Kia Ora from New Zealand.
My name is Sonja and I currently reside in NZ, although I am from Australia. My 10.5 yo son has just been diagnosed with SPD which we think is incredibly exciting....why? We (he and I) have worked for years to find out what was happening for him and after years of being turned away from ADD clinics, the last 8 months of a sustained punishment routine at his school and the loss of friends and allies, we have finally been told something which truly gets the picture of our life!! My son is the most incredible, amazing, gifted, intelligent, witty (and handsome) child who has already put up with so much. I also have a 7yo son with Aspergers and Dyspraxia who is probably any person with SPDs idea of a nightmare companion, so its not an easy situation at all and stress is high on our agenda!!! Not to mention the 8 yo daughter in the middle who swings between peacemaker and provoker for her brothers.

I am a 42 yo mum who works in national mental health in NZ (not that that helped us any!!) and am passionate about learnig issues for kids (or certainly becoming that way). This is a new road for us, but feels exciting and right! My son to be offered sensory re-intergration therapy (Whatever that is...LOL) with an OT and I know what brilliant work they did with my younger son, so looking forward to that.

Although I write with amazing calmness about these things, I have to say that as a single mum with two boys with quite real challenges I am desperate for any support. I have none (my family live in another country), and its a hard slog every day.

Well, that's my moan. Lovely to be here, Sonja