Hi there,I am the mom to someone whom I don't have a diagnosis for but has enough of the symptoms that I will be discussing it with the Dr. next week.I came across information looking for similar symptoms to his,most importantly,the light touch and visual ones Tactile Defensiveness.I am not new to duel diagnosis.Dennis is 24 and has Down Syndrome,OCD,and behavior issues.We were given a diagnosis in 2006 for OCD.He was seen by the primary care Dr. for impulsive behavior at his last yr. in high school,he was constantly getting in trouble for touching other students-everyday.We thought it was part of the OCD and he started anti-psycotics but no combination has helped.Over the last 1 year his symptoms have gotten so much worse( I haven't found an exact reason yet and probably never will.)I am hoping to share this new information next week with the phycharist-(we just started seeing in March)to discuss this new issue.I really am hoping she is familiar with this.So if anyone there has some input I am anxious to hear from you and hope to get some help and guidance from you.Thanks for listening,Dennis' mom
Hi, Dennis' mom! I'm sorry you're having such trouble right now. It sounds like things are really stressful. I know that, for myself, I have a lot more trouble controlling different "negative" behaviors when there are sensory issues that trigger my SPD, such as sounds that are out of tune or in certain pitch ranges or too loud, or if I'm too high up (can't stand stadiums), or if I'm watching someone sit on the edge of something high... the list goes on and on. Has there been some change to Dennis' routine? Maybe a change in detergent, different light bulbs (florescents really bother some people), different kind of sheets or blankets? Less opportunities to get heavy work/play in? I know that, with my tactile issues, deep pressure like rolling on a therapy ball is very helpful. Many people also have good luck with the Wilbarger protocol (brushing), although you would definitely want training for that. It's hard to guess unless you know his routine inside and out, but it's probably some kind of change that would be innocuous to anyone without SPD that deals differently with his primary sensitivities, i.e. the tactile and visual. Plus, it might be helpful to consider if he may have some underlying issues with the "other" senses, like the proprioceptive. Many people don't know enough about these to recognize them, so they go undetected. (If you're not familiar with these senses, the wiki has a good, succinct description.)
I feel like I'm starting to ramble. Hope this gives you some clues of where to look at least. Best of luck, and let us know how Dennis is doing. For that matter, let us know how you're doing!
