Pediatric Occupational Therapy in Charlotte

As a child, I would likely have met the criteria for Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). As an adult I am definitely persnickety about some things, and prefer to be in control of my environment. I am also an Occupational Therapist. 

I don’t believe that sensory sensitivities can be “fixed”. We all have our preferences, most of us are able to cope and then still live full lives in spite of these sensitivities. When these sensitivities are a problem is when they limit our ability to participate in our daily life activities.  For example, when a child can't or won't play on the playground because they are too overwhelmed by the sensations they experience there; or if they can't participate in the classroom for similar reasons.

Within each of the sensory systems there are feelings of hyper-sensitivity, or being too sensitive to sensations or inputs, and there are feelings of hypo-sensitivity, or being less sensitive to sensations or inputs. As a child I was that kid who was clinging to my mom's leg. I cried a lot. I’m the one with the tear-stained face in school pictures. I never really wanted to go out on the playground. Recess really wasn’t very exciting for me. I hated going to the mall or the grocery store. Family get-togethers gave me anxiety.  I was a sweet, friendly, child; but I was so easily overwhelmed by my environment. I didn’t understand those feelings and when that tipping point was crossed where it was just more than I could handle I would cry or look for my mom or want desperately to go home or to some other safe and familiar space.  I didn't know how to cope.

If I sound like a child you know, or your own child, or if it even sounds like yourself, I hope you’ll keep reading. My goal here is to talk a little bit about each of the sensory systems that are typically involved in SPD, tell you about my own experiences as a child where they're relevant, and how those experiences have impacted me as an adult.