tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post4256586941302620024..comments2024-01-24T09:55:51.044-06:00Comments on Elvis Sightings: My Sense of Sensory IssuesJoyMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15073328328434957851noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-41078813043194249512009-08-08T11:09:50.257-05:002009-08-08T11:09:50.257-05:00Ah! A months-old post discussion revived!
Lots...Ah! A months-old post discussion revived! <br /><br />Lots of emotion in that word "umbridge", Saja. <br /><br />Cale is an adult also, and like you, he can only "imagine its the same for most people". <br /><br />Insofar as my comment about some outgrowing or maturing out of sensory issues, the key word is 'some'. <br /><br />I've read many-a posts by parents reporting - "yea, we went through that phase, too" - implying the particular sensory sensitivity or obsession has passed. <br /><br />Since I believe behavior is based in the nervous system, those changes denote either neural maturation. Or denigration (aging). <br /><br />IF sensory sensitivities canNOT change, then all the SENSORY (integration) techniques are useless (woo). Many are convinced of their effectiveness for reducing sensory sensitivity. <br /><br />Adaptation to sensory sensitivity is different from techniques meant to modify the neural system. <br /><br />JM, did you see those ear plugs Saja posted-on recenty? (Rose? For when she is watching female lumberjacks and their chainsaws, eh?)<br /><br />BRatKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-20601725205160855612009-08-07T03:03:13.354-05:002009-08-07T03:03:13.354-05:00May I take umbrage with the statement that people ...May I take umbrage with the statement that people grow out of their sensory processing issues? Not hardly. Mine are, if anything, worse than when I was a young adult. They are very real and impact on my life every single day.<br /><br />(I know you weren't making that claim, JoyMama; I just wanted to post an adult's SPD perspective in this thread.)<br /><br />Saja (42-year-old autistic)Sajahttp://autism-fallingintoplace.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-30632783400737672352009-01-21T21:02:00.000-06:002009-01-21T21:02:00.000-06:00Barbara - we were just starting a conversation abo...Barbara - we were just starting a conversation about compression garments with Joy's OT earlier in the fall, and then we got assigned a new OT, and in the process of getting her acquainted with Joy and learning what new things she brought to the discussion, the compression garments thought had drifted off the radar. Thank you for re-introducing it!JoyMamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15073328328434957851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-33558562820591578432009-01-21T20:58:00.000-06:002009-01-21T20:58:00.000-06:00Thanks everyone for the comments. Good food for t...Thanks everyone for the comments. Good food for thought. Thinking things over, it seems that there are a couple of strands in terms of what's "dubious" about SPD and what's less so. First there's the question of "is it legitimate as a diagnostic entity"? Me: not qualified to judge.<BR/><BR/>Second strand: are "sensory issues" legitimate as at least a potentially-related cloud of symptoms? On much firmer ground here, I think, to answer this one in the affirmative.<BR/><BR/>Third strand: what about the treatments/therapies? As long as you keep the discussion in the realm of managing rather than curing, and you allow as how some therapies are "woo"-ier than others... absolutely, there are all kinds of potentially helpful things to try. Preferably under the guidance of an OT or other professional conversant with sensory issues.<BR/><BR/>A Bishops Wife - I don't think I'm going too far out on a limb here to say that I think your doctor has missed the boat with Noddy's sensory issues. Just because s/he doesn't know how to start with it, doesn't mean that nothing can be done! Some recommended reading for you (like you have any time for extra assignments, but at least it's not algebra!): <I>The Out-of-Sync Child</I> by Carol Stock Kranowitz is one useful and classic starting point. The <A HREF="http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/" REL="nofollow">Sensory Processing Disorder site</A> that I mentioned in the post has almost an overload of all things SPD, but the "Getting a Diagnosis" page has some useful thoughts about getting a referral to an occupational therapist. I'm not sure that you necessarily need a "diagnosis" per se, but it does strike me that consulting with someone who knows up from down when it comes to sensory issues would be of great benefit. <BR/><BR/>Feel free to e-mail if you want me to go on at greater length!JoyMamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15073328328434957851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-67788266254073970922009-01-21T19:06:00.000-06:002009-01-21T19:06:00.000-06:00Re-reading the comment from A Bishop's Wife brough...Re-reading the comment from A Bishop's Wife brought me back....<BR/><BR/>JoyMama, have any of Joy's staff tried or suggested compression garments?<BR/><BR/>TheraTogs are in this category, but there are less expensive and complicated types. <BR/><BR/>If you are unfamiliar with this term, think of support hose, but in a body suit way, or like a scuba suit - instead of weighted vests or blankets. <BR/><BR/>The 'floating' comment brought this to my mind. <BR/>Barbara RatKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-27121341146479925742009-01-21T08:31:00.000-06:002009-01-21T08:31:00.000-06:00Thanks, ARatK!Thanks, ARatK!