After learning so much about SPD, I find that I have many symptoms exhibited by people with SPD and figured that I probably have some form of it. I do have dyslexia and it seems that many of these disorders go hand in hand.
Last night, at the chiro's office, I was getting a massage and something occurred to me. I hate Swedish massage - that type of contact makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs. It annoys the daylights out of me. I like deep tissue - the more pressure the better. However, there is one part of my back that no matter how you tough it - it sends me through the roof. I jump every time. I feel like someone is taking an bare electric wire to me and shocking me. I just tell the practitioner to keep working and eventually I'll stop jumping. I can feel my muscles pull away. Is this what tactile defensiveness feels like?
It sounds similar to the way I feel about unwanted touch. And the deep vs. light touch is a common theme you'll find among people with SPD. For me, if I get a light touch, I'll often feel as though I'm covered with ants for a while afterward. How long depends on how bad it was for me.
It is not uncommon for SPD to exhibit in several family members, so I feel sure there is some measure of genetic predisposition (cause or not is a different story) that can be found. And you are not the first parent with a child that was diagnosed (or suspected) of having sensory issues that begins to see a pattern in your own life and post here.
I would encourage you to poke around about it. And do you have other senses that might be over or under sensitive?
That's the funny thing Sarah, my son is adopted.
When our son's developmental pediatrician was describing SPD to us, she said something about needing the feeling of heavy weight on us and I said "OMG, I love heavy weight" and my husband, having the sense of humor of a 10 year old, started to snicker. I have a heating pad that I use (without turning on the heat) at night when I'm out of sorts. It calms me. And, at the risk of sounding like a fruitcake, I'm empathic which, based on my son's reactions to people around him, I'd bet he is as well.
I doubt anyone would find that fruity.
I know that I am very aware of the emotional tenor of folks around me, as well. I don't know how much of that is based on SPD and how much is based on abuse, but it hardly matters. I've known others with SPD who say the same. And considering that people with SPD who are overly sensitive see other things "more loudly" than others, it's not a terribly surprising thing.
One of my favorite blogs (and the one that led me to realize that I have SPD) is about a mother who did an international adoption of a special needs child from China. Turns out, mother is SPD on the sensitive side, and her daughter from China is SPD on the under-sensitive, seeking side.
Her blog is called
Our Little Tongginator, and I'll bet you'd get a kick out of it. She sometimes talks about the difficulties of their sensory differences, but she mainly focuses on adoptive parenting and international special needs parenting. Anyway, it's really well written, and she is an incredibly kind, sweet lady.
I have heard a statistic that said that around 10% of the population is estimated to have varying levels of SPD. I don't know how true that is, but it's my guess that the truly dedicated adoptive parents who are, as you put it, empathic are the ones who are going to have SPD. And it is known that many children who need adoptive care for their forever families have a much higher incidence of SPD. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Perhaps the need of the children calls especially for those most able to understand and care for them in the times of need.
I'm very much an empath myself, so I totally understand where you're coming from. x3
Hurray for my fellow fruitcakes!!! ~doing a happy dance~
Interesting comment about the abuse Mawkinberd, I've traveled that path as well.
I'd guess that a lot more of the public has some level of SPD. I see folks chewing pens (oral stim), humming to themselves (verbal stim), bouncing their legs (physical stim) all the time and just smile to myself.
I'm a blog junkie so I'll absolutely check it out. Mine is
www.talesfromthestirrups.blogspot.com. Warning - older posts contain some offensive language but I was going through a pretty offensive time.
I'm not one to worry about offensive language, but thanks for the warning. And thanks for the link; I collect blogs and sit down for marathon reading sessions on occasion.
The interesting thing that I've heard that sticks with me most is that, even though that amount of people probably do have some level of SPD, it's really not a big deal in most of their lives. People only really seek out therapy for it if it is disrupting their lives. And since I have many friends who have some level of SPD (we seem to flock, lol), I sometimes have to remind them that awareness is more important than anything else if it's a minor issue in their lives. I mean, if it's not causing major havoc, then being aware it could be an issue is usually more than enough to head off problems. Some people get all worried and worked up if they think they have a diagnosis, thinking that it means they need this and that. When I tell them that it doesn't make them any more or less quirky than they have been their whole lives, it's somewhat of a bizarre relief. lol But for those of us who can't deal without serious focus and awareness and, yes, therapy, it's worth having a diagnosis to help you out.
Sorry, might have gone a little off track there. I had a friend recently who was freaked out when I explained exactly why her son was afraid of high ceilings, and she was worried that being diagnosed meant that he would need so much more help. Since she's already helping him by getting tagless clothes, seamless socks, and helping him deal with his (minor) stimming behaviors, I told her she was already on track. She seemed pretty relieved that she was doing the right things.
Hi, I'm new to the site. Just posted over in the Introductions forum. I've been learning about SPD through my son's diagnosis in Jan 2008. The more I read, the more I think, Hey that's me. And now I can add another! I would say I'm very empathetic. I've always thought my mom taught me to be that way, but maybe there's more than just environment at work. I've been wanting to adopt a child since I was a teenager (didn't want a child when I was a teen, just wanted to adopt a child in the future as an adult). My dream still hasn't come true since hubby thinks we'd be taking away from a couple who can't have children of our own. I tell him I want a 3-4-5 year old, not a newborn. Sigh.
I can't watch scary or gory movies at all. Even regular movies I sometimes have problems with. I still remember in college, they showed The Unbearable Lightness of Being on campus. I went with some friends. One of the characters gets his shoulder dislocated. I think I empathized so much with him that it made me faint. I was glad for the darkness. I don't think anyone but my friend right next to me realized what happened.
My husband has a genetic Protein-S deficiency. He has a greater likelihood for blood clots. One night a couple of months ago, he woke me up to say that he had terrible leg pain and worried that he had a blood clot. He wanted me to drive him to the ER. I'm not sure what it was, but I was struggling to not faint. He was so mad at me because he was trying to get moving but if I stood up, I was going to go straight down in a faint. He drove to the ER and I was in the passenger seat. Ugh.
As for tactile things, I haven't noticed too many issues. My only thing is that I prefer to not wear shoes. Either socks or just bare feet. I guess I've been that way since a baby. My mom always jokes that I would not only just take my shoes and socks off, but also the shoe laces (way back before Velcro!)--and put them all over the house. She'd have to hunt all over to find them all before being able to leave the house with me. Though I do love my sons' weighted blankets! I've been known to borrow them on occasion! And now that I think about it. I love going to the dentist when I need X-rays because then I get to sit there with the heavy lead apron on. I don't even mind having those things in my mouth if I get to wear the lead apron for a while. I wish I could wear it for the whole appt!
I definitely have auditory issues. There are certain sounds that make me want to jump out of my skin or pull my head off! One sound is my dog licking himself. If it's quiet in the house or if it's the middle of the night (it will wake me up from sleep!), I will do anything I can to get away from the sound or try to make him stop licking! Another sound is my older son making fake burp sounds. Not the loud belches, but the soft, barely audible, almost popping sound. He usually does it at night, if he's having trouble falling asleep. Hubby and I take turns sitting in the boys' room til they fall asleep (that's another story), so if I'm in the quiet room with him and he does it--drives me crazy. I've asked him to stop, but he says he can't, he just feels like he HAS to do it. So I plug my ears.
Anyway. This thread had caught my eye and just thought I'd join in. Sorry if it's off topic too much!
Not off topic at all. And I wouldn't be surprised if you were right, by the sound of it.
I too am very empathetic...........too much for my own good at time