JUST ANOTHER NAUGHTY CHILD?

This month is SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) awareness month.

At some point in our lives we have probably been into a supermarket for eg. and heard a child screaming. We may have been on public transport and aware that a child is constantly fidgeting and trying to get up and down off it’s seat.  We have probably thought to ourselves that the child is being naughty, needs a good telling off and that the parents should exercise more disipline.  What we have probably never thought of is that the child may have some form of sensory processing disorder.

Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD is something that to be honest I was not really aware of that much myself until quite recently.  This may seem surprising given the fact that it has been clear for some time that Jessica has ‘sensory issues’ but nothing had ever been explained in much detail.  Jess had had no formal assessment of her SPD infact I can’t recall anyone actually using the term.

Back in the Summer the Grandparent Support Group SNUG (Special Needs United Grandparents) held a local meeting & coffee morning and we were treated to a talk by an independent Occupational Therapist who was also an Advanced Practitioner in SPD.

This talk was a definite eye opener.  At times some of the things that were being described were so accurate as to how Jessica behaved it was uncanny.  Afterwards I had so many questions I wanted to ask, along with the other Grandparents in attendance.

I couldn’t wait to tell my Daughter about this meeting and passed over the lady’s details.  I received a telephone call from  her later to say that she had arranged for a home visit and an assessment of Jessica’s behaviour.

The assessment consisted of not just a home visit but also forms for Jessica’s nursery school to fill in so that an overall picture could be obtained of Jessica’s behaviour both at home and in nursery.  

The report that came back contained the following information:

Sensory processing disorder is a condition that exists when sensory signals don’t get organised into appropriate responses.  Sensory processing disorder can affect people in one sense or in multi senses.  Jessica displays signs of sensory processing disorder in a number of her sensory systems; the proprioceptive sense, the vestibular sense, the tactile sense and the auditory sense.

The Proprioceptive sense.  If we are sitting down for eg. we don’t have to consciously think of how to place our feet, or sit in the chair, to keep ourselves from falling over.  This is proprioception.  Receptors from our muscles and joints give us this information automatically.  When we first learn how to drive a car, we may find ourselves having to look to check our feet are on the right pedals and to check with our eyes that we change into the right gear, but once we have been driving for a while then all of this becomes automatic.  Our brain has learnt what to expect our body to be doing whilst driving. we don’t have to keep visually checking each move.  Jess is under responsive to proprioceptive input which means that she can have difficulty grading movement.  A child such as Jess often seeks opportunities to gain proprioceptive input during their play and daily activities by constant fidgeting or being on the go all of the time.

The vestibular Sense:  The vestibular system is all to do with movement and balance it helps us to control our balance and co-ordinate movement.  It is said that the vestibular system is the first sensory system to fully develop by 12-14 weeks of gestation.  Jessica is also under responsive in the vestibular sense.  Again, the underdevelopment of this sense shows itself by a child wanting constant movement and also craving intense movement experiences.

The Tactile Sense as the name implies refers to touch and the information being sent to the brain from the tiny receptors in our skin.  This information can relate to temperature, pain, shape, size and a lot more.  Children with an under-responsive Tactile sense may have a higher pain threshold amongst other things, whilst those who have are over responsive may find certain clothing fabrics, garment tags etc., quite a painful experience.

So now we knew what some of these things meant, how could we help to limit the impact it had on Jessica’s life and well being? 

As well as various equipment which would help it was also suggested that Jessica would benefit from a sensory diet.  This has nothing at all to do with her eating but is basically a list of activities to be used daily, designed around her which can help with her sensory processing needs. 

Play activities to provide proprioceptive input can include jumping, crawling under couch cushions, playing with weighted balls. Heavy marching and/or wearing a weighted back pack as she walks around.  Pushing and pulling open heavy doors when out.  Short burst of jumping, squeezes and self imposed body hugs.

Play activities to provide vestibular input:  Sitting on a rocking chair, sitting on a gym ball.  Playing on slides, swings, seesaws, ladders.

Play activities to provide combined tactile and proprioceptive input:  Clapping games whilst adult recites rhymes, swimming and pool activities, ball activities such a bowling or catch.

Jessica’s parents wasted no time in putting some of these things into practice and her new school were also given a copy of the report and sensory diet so that they could also implement some of the things suggested.

Children  with SPD can have a difficult time making sense of the world.  Some children are sensitive to certain noises, such as the loud public address system in a supermarket or the constant bleeping of the tills. Such noises can cause them to become distressed and afraid. Children with SPD are often not able to sit still for any length of time, their bodies crave movement to be able to judge their surroundings and their place in those surroundings. These things are not in the child’s control, they are not being naughty.

Here is a video that was made for children explaining about SPD but I think it is good for adults too.  If you have children of your own then why not watch it together? 

SPD VIDEO

The more we talk about Sensory Processing Disorder and begin to understand it then children like my Granddaughter will have a better chance of being understood and a better future once they reach adulthood.

As was quoted at our meeting

 "SEE BEHAVIOUR? – THINK SENSORY!"