Discussion on the similarities/differences between "The Highly Sensitive Child" and "The Out of...

[marimara]

I am looking for a discussion on the similarities, differences, and overlap of the HSC and the OoSC. I'm currently reading both books and trying to decide whether to seek treatment/evaluation of my dd (4 yo). The HSC mostly fits better for her. But it seems to me that alot of symptoms are the same especially when we get into sensory avoidance and emotional responses to sensory input and social/emotional behavior.

The impression I'm getting is that in the OsSC the sensory issues are very obvious and distracting to daily life.

The overlap that I'm seeing is in sensory avoidance, where Aron (HSC) wants to normalize this behavior as she thinks this temperament trait is in 15-20% of the population, thus far too many to be a "disorder". The HSC might have sensory sensitivities to tags, itchy clothing, refuse to sleep on certain sheets. She may cover her ears and cry or scream at loud noises. She may hate crowded places and just shut down, or even act out. She may avoid grabby children and rowdy play.

Then Kranowitz (OoSC) more pathologizes this behavior and sees it as an actual disorder that warrants treatment, especially in the form of Occupational Therapy.

A LOT of the modifications, parental behavior and acceptance, guidance, and patience that Aron recommends are very similar to the things that Kranowitz also says in the OoSC.

Aron basically says that we need to have more patience, respond with loving kindness, and modify our (family) lives to meet the needs of the HSC.

Unfortunately, society at large does not do this and sensitive people get thrown under the bus or walked all over.

So how about some informal discussion on this topic? I know of at least one MDCer that has both a child with SPD and an HSC child. Are there any more?

I'm looking especially for children who have more of the sensory avoidance issues since Aron doesn't discuss the sensory seekers in the HSC.

[justKate]

subbing (do we have a smilie for that?)

I'm half way through both books, hoping to finish one this weekend.

I have a 19mo DD who has SPD (sensory seeking) but we're not doing formal OT at this point.

ETA: although DD is generally sensory seeking, she has oral aversions. Food and dental care are major issues....

[Linda on the move]

My DD has intense sensory issues as part of being on the autism spectrum.

My take is this: many people have little sensory things that bug them and need to be worked around. It's pretty normal to have something sensory that gets to you.

The line is when there are so many things and/or they are so intense that they deeply affect a person's ability to live a normal life. My DDs issues are such that every family outing and vacation is planned around them, and she has difficulity in many age appropriate curcumstances such as school.

I think both writers are right, but they are talking about different degrees. This is a continuum, not a black and white issue.

[marimara]

Oh I certainly get that this is a continuum. I wonder where the line is drawn "when to seek help". For us, we do plan everything around dd. She's the center of our family. I want to see the fireworks every year since she's been born. Have we ever been with her? Nope, nada. She absolutely would lose her mind. I completely see it as a continuum, even Aron talks about his in the HSC, how some HSCers are less sensitive and other are more. I'm not trying to say that either writer is right or wrong, but one does pathologize while the other normalizes. That's the message I'm getting right now.

I wonder though, because we practice AP and have ever since dd was born, if we have protected her from the most harmful aspects of her sensitivities. I have no doubt at all had we not been AP parents she would be in therapy right now in public school and would have been labeled a long time ago.

[justKate]

Re. the continuum from "spirited" and "sensitive" to "SPD", through the autisim spectrum (which I have no real knowledge of other than a little reading)....

It was my concern with where DD fell on that spectrum that led me to get an OT eval for her. The eval results were basically, yes, she exhibits sensory seeking behaviors, and we are willing to work with her. Which I knew already (mostly from reading the OSC and other things). So after a lot of thought and trying some activities/play-type therapies at home, we decided to work with her at home instead of doing OT. Another thing that I thought was important was to establish a "base line" to compare her development. So if she continues to struggle with X and Y, we can compare a year from now and say well she was struggling with X and Y then, and still is or isn't.... if that makes any sense?

[marimara]

So I wanted to post two websites that have information related to what I'm talking about. One of them is the blog of a fellow MDCer.

http://raisingsmartgirls.wordpress.c...nsitive-child/


http://www.livingjoyfully.ca/anneo/H...tive_Shine.htm

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by marimara

I wonder where the line is drawn "when to seek help".

when your child is miserable, limited, and/or you haven't a clue how to help them.

when you know that they aren't doing OK

when you are ready to admit that they need help that you can't give them

when you just aren't sure, but are willing to look at the possibility enough to come out of denial.

I have no doubt at all had we not been AP parents she would be in therapy right now in public school and would have been labeled a long time ago.

you say this like therapy and labels are bad things that happen to kids who aren't APed.

really and truly, that's not the case. You are currently on a message board of moms who AP and whose kids have labels and have received a variety of therapies.

I'm sure that part of the reason my DD does as well as she does is because of APing, but the other part is because she's gotten (and continues to get) real help from experts, and part of that was me being ready to hear her labels.

[marimara]

I'm NOT saying it like it is a bad thing. I'm just saying that it would have happened a long time ago, vs me just now seeking out help. That's all.

I really think that our AP parenting is far more gentle and accepting than mainstream parenting. We don't force her into scenarios which are uncomfortable, force her to wear certain clothes, etc.

[marimara]

Originally Posted by justKate

Re. the continuum from "spirited" and "sensitive" to "SPD", through the autisim spectrum (which I have no real knowledge of other than a little reading)....

It was my concern with where DD fell on that spectrum that led me to get an OT eval for her. The eval results were basically, yes, she exhibits sensory seeking behaviors, and we are willing to work with her. Which I knew already (mostly from reading the OSC and other things). So after a lot of thought and trying some activities/play-type therapies at home, we decided to work with her at home instead of doing OT. Another thing that I thought was important was to establish a "base line" to compare her development. So if she continues to struggle with X and Y, we can compare a year from now and say well she was struggling with X and Y then, and still is or isn't.... if that makes any sense?

Yes this makes total sense to me. I'm kind of where you were in the beginning. Wondering where she is on the sensory spectrum. I do know that when I do some of the sensory activities mentioned in the book she loves them! Like she plays with beans and rice for an hour or more! She's just enthralled with it. And she's always loved waterplay.