[maryjane]

I posted last week about getting an evaluation for my son. The center has all of our forms, but has asked us to fill out an additional 5-page questionnare. It's divided into different areas (tactile, auditory, etc.) and then further divided into hypo and hyper sensitivities (although it isn't labeled like this, it's pretty clear that that's what it is.) Anyway, in going through it, there are a few areas in which my son (4 yo) is predominately on one end of the scale, but then has a few issues in the other.

For example, on auditory defensiveness, we checked 7 out of 10 on the hypersensitive side, but 2 out of 10 on the hypo side. Same with tactile -- where we marked off a lot of the hyposensitive questions, and one or two hypersensitive.

Are those few just an anomoly? Or is this kind of divide possible (common?) in SPD?

Thanks!

 

[dianamerrell]

yes this is common, they can be on either side or in the middle. it can also vary day to day - minute to minute

each child is unique and a sensory profile should be viewed on a sliding scale and not just hypo/hyper

hope that helps

 

[cchrissyy]

very normal. that's how SPD works. it's disordered senses. not predictable, not stable, but disorderly, you know? No two kids are the same.

Ok, adding examples from DS-
no pain. no dizziness. doesn't register cold. So those are straightforward.
but auditory- he can hear the tiniest hum on an elevator anywhere in the building, things other people don't hear. AND he often can't hear you call his name. In competing noises, he loses ability to understand or repeat verbal messages. We tested his hearing and auditory processing for fear he was going deaf at 4! but no, it's just CAPD, which should be no surprise from a kid whose SPD was so obvious it was diagnosed first by a regular ped at just 18 months old.

 

[my3peanuts]

I'm not sure how common it is to have both hypo and hypersensitive responses to stimuli but I know it's possible. My son does this. He typically underreacts to pain and overreacts to something like another child crying.

 

[LynnS6]

Yes, our ds is hypersensitive to sound, touch and vestibular movement, and hyposensitive to pain at times. Dh is exactly the same way. He's hypersensitive to touch and taste, and hyposensitive to pain. (This is the man who broke his foot and then walked 2 miles on it

A lot of SPD kids are also OK with sensations if they are producing them (so loud noises are OK if it's DS who's screaming), but not if other are.

It can be very confusing.