Hi guys! I am new here and kind of nervous. New to all of this SPD stuff and even though it's nerve wracking, I find it extremely intriguing and interesting. I am literally taking my 6 year old daughter to an OT today for the first time and she is being evaluated. So although she has not been diagnosed yet, her counselor is pretty sure she has SPD and after talking with the OT, she's pretty sure she does as well, with just what I talked to her about. With doing all of this research, I've come to the conclusion that I to have SPD and after doing my own tests and asking family and friends if they feel the same things I've diagnosed myself!! LOL So of course, it may not actually be true, but it's good to know I can come here and maybe talk about things to cope with my quirks so to speak. Anyway, I definitely am interested in how you all have been diagnosed and as adults what steps you have taken. I definitely worry that my quirks are an interruption to not only myself, but my family and I worry at times that it is the cause of most of the stress I seem to put on others, mainly my hubby and my children. So I want to help this somehow. In the meantime, I'm dealing with my daughters quirks with the realization that I have most of the same ones and don't even know how to help her since I can't help myself. Does any of this make sense? DO you have any suggestions as to what I should do??
I started seeing an OT at age 22. Maybe 23. Something like that. I don't remember exactly whether it was 22 or 23.
Developing a sensory diet is important whether a child or an adult. Some things are different when you're an adult, because of lower plasticity of the brain, but mostly its the same as if you were a child, with more coping and less nervous system rewiring to use other parts of itself. (Though in every case there is some of both.)
What does developing a sensory diet mean??
And for my daughter the reason she was even seeing a counselor is because after many doctors visits and multiple physical checks, we've come to the conclusion that she is mentally creating this problem that has been ongoing since right before this past Christmas. She had gotten a UTI and ever since then, after it healed and through many tests and so on, still acts as though she has one. And it comes and goes. She will cry hysterically that she feels like she has to pee even though she just went. It disturbs her sleep, mine and car rides and just life in general. She's never wet herself or had any trauma of any kind. None of it makes sense other than she is only bothered by this sensation when she's NOT busy. Bored. She CLAIMS it bothers her 24/7 though and just deals with it. I just don't understand. And this is literally just ONE of the things that she does, she has a list sky high that points to SPD, but that is the one that has got us to the point we are today. She hates socks and jeans and is a very picky eater, is terrified of lots of sounds: vacuums, air driers, auto flushing toilets, large groups that are loud, crying children, thunder storms, etc . . . She's EXTREMELY Smart, it's actually freaky smart. She is very anxious, OCD and to much of a perfectionist. She's very ticklish and loves for me to hug her and tickle her, but she doesn't really return hugs as much as rather just receive them.
As for me? I just have the clothing issues, won't wear certain things, shoes, socks, blah, blah. I have a HUGE food texture issue. I can't STAND mushy food, and my food CAN NOT touch! The thought gags me. Smells make me either cringe or feel nauseated. I can not stand loud sounds, certain pitches. As far as touch is concerned, I feel like I tend to CRAVE the need to be hugged, and held tightly, often. More than most. And I find it strange that what I've read, most people with SPD are opposite of this and HATE to be tickled or feel as though it is painful. For me, I CRAVE to be tickled. Is that even a characteristic of SPD? I LOVE to be tickled, I am super duper ticklish and actually wish I were even more so! It's crazy and my hubby thinks I'm nuts! But I promise you, I prefer to be tickled every day and a lot. I love to wrestle and play and I love when it leads to a tickle fight. Is that normal? I don't know. Either way, I didn't see anyone who LIKED it at all, so I'm curious. Maybe I should create a thread about that alone? LOL
How does an adult become diagnosed? I've been having a horrible time finding anyone here in New Mexico who even knows who does the testing, much less finding people who actually do the testing!
