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+--- Thread: Umm...hi. I'm new. (/thread-364.html)
Umm...hi. I'm new. - Igby - 07-10-2011
Let's see...what brings me here? Luck, I suppose. I was just googling around, clicking at almost random, and one link literally led to another. Eventually I landed here and found it interesting enough to stay.
Hmmm...my relationship to someone with SPD? Well, I probably have sensory processing disorder. Or I may merely be insane. My siblings all seem to display some degree of sensory processing disorder.
I would not call it much of a journey. Umm...let's see. At birth I was normal, perfect, pink, and covered in gross stuff like most humans. My head was rather smushed because the doctor did not know what he was doing. I still have some rather interesting looking dents, but they cannot be seen through my hair. As an infant I was rather quiet and had a weird fascination with socks. I was content to play with them for hours at a time. Once, my mom was very tired. The house was quiet so she assumed that my grandmother had come over and taken me to her house (as was the norm, she had her own key and liked to help out and give my mother time to sleep/be alone). My mother slept for around 9 hours and then got up to go to the bathroom. My room was on the way and she happened to glance in there...and scream. I was in my crib, in the dark, playing with socks...for 9 hours. When I saw her smiled and said "Hi, mommy" and then returned my attention to my socks. I was 10 months old at the time. My mother still feels guilty about that....which she shouldn't. Clearly I was OK with it.
Immediate help? Well...my life is currently in shambles because I failed all of my college courses 2nd semester...despite making passing grades and missing very few classes. I am not able to get in touch with anyone who can help. The people that I do manage to contact give me the run around. My pell grant has been taken away because...well, they don't give Pell Grants to failures, now do they? I have needed accommodations in school since at least 6th grade, but most people felt that I was simply lazy and unmotivated because, apparently, that is the only explanation for a person as bright as myself to never have any of my work done (it WAS done, i just could not keep up with it) or fail math tests, etc.
I don't have any gifts. My interests are reptiles (specifically ball pythons), longboarding, and music. I play a few instruments either mostly or entirely by ear because I am not very proficient at reading music.
In my spare time I enjoy longboarding, jumping on pogo sticks, launching myself out of swings, doing backflips on trampolines, reading, writing, listening to and/or playing music, and learning about ball pythons and anything else that piques my interest.
RE: Umm...hi. I'm new. - AngelaVA - 07-10-2011
Welcome!! So sorry about the classes, how frustrating and discouraging! Do you happen to have insurance where you could go see an OT and maybe a Psychologist who specializes in education issues? RE the looking at socks as a child and playing by ear with music, maybe looking into vision therapy if possible as well? Honestly, if you need accommodations in school as long as do whatever documentation is needed, if someone thinks it's because you are lazy, then that's their issues not yours.
It sounds like you have a lot of talents RE longboarding, doing jumps and flips and music, speaking as someone who cannot play a single instrument or do anything that resembles a flip or stunt of any kind ;-) .
RE: Umm...hi. I'm new. - Igby - 07-11-2011
I do not have insurance so seeing an OT or a psychologist is out of the question. Also, any mention of wanting to see one upsets my mother. I just...really like socks. I find them amusing. No idea why. My vision has been tested. It is 19/19. It has been tested on more than a few occasions as well as my hearing (which is...better than average. unfortunately) Documentation is the issue. I have no documentation. And because I have a highish IQ (eyeroll) I am just seen as lazy. This makes teachers, counselors, and my relatives angry with me as well as makes them not want to help me. MPitA.
I don't really consider those talents. Anyone could learn to jump on a trampoline or play an instrument. It's nothing worth calling talent.
RE: Umm...hi. I'm new. - LynnNBoys - 07-11-2011
Hi and welcome!! I'm glad you clicked randomly and found us!
Since you aren't able to see an OT right now, keep jumping on the trampoline, pogo sticks, and swinging on swings--those all will help! As well as the music listening and playing. Get your body moving and it will help your brain to get a handle on things.
You can have perfect hearing and see 20/20, but still have auditory or vision issues. I know I learn better with visuals. If I just listen to a lecture, I can't absorb the information, it doesn't stay with me. I need to see something that reinforces whatever the person is talking about or read it in a book. My auditory problems have also shown up with phones. I can't seem to take phone messages very well. I hear all the words but my brain can't make sense of it. I have to have phone numbers repeated over and over before I can write down the right number. I find that I look at people's mouths when they talk so that I can better process what they're saying. I've had my hearing tested over the years and it's always been perfect.
Low self-esteem is also a problem with many people who have SPD. Try to keep positive thoughts about yourself! I know it's hard.
I'm not sure what to do about school or who to ask for help for that level of schooling. My older son is just entering 5th grade.
I hope you'll stick around and hopefully someone else will have an answer about young adult help.
RE: Umm...hi. I'm new. - beck7422 - 07-12-2011
In order for me to learn I had to learn through reading the text books, paying attention in class (visual/auditory/touch), and do all the labs/homework. If I skimped on even one of those my grades suffered dramatically. I spent 3x as much time on all my out of class work as all my fellow Engineering students. My IQ was at the same level or higher than some of them, but that was irrelevant to how I learned.
One of my problems was in attempting to read my course work, the text would wander off frequently or the page would turn all black/white. I would read a paragraph, realize I hadn't comprehended a single word of it and start over. It was very frustrating. Rulers helped to keep the text still, but it impacted the reading flow of the text.
Towards the end of my Master's Degree in Computer Engineering I got Irlen Lenses and for the first time my homework didn't take near as long to read or complete.
Irlen lenses are expensive but worth it if you need them.
RE: Umm...hi. I'm new. - Igby - 07-12-2011
Thanks for the welcome, Lynn.
I also tend to read lips but that is because i am rarely able to understand what people are saying. I miss parts of sounds or something. I have to look up and memorize lyrics to songs or...well, everyone around me gets a good laugh. =]
Beck: Irlen Lenses look like a good idea, but I don't make very much money in my current occupation. Also, I highly doubt that there are any Irlen testers here.
RE: Umm...hi. I'm new. - beck7422 - 07-12-2011
There are Irlen testers around the world and in every USA state. Not saying one is close by, but there should be one in the region you live.
US sites:
http://irlen.com/clinicfinder_us.php
International sites:
http://irlen.com/clinicfinder.php
RE: Umm...hi. I'm new. - LaneSensorina - 07-14-2011
Hi Igby! I'm glad you're here.
So much of what you said I could say, or have said, about myself. The difficulty in school. I had a high IQ but never did will in school. I dropped out of college 30 years ago. But it worked out okay in the long run. One friend with a masters degree calls me the "most educated person she ever met." I am an infovour. I would rather explore interesting venues of information than do just about anything else. Although I do love jumping on trampoline, scuba diving, swimming, dancing (need lots of time to learn the steps though), roller blading. that kind of activity even "feels" good for my brain.
I can't "hear" people talk, either. I watch all the movies I rent from Netflix with subtitles for the hearing impared. It's the only way I can hear what the characters are saying. And I can be having a conversation with someone, if they turn their head and I can't see their mouth, I can't understand what they say. But the one time, ten years ago I had my hearing tested, I had perfect hearing. That totally didn't make sense to me until I discovered SPD.
Anyway, I'm glad you found us. This is a great place to be.