finding underwear that were not "bumpy"
socks are "bumpy"
she is always taking clothes off, unless its the super comfy ones
I even made her some "comfy" clothes with covered seams and elastic, she loooves to wear these.
Refused to participate in a karate class outside on the grass barefoot because the grass was "spiky" and hot (which it was) and too many kids (I'll get to this part later). She actually had a screaming meltdown at this event.
Avoided messy play for a long time. She will now play in the sand. She still won't fingerpaint and is always complaining about "sticky" or "messy" hands.
Excessively ticklish.
Won't use a certain quilt that she has "it's too bumpy", will only use the "soft" one made of her old flannel recvng blankets.
Complains about "bumps" under her sheets.
For a long time she would freak out if someone (a stranger) toucher her. She's got better about this.
Other "quirks":
Still won't fall asleep on her own at night, though she will sometimes for a nap. She rubs or scratches my knuckles obsessively as she falls asleep. ( I rub my feet together obsessively as I fall asleep-I know it's the same thing). It used to be the skin on my chest when she was nursing.
Hyposensitivity to movement:
slept in sling, swing, car as mentioned above
child is in constant motion: does not walk, must skip, hop, dance, gallop you name it.
jumps off of things left and right.
went through a phase where she spun in circles for an hour every night, she does occasionally now.
does not sit still.
loves scary,fast rides at amusement parks
frequently falls on the floor purposefully
Auditory defensiveness:
covers her ears and used to cry and scream at public toilet flushes
will NOT play with loud kids (screamers)
covers her ears and says "you hurt my ears" if someone raises their voice
HATES crowded, loud places. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to take her outside, or held her on my lap while she cries and says over and over "I want to go home mommy" now she will tell me "it's to crowded" "there's too many people"
has not seen fireworks yet because 2 years ago we tried and she freaked out it was a nightmare.
Smell:
This just started, she will say things or people "stink"
She's had some visual input stuff but I dont' know if it's just her age:
confuses b and d despite reading otherwise great
I often tell her to grab someting on a table or something and she can't find it when it's right in front of her face!
she loses her place often when reading or copying
she's not good at those "spot the difference" games.
Play:
Will NOT play or be extremely hesitant if there are more than 2-3 kids. Kids have already called her "weird".
If someone screams or yells she comes running at me and jumps into my lap.
Indoor playcenters are the worst-yesteday she was climbing up to the top (which is a huge feat in itself, something I've been trying to get her to do for 2 years, she wanted to but was afraid), a boy followed her up. She FREAKED out in the tunnel, started PANICKING, slid down the slide in a hurry, I saw the look of sheer panic on her face and she jumped into my lap and screamed and cried for 15 minutes. Def. NOT NORMAL here. This is one of the most distressing issues.
and a few other small quirks but I've typed so much already.
Also does anyone have any experience with Tricare referring to Occupational Therapy for SPD?
Thanks!
by Carol Kranowitz. A bit of an easier read and a good intro into SPD.
