I have been praying about sharing this post for a while....I started a blog awhile back about being the Mom of a child with Sensory Processing Disorder.....I only had one post and I believe the post was for me more than anyone else. There will be more posts about Occupational Therapists and how they can help children and families cope but I wanted to give you this post to get an understanding as to why I am "working" with Jennifer.. For those of you who don't know I work with an Occupational Therapist as her office manager....She does the kids and I do the paperwork. It is a great combination.
She came to my family at a time when I was desperate. She wasn't doing OT. She was raising her babies. I hadn't spoken to her for a few years. Our boys had gone to preschool together but somehow I remembered that she had said she used to be an OT before she was a Mom. She immediately said..."Don't worry, Michelle. I will help you." She helped to restore calm back in our family and for that I will be forever grateful.
After my sweet baby was discharged we started A Kid's OT. Jennifer has been given a talent to work with these kids.....maybe because she was one of these kids. I have never seen anything like it. I will ask her to do guest posts for me over time to explain more of what SPD is and how we can help our children cope...In the meantime....the blog post that follows will you a glimpse into my life in May 2009....
This was a very difficult time for our family and especially my daughter. I share this story because I believe it can help other families that might be in need.....Please respect her privacy. She has worked so hard to overcome her challenges and I am so proud of her. She is an amazing gift and I am so blessed to be her Mom.
From SPDMom May 2009
I have been asked over and over again to write a blog about my experience with a child with SPD....Sensory Processing Disorder. I am not a medical professional. I am not a writer. I am just a Mom who was given a very special daughter to raise. I have been pushed to my limits or what I thought were my limits over the years but especially the last six months. I am happy to write that we have some better routines and I can predict most of her triggers but not all.....It is those that cause my anxiety. You just never know when they are going to blow. You sit on pins and needles waiting to see if they will get through meals, getting dressed and sometimes just getting out of the house.
I thought for a long time it was parenting. I mean that is what everyone told me....Have you tried this, have you tried this...It wasn't until I had two other daughters behind her that I knew something just wasn't right. I know that is horrible to say about your own child and believe me there were so many times during all this that I hoped and prayed it was just that I was a "bad Mom" Being a Mom to any child is selfless but I assure you being a mom to a child with Sensory Processing Disorder takes it to a new level. I am not even sure where I should start except to say that you aren't alone....I know I felt so alone. The only person I really had was a sister in law who was on the phone 1,000 miles away. She was such a source of strength for me. Complete unconditional love. There were moments when I didn't know how I was going to continue with this....There is no cure and there is no clear cut diagnosis which makes it impossible. Doctor after Doctor gave me different diagnosis and different treatment plans. See for most kids with SPD they have learned to cope so most people either think they have no issues because they usually save those meltdowns (not tantrums) for Mom or they just need some discipline.
Crazy....Am I crazy? This was what I asked myself over and over.
As I have made this journey with my sweet girl I have learned so much about myself. I have found strength that I never knew I had. I have been so covered by God in all that I have needed. I was so blessed to find an amazing therapist (LCSW) and an Occupational Therapist. I thank God for them every day. I know that my daughter has a very specific purpose in this life of hers. I know that we were handpicked by God for each other and through all the frustrations and humbling times I thank God for her my sweet daughter.
Michelle, I'm near tears...I thank God every day that He brought you and Jennifer into my family's life. I was a SPD/ADHD kid...at that time, I was considered overly sensitive and an underachiever. "Just tune it out!" was all I heard at home. Add in some tactile defensiveness (among other things) and it's a big ole party. Fast forward many years...discovering my son was wired a little differently than his sister. The ear infections, food aversions (to texture), speech delays, sensitivity to sound and absolutely no interest in writing. As we finished speech therapy, we knew we could be looking at some fine motor issues and by kindergarten, I knew we had a problem. Our school OT claimed he was within normal limits, but I didn't buy it. Then, first grade, where he read well above grade level, but had atrocious handwriting...complete with "He needs to improve his handwriting and organizational skills." but no advice on how to help him. I would continually ask, "How do I help him?" Nuthin'. Rolling into second grade, he was assigned one of the best teachers ever, Michelle Schotz. By October, she knew something was up, more than just bad handwriting. By early January I found you and Jennifer and the rest is history...despite a broken thumb in the spring, he is making amazing progress. Everyone is so surprised he has any SPD issues...but that's the scary part. Kids like him fall through the cracks so easily, but many people don't realize the self esteem issues that develop. Thank you for sharing your story!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Michelle...I know how hard it can be to be open with family issues. I have another friend who's gone through something similar with her son; I'd love to introduce y'all sometime. I really had no idea this was in your life.
ReplyDeletelove you for sharing this... so many suffer and have no place to go... God bless your courage to stand proud....
ReplyDeleteMichelle,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you decided to share. I too have a son who will be 5 next week with dyspraxia and SPD. Because I am a SLP, I knew what to look for in SPD. I caught it at 7 months old when he started stage 2 jarred foods. He had dysphagia as well and went for speech for the sensory food avervions at age 2 as well as OT. Go forward two years and we're back in OT. My husband and I are very concerned about Kindergarten and how he'll do in a classroom of 25 kids! He has his pysical in just over a week, and we'll be discussing the next step. Did you seek an evaluation from a developmental pediatrician to bring to the school? I just think he'll be one of those kids who will fall through the cracks because he's coping and performing okay on the surface. I would love to chat when you're up for to share our stories. Take care and God be with you during this time.