Sensory/tacile evaluation... what do you think?

[nia82]

My toddler (DS, 3 in August) was evaluated as the teacher felt he was havein sensory issues because he wouldn't touch frosting at school (I was like hey my boy, won't touch the nasty stuff, yeah!). Anyways, it came back that they think he has sensory and vestibular issues for the following:

1) Won't touch new foods or consistencies (aka frosting, salsa) and will eat if encouraged yet makes a face while doing so.

2) Trips a lot and falls a lot as he goes off too fast and doesn't notice obstacles.

So... I find that pretty normal. Am I wrong? I'm a picky eater and still won't eat certain textures (e.g. marmelade) because I just don't like the feel. So one has to eat everything to be normal? I doubt that. Yes, DS is a slow and picky eater, but he is improving by the day. I don't believe though we should force foods on him.

As for the vestibular processing, I quite frankly think he processes just fine, he is just like me - I'm thinking about other stuff and keep running into things.Seriously, I have like 100 bruises on me at all times. I can see the point maybe of receiving services for that but always thought once he's old enough to enroll in sports he'll master that (I never did sports of any kind). I know that my vestibular system is just fine. I can even stand the worst rollercoaster whilst eating fast food and won't even feel nauseous. What's your take on that? I feel they overanalyze things. Kids are different.

[crunchy_mommy]

Were those really the only issues? Did his teacher have other concerns? I can't imagine having a kid evaluated just because they didn't want to touch frosting, that seems bizarre. If there were other concerns, I would wonder if there is a larger issue that maybe you are missing since you are so involved with him & all the details, you know? Sometimes it's hard to be objective about our own kids. But if he isn't having trouble at school or elsewhere then I'd think they were just a bit looney for even evaluating him in the first place. I can't speak to vestibular issues but my DS has sensory issues and they cause him problems, for ex. he always wants to be in my arms if there are loud/unpredictable noises in the distance, and he can't stand certain clothing items (so he isn't always properly dressed for the weather), and he doesn't like to be touched so he has a hard time playing with other kids & showing affection, even though he wants to. So the key is that it has an effect on his daily life and his happiness. We have him in EI because he isn't able to do the things he wants/needs to do each day.

I do think it's normal for kids and adults to dislike certain foods because they are too mushy or chewy or spicy or salty or just don't feel right in their mouths. I don't really see how that's a problem if they are still able to eat a balanced diet.

I really don't know about the vestibular stuff, I don't know that I've ever seen a toddler NOT covered in bruises and tripping frequently... but I suppose it's very possible for some kids to be on the extreme end. I am guessing if you have some issues with that yourself, it might be harder for you to know what is 'normal' and what is something more (or conversely, you might be hyper-aware of that!!)

[NZJMama]

I agree with the pp that the real issue is if it has an effect on his daily life. I am a pediatric PT and I work with kids with sensory issues. It's true that we are all different and sensory integration therapy is relatively new, but it can have a pretty significant impact on the daily lives of kids. I would have another talk with the teacher to determine specifically what impact this is having on his day at school and why those two things concern her. I wouldn't rule out an evaluation because a good therapist will give you activities that would benefit your child even if you opt not to pursue therapy.

I'm pretty new around here so my next question is whether or not this your oldest child? Sometimes, parents with kids that have sensory issues don't realize that there is a problem because they don't have another child to compare to. In other words, they don't realize that getting dressed shouldn't be a struggle day in and day out because they figure that all kids are like this or that their child is simply spirited. In any case, it sounds like the teachers concerns are relatively minor and that you should follow your gut, but I wouldn't rule out an evaluation if for no other reason than to get some different ideas of activities that you can do with your son.

[Aufilia]

Originally Posted by NZJMama 

I'm pretty new around here so my next question is whether or not this your oldest child? Sometimes, parents with kids that have sensory issues don't realize that there is a problem because they don't have another child to compare to. In other words, they don't realize that getting dressed shouldn't be a struggle day in and day out because they figure that all kids are like this or that their child is simply spirited. In any case, it sounds like the teachers concerns are relatively minor and that you should follow your gut, but I wouldn't rule out an evaluation if for no other reason than to get some different ideas of activities that you can do with your son.

I was also thinking that those concerns seem kinda minor.  Has she noticed other stuff she just hasn't mentioned? i've found that teachers do generally have a fairly good idea of what's normal or not, even if they don't know what the cause of a problem is or how to solve it.

However, a big, big ditto for the PP's comment that it can be hard to tell with your oldest what's "normal" and what isn't.  If my son had been my first child I'd've realized much earlier that my DD has some fairly large quirks (including sensory issues) that will make her life much more difficult than for "normal" kids.  Also, just because YOU did the same thing doesn't mean that therapy might not be useful to your DS.  NOT that I'm saying your DS NEEDS treatment--just that 1 experience doesn't define normal.

[nia82]

Nope, there was nothing else noted in the report nor did she mention anything else. I asked again and she said the concern to her is that he won't touch new foods and trips a lot. DS doesn't mind getting dressed, being touched or whatever else. The only thing he hates is water on his head or in his face. The teacher just said again she found it abnormal that he wouldn't touch new foods and dig right in (we are talking salsa and cheese sauce, foods he has never seen at home).

DS is my oldest but he is not the first kid in the family. When I compare him to his cousins the quirks I see are pickiness and hatred for having his hair washed. He is very particular about food... But I know lots of children are, I didn't know that this is a flaw?

[NZJMama]

Originally Posted by nia82 

Nope, there was nothing else noted in the report nor did she mention anything else. I asked again and she said the concern to her is that he won't touch new foods and trips a lot. DS doesn't mind getting dressed, being touched or whatever else. The only thing he hates is water on his head or in his face. The teacher just said again she found it abnormal that he wouldn't touch new foods and dig right in (we are talking salsa and cheese sauce, foods he has never seen at home).

DS is my oldest but he is not the first kid in the family. When I compare him to his cousins the quirks I see are pickiness and hatred for having his hair washed. He is very particular about food... But I know lots of children are, I didn't know that this is a flaw?

I don't think that his quirks are a flaw. I hope that nothing in my previous post implied that your DS was flawed in anyway. Sensory integration is our ability to process information in our environment through our five senses effectively. If our sensory systems are unable to effectively process the information than it can potentially effect our daily lives. As adults, most of us have found socially acceptable ways to manage our sensory differences (chewing on pens, crossing legs and so on, the list is endless). Kids don't always have the tools necessry to manage their sensory differences. Sensory integration therapy is simply games and activities that challenge the child's 5 senses to give them the tools to process their surroundings more effectively. All of us have difficulty with sensory integration at times. That is why it is so difficult to determine when therapy is appropriate and currently the general consensus is that it is better to err on the cautious side than to miss something that may be more difficult to manage later on.  That is probably why the teacher brought it to your attention even though it appears relatively minor. A book you may want to check out is the "Out of Sync Child". It may help answer some of your questions and make the best decision for your child. Good luck.