The worst fear that a parent can have is that there is something wrong with their child.  Early on, a parent’s intuition may be the only thing they have to go on that there is a problem.  Doctor’s may insist at first that everything is fine.

As the child’s behavior gets more noticeable, they really just want to know the truth.  The sooner they know the truth, the sooner they can help their child.

If you have noticed some subtle – or not so subtle differences in your child, you may want to look at the symptoms of sensory processing disorders. They are becoming common in today’s children – much more than they were years ago. What is a sensory processing disorder? It is a disorder that occurs when the nervous system does not process the messages from the senses and turn them into the expected responses. There are so many ways that this happens in children that it is often difficult for doctors and other health professionals to diagnose. That is the primary reason why physicians are often hesitant to diagnose a child as having this disorder.

There are some clues that can help parents since you are with your child more than anyone else. These are some of the main characteristics of children with this disorder, and a child can have one or more of these:

• Oversensitivity to touch – does not like to be hugged, kissed, get messy, take a bath, or wear clothes OR can be the opposite – doesn’t feel pain or notice dirt, and touches everything, banging into things, wants to be squeezed and hugged tight
• Is aggressive with other kids, moves all of the time – jumping, running, and uncoordinated OR the opposite – clumsy and uncoordinated
• Is overly sensitive to sounds that other individuals don’t notice – vacuum, hair dryer, loud public places and covers ears and says it’s loud OR doesn’t know where noise is coming from, does not respond when called, loves loud music
• Is a very picky eater who gags on textured food, has trouble sucking, chewing, and swallowing, and may be very afraid of the dentist OR the opposite – eats everything including inedible items like dirt or clay, drools a lot
• Is overly sensitive to smells that make the child feel sick or want to go places because they don’t like the smells that you may not even notice OR is totally unaware of smells that most people don’t like, or smells everything, even things that other people would find offensive.
• Is bothered by bright lights or sunlight, and avoids eye contact OR difficulty finding details in pictures and trouble reading because of losing place in text

While many children have some of these issues and differences at times, the key to identifying a sensory processing disorder is that your child has them MOST of the time. As your child gets older and into preschool, you will notice the differences between her and other children. If you have any doubts about whether or not your child may have this disorder, make a list of your concerns to discuss with your pediatrician. The earlier that it is diagnosed, the better your child will be able to adjust and develop more normal responses.

If you feel your pediatrician is not taking your concerns seriously, and your child is under school age, contact your State’s Early Intervention Center. Once the child reaches school age, you can request testing through the school system. If you have insurance, and don’t need a referral, take your child directly to an Occupational Therapist.

Diane W.
Blog Writer for SensaCalm