Hi Everyone,
I've joined this forum because I need any helpful advice possible. I am the parent of a 5 1/2 year old girl with SPD. She is completing her last session with the OT who says she has met her goals. My husband and I are older parents and this is our only child.

I've been at my wit's end lately and knew that joining a forum might help. Mom has early onset dementia and I've been a member of a diff forum for that for years. It's been very helpful, hence I went looking a forum for SPD related help.

I'm so afraid of messing up my daughter. She is going to start kindergarten this fall and is at home with me except on M/T when she goes to part-time daycare. Naps are a challenge. I never was the type of child to get in trouble. I was shy and scared of my teachers. She had a note from her childcare center for being defiant during nap time and sticking out her tongue at the teacher.

Potty training has been an issue too. One underlying factor is slow transit constipation. She has a great GI doc who ordered an upper GI and told us how impt it was for her to consume fiber. Well, she is also a PICKY eater. She seems to love chocolate more than life itself though. I am trying hard to keep her from consuming too much. We give her two cups of 2% milk 2x a day with Krystalose in them. This has helped.

She is quickly becoming more adept at gross motor skills. She could not jump off a curb a few months ago. She no longer hesitates as she has to step over the threshold. I even heard her friend comment out loud - "boy you sure have gotten faster" when they played chase. That felt awesome to hear!

This introduction is kind of all over the place bc 1) I'm ADD and the medication I take does not seem to be helping. I will continue to try to improve more and more though. 2) Also I'm in a hurry bc my daughter needs me every few moments. I feel ordered around like I can't get anything done! Geez. She is very rude at times and manipulative- calling me pretty and then hinting towards wanting to have chocolate or go somewhere. I feel I endlessly do for her, but it's not working when it comes to her being able to do a few things independently.

I've gotten a bean bag, a hand massager, Gothic Chant CD, church music she loves to sing to, hung the IKEA bag in the living room, built her a huge outdoor playhouse she will only use when friends are over, and I have all kinds of fun exercise things around the house.

As I type all this, I must be honest. I think one problem could be that I have all this stuff but I lack a regimented routine. Do you think a routine will help. OK, she just entered and is climbing me. I have to run...

Kelechim

Yes, I think a routine could help. A routine, with the ability to vary it to meet her sensory needs, is frequently good for SPD children.

I can totally relate to your post. Welcome to the forum. There's lots of great info that may help you if you search some of the old posts as well.