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-55444182911298495212009-01-21T07:48:00.000-06:002009-01-21T07:48:00.000-06:00BRatK,Very interesting post, and I think you can t...BRatK,<BR/>Very interesting post, and I think you can take back the RatK title for now!!<BR/>AuntieS/ARatKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-63679379635484748672009-01-21T06:09:00.000-06:002009-01-21T06:09:00.000-06:00"Temple Grandin reported creating a kind of contra..."Temple Grandin reported creating a kind of contraption for herself that would smush her between two boards to give her full-body pressure"<BR/><BR/>I love this post.<BR/><BR/>My son Noddy, likes to lay on the floor and put couch coushions on top of him and have one of his brothers smash him. He asks for it and begs to be smooshed. He says his bodt feels like it is floating or something.<BR/><BR/>He moves, bounces, twists and flips his fingers very fast. He is always saying his legs want to run or move. He says he has restless leg. He must roll side to side very quickly, many times till he goes to sleep, even in his sleep. He rolls himself back and forth, I do not know how he can sleep like that.<BR/><BR/>He complains that his body is floating and it feels "funny" in a way he can not discribe. Although he seems "use to it" I think he suffers at times as it is invasive to regulate. He begs for full body pressure. I will give him massages and he like that and it seems to help. He likes squeezed too. He seeks it.<BR/><BR/>My doc. has never done anything, he says there is nothing we can do. Is that true? What would help?<BR/><BR/>We began homeschooling a year ago, because all they want to do is say he is hyperactive and give him pills, which did no good at all. He does not need medicated, at least not in that way. He can not learn in that enviornment anyway, too too much movement, cluttered paperwork (too much stuff on one page). He can not see or comprehend the work if it iss cluttered with pictures lines and problems. He can do it but not when presented like that.<BR/><BR/>Ahh well.....I feel I have found an alli who understands finally! I will stop now. Sorry so long.A Bishops Wifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07614782576567905819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-60760904398057136552009-01-20T09:42:00.000-06:002009-01-20T09:42:00.000-06:00JoyMama you do an excellent job of advancing the c...JoyMama you do an excellent job of advancing the cause of helping others understand treatment decisions. I am grateful and happy to be in your reading audience (and for yet another link to my blog). <BR/><BR/>Your intitial example of common sensory-regulating-behaviors vs. those that overwhelm some - similar to a post I did last year called "Sensory Extremes". All of my posts on sensory issues are listed in my middle column, if others are interested - including "Sensory Summary". <BR/><BR/>I think 'prescribe' is an appropriate word for the decisions the OT makes - similar to an 'exercise prescription' - more commonly given by PTs. <BR/><BR/>For the decision to give SPD the 'diagnosis' - consider the example of the common cold. There are common symptoms to colds that are caused by both viruses and bacteria, but the treatments are different. <BR/><BR/>SPD lacks a physiological cause for distinguishing treatment. <BR/><BR/>"a nonspecific indicator of neurodevelopmental immaturity"<BR/><BR/>I do not think this statement implies persons WILL outgrow their sensory sensitivities. Some will, some won't. Some will learn to accommodate their natures within their lifestyles. 'Immaturity' is still accurate, for some, in my opinion. <BR/><BR/>Some adults do show evidence of SPD. That OT in the 70's demonstrated improvement with her techniques in institutionalized adult (some elderly) with schizophrenia. NOT wanting to start a tangental discussion here...in hindsight - that population might have improved with any attention, eh? And more than anything sensory, she used movement (aka exercise!). <BR/><BR/>Wrapping this up with another compliment to JM for helping to separate the woo from the true. <BR/>BarbaraRunatheKeyboardAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-76042754189950747302009-01-20T08:16:00.000-06:002009-01-20T08:16:00.000-06:00there is absolutely no question in my mind that SP...there is absolutely no question in my mind that SPD is real, is challenging and is unfortunately just as individualized and difficult to pin down as ASD. <BR/><BR/>(i love 'woo' - i think i may adopt that!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2811189992135134605.post-90477435237936296492009-01-20T08:00:00.000-06:002009-01-20T08:00:00.000-06:00I suppose I could understand the notion that SPD i...I suppose I could understand the notion that SPD is not a disorder of its own but a symptom. Though for individuals with SPD and no other diagnosis, I'm not sure what it could be a symptom of. <BR/>I think there's a problem with the idea that no (or very few) adults have Sensory processing issues. There's certainly a difference between "they don't exist" and "there hasn't been research to confirm that they exist." <BR/>I do think that whether SPD is a symptom or a disorder of its own, it should be treated by those who work with individuals who have clear sensory difficulties. I personally can't focus until my sensory issues are mitigated, so no additional progress could have been made until my sensory issues were pinpointed and ways to deal with them were identified. I imagine its the same for most people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com