SPD is: the inability to use information received through the senses in order to function smoothly in life (The Out of Sync Child, Kranowitz, 9). In other words, the brain is just wired a little different and processes differently than most people.
For example if you were running and tripped your brain would send out a message saying "Catch yourself!" But for a child/person with SPD, specifically dyspraxia(difficulty in motor planning), they wouldn't get the message fast enough or maybe at all and may result in injury.
The kid doesn't have control of it and ideally would be taught how to cope with the challenge. Sometimes children are thought to be mean or aggressive when they may just be rigid with certain things. Example: Rudy shut the door on Alice's fingers. Seems mean, right? But, when you look at it from Rudy's view... mom really wants that door to stay shut... she's told him several hundred times... he thinks he is just following the rules and helping mom. I'm not saying that is always the case, but I know it can be and if you take the time to look from the view of the child you can usually tell what the motive is. It seems there is a very fine line when it comes to what was intentional and what was not. Finding the balance can sometimes really be annoying.
It can also effect social interaction, self regulation, and the ability to learn.
With Mike it still cracks me up sometimes when I vacuum. He comes running into whatever room yelling at the top of his lungs that "it's too loud!" and yet still needs to sit and watch to make sure it doesn't get louder... of course with his hands over his ears or with his head phones on. We've been blessed to have had great teachers, our OTs, to help us learn how to help Mike and Josh with it. They taught me two techniques that really helped them settle down and start to learn to self regulate... brushing and joint compression.
I usually get really weird looks at church when I do this, but the benefit for Mike and the primary teacher are worth it. Why do they work? Well in the words of Sean (Josh's OT) "Brushing provides a deep pressure on the skin, which stimulates the nerve endings to send impulses to the brain. As these impulses go to the brain, the brain is bombarded with this sensory input, causing it to calm or regulate which helps the individual tolerate adverse stimuli. Brushing mainly provides tactile/touch inpulse to the brain and this type of stimulis is effective for a maximum of 2 hours. Joint compression is a proprioceptive type of stimulus which is our awareness of where our body parts are. This stimulis has a much longer lasting effect on the brain as it has to process it. Brushing and joint compression provide the brain with appropriate input or desensitizes the brain to allow it to tolerate or process irritating or obnoxious stimuli. All the sensory input that we receive has an effect on us. It can be stimulating, calming, irritating, or non-important. Brushing and joint compression have a tendency with a majority of the population to cause a calming affect. We are trying to use this calming
affect to help Mike or Josh to deal with irritating stimuli by having
the brain regulated with safe sensory input."
This is Sean and Josh in body socks that gave Josh enough proprioceptive input that he could attend to tasks for longer than normal. It made quite a difference. Funny how little things do that.It was really worth it! So, I know this was really long winded, but hopefully it helps someone out there who happens upon this. There's still a ton more info on SPD and the different ways it affects people and different ways to help (deep pressure/ weighted blankets), but I've written enough. If you want to know what types of things to look for here's a link to a check list/ website that I've found helpful. Have a wonderful day!
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