My skin feels like it is on fire, tags poke at me like a hot wire. My pants are too loose, or way too tight…no matter what, they just don’t feel right. My shoes hurt my feet, I just can’t deal
The pain I feel is very real. Transitions are hard for me, structure and routine are a must Disregulation and anxiety can lead to mistrust. What you may not know and what you may not see Is that I am a child with SPD.
Loud noises and chaos can really freak me out, Because of this, I too, may scream and shout. Sometimes I may hit, push, and run into things too Please know I am never really trying to hurt you. I may need to be alone, or have a quiet space It helps me to feel calm and my mind not to race.
Although we may learn differently, most of us are really quite smart Learning to understand my needs will help us to have a great start. What you may not know and what you may not see Is that I am a child with SPD.
Weighted blankets and compression vests help give me the input I need A few among the tools used to help me to succeed. I may have trouble sleeping and wake a lot with fear It helps to know you love me and that you’re always near. Quite often I am misunderstood when I don’t behave like the others They think that I am naughty and, “not like my sisters and brothers.” What they do not know and what they do not see Is that I am a child with SPD.
Our senses give our brains directions on how to think and feel My brain can’t read directions…my SPD is REAL. You all have a highway where all of your senses travel I have a traffic jam… which leads me to unravel. I don’t need to be judged… or felt sorry for I am just like you… although I struggle more. Please take the time today, to learn more about ME Because I am more than my SPD.
-Darci Harig
There is always a lot of confusion surrounding sensory processing disorder – mainly because there are many different diagnoses that fall under the catch-all phrase sensory processing disorder (SPD). Among them are three specific subcategories:
Sensory Over-responsivity: In this category, children respond very strongly to minimal stimuli. They often avoid touching or being touched. They often react strongly to certain textures of clothing or food. In addition, they will get overexcited with too much to look at or with strong smells or sound.
Sensory Under-responsivity: In contrast to children who are over-responsive, children with this form of SPD often pay little or no attention to the sensory experiences around them. They are unaware of messy hands, face, or clothes. They will also fail to notice how things feel and will often drop them. When presented with new stimuli, they will ignore them – even if a food is extra spicy or a noise is particularly loud.
Sensory Seeking: Children who are sensory seeking are exactly that – always looking for new sensations. They dump toys and rummage purposelessly, chew on shirt cuffs, and rub against walls. They welcome loud noises, seek strong odors, and prefer spicy or hot foods.
While children who fall into the categories described above exhibit widely (and sometimes opposite characteristics), they are all classified as possessing a sensory processing disorder. It’s often confusing!
SPD and Autism
One major commonality between SPD and autism is explained by Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide, in their book, The Mislabeled Child:
Like children with autism, children with sensory processing disorder typically show signs of problems with the long-distance connections that integrate different areas of their brains, with the cerebellum (which helps to regulate and ‘smooth out’ the brain’s different perceptions and responses), and with the frontal lobes (which help coordinate brain activities).
In other words, children who have either SPD or autism will experience problems when controlling and synchronizing perceptions and responses. Because of this inability to process many different stimuli and effectively produce a response, children who are autistic or experience SPD will display similar behaviors.