“The Out of Sync Child” Podcast
Sensory Integration Dysfunction or Sensory Processing Disorder (SID or SPD) is one of the most common disorders seen in adopted children, including my son. It can be minor or severe…so severe that it disrupts every aspect of their daily lives. It does, and can with AJ.
According to Carol Stock Kranowitz, SPD is the oversensitivity and undersensitivity to touch, taste, smell, sound, or sight, and/or to movement sensations, unusual activity levels, and problems with motor coordination. But, that is just in the simplest terms. It includes the vestibular, proprioceptive, visual, tactile, auditory, olfactory, and oral. And if you think your child won’t have it…think again. Is in the top five medical issues for intercountry adoption. But it also happens in biological families and domestic adoptions everyday.
Most people develop normal sensory functioning, but some experts believe that the process goes awry in as many as 10 percent of children. Although the causes are unclear and may be genetic in many cases, there are extrinsic factors that are identified as putting children at particular risk. These include maternal deprivation, premature birth, prenatal malnutrition, and early institutional care. Repeated ear infections before age 2 also appear to heighten the risk for sensory difficulties. Bundling, minimal handling, and propping bottles for feeding deprive the infant of the kinds of stimulation that promote integration of the senses. These factors may explain why the incidence of SI is higher among adopted children–even those who came to their families immediately after birth.
The pioneer in Sensory Integration, Jean Ayres, began her sensory integration research at a time when most doctors had not tread in those waters. As an occupational therapist she studied the neurological system of disabled children and adults.
Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A, is now the nationally recognized leader in SPD education and also the author of The Out-of-Sync Child
Questions addressed include:
# What is sensory processing?
# Why is sensory processing critical to
your child’s development?
# What is Sensory Processing Disorder?
# What are the causes, types, symptoms
and associated challenges?
# What are the differences between SPD
and ADHD?
# Why is knowing about SPD important
for adoptive parents & adoption
professionals?
# What should you do if you suspect
SPD?
# How can you learn more?
*You can also get a certificate of completion for Hague Adoptive Parent Training.
Other Books I recommend (and trust me…I’ve read them!):
1. The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, Revised Edition: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder
2. Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues
3. Sensory Integration and the Child: 25th Anniversary Edition
4. The Everything Parent’s Guide to Sensory Integration Disorder: Get the Right Diagnosis, Understand Treatments, And Advocate for Your Child (Everything: Parenting and Family)
5. Parenting a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder: A Family Guide to Understanding and Supporting Your Sensory-Sensitive Child
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POSTED IN: Medical, Sensory Integration
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