My son was recently diagnosed with SPD. He is three (soon to be 4!), and has been a handful from the start. Last year we contacted our local Education Service District after a reference from his pediatrician, and quickly learned that he was falling behind developmentally across the board. We began working with an OT and SP, which seemed to help a little, but other areas became unbearable. His little tantrums and fits became a never-ending chain of chaos. He is visibly frustrated much of the time, and seeks solace in the embrace of his Hot Wheels and miniature trains. He will sit in solitude for hours on end simply driving them back and forth, back and forth. There are many other nuances that struck us as strange, but we never thought much of it.
After his second day in class with his new OT, she asked us if she could conduct a formal evaluation. After the evaluation she explained SPD, and how much it can negatively affect the lives of children.
I am currently reading "The Out-of-Sync Child", and keep laughing at how many of the descriptions describe my son to a 'T'! How did we never notice these problems? How has nobody brought this to our attention sooner? Those were my initial thoughts.
Like I said, we just found out a few days ago, and I feel like life has become a whirlwind of seeking out all of the information I can.
I just started sharing everything with our families, and let me tell you, I feel crazy. They throw so many questions back at me, and I have no idea how to respond! How do I explain something I myself am just beginning to understand?
My son will start 'therapy' in 3 weeks, but in the mean time, how do we cope? The frustrations he encounters seem never-ending. Which, in turn, makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong, or maybe not doing enough.
I am greatly looking forward to this new journey, and to getting some form of support for our son's needs. That being said, it's still hard to shake the constant accusations that we are too lenient, we don't properly address the negative behaviors and outbursts, the list goes on and on. My favorite cut-down I regularly receive from a close family member is that "if I'm going to school to become a teacher, how have I gone this long without being able to control, teach, and help my own child?"!
Enough of that negativity! I am really excited to know there are other parents out there, going through the same daily trials, and those who have helped their children to adapt, thrive, and succeed!!