Things I Wish I Would Have Known About SPD

When my son was 16 months old, we started noticing a rapid decline in his words spoken and eye contact. We took him in for a therapy evaluation. After six months of therapy, he was re-evaluated. The therapist told me she wasn’t sure what was going on. She recommended us seeing an ENT to check to see if my son was hearing. The ENT recommended tubes. After my son got tubes, he started making more sounds, but continued to struggle with speaking, making eye contact and crossing midline. It was at that time that the therapist talked to me about PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder). Our doctor didn’t want my son to be diagnosed until three, so she had us put off testing. She wanted to give him time to develop. At three and four, he was screened for PDD (autism), and we were told it was not PDD, but Sensory Processing Disorder. At the time, I thought that was it, an answer. Here is what they didn’t tell me:

1.   Sensory Processing Disorder never stands alone. It is known to be a red flag for something else, such as: Autism, ADD/ADHD or anxiety. Children with SPD usually have developmental delays, feeding problems, and coordination trouble.

 

2.   Sensory Processing Disorder is not recognized by all as a medical diagnosis. Many dispute it being a real disorder, and believe that it is just a symptom of other disorders. Therefore, when a child is receiving therapy for sensory processing disorder, they are treated based upon their symptoms.  Learn as much as you can about what they are being treated for.

 

3.     It is important to narrow down the diagnosis, so your child can receive therapy centered towards their needs and possibly receive more services.

 

I wish I would have known about these things at the start of our journey. I think it would have helped when something else came up when I already thought I had all the answers. I hope this might help others who are just starting their journey.

The last thing that I wish I would have known about SPD is that it does get easier. With testing and therapy, your child's therapy plan will be more personalized to meet their needs. Over time, you will learn how to best help your child, and your child will develop ways to cope. Hang in there! You are doing a great job!