SPD

Sensory Processing Disorder, from my understanding, along with constitutionally poor self-regulation across all domains, accounts for the majority of my daughter's struggles. I have so much to learn! It's truly a fascinating topic... I just wish my child was not one who had to struggle with this. Here are ten fundamental facts about SPD, according to the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation:

• Sensory Processing Disorder is a complex disorder of the brain that affects developing children and adults.
• Parent surveys, clinical assessments, and laboratory protocols exist to identify children with SPD.
• At least one in twenty people in the general population may be affected by SPD.
• In children who are gifted and those with ADHD, Autism, and fragile X syndrome, the prevalence of SPD is much higher than in the general population.
• Studies have found a significant difference between the physiology of children with SPD and children who are typically developing.
• Studies have found a significant difference between the physiology of children with SPD and children with ADHD.
• Sensory Processing Disorder has unique sensory symptoms that are not explained by other known disorders.
• Heredity may be one cause of the disorder.
• Laboratory studies suggest that the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are not functioning typically in children with SPD.
• Preliminary research data support decades of anecdotal evidence that occupational therapy is an effective intervention for treating the symptoms of SPD.

– from Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children With Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD ) p. 249-250 by Lucy Jane Miller, PhD, OTR

I also recently read a wonderful article that gives me lots of hope for more understanding to hopefully be entering our public schools. Though this is in Canada, maybe it's a good sign?? SPD is often associated with autism, which it DOES  very often accompany autism, but if you have SPD, you don't always have autism! One in twenty kids has some sort of sensory processing issue! I also saw this quote today:

"A lot of children really need 10 minutes of every hour on sensory-based activities to self-regulate and soothe."
~Dr. Stanley Greenspan via Fun and Function

We've been struggling with implementing some parts of the prescribed sensory diet (brushing, Therapeutic Listening)... it turns into a power struggle and it's pretty much impossible to force my daughter to allow me to do her brushing or listen to her therapeutic cd for the 30 mins. that she's supposed to. I'm going to try a reward system for this to hopefully get her to the point where she realizes how much better it makes her feel, so she actually wants to do it!

On another note, GFCF is going well this week! This is Day 3 of week 2, and so far... no dietary infractions in Week 2!! Woo hooo!!! Now, I was told she should be having withdrawal symptoms, and she's not. So I'll be honest... I'm wondering if she even has true allergies to gluten and/or casein?? Shouldn't she be having pretty bad withdrawal? I expected it after a day or two with ZERO infractions, so I'm not sure what to think. Maybe I'm just hoping... so we don't have to keep doing this? Although... I'm afraid of when we get the food allergies test back, to see what else we may need to restrict... ugh.

Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!!