It's been a year since we've realized our 3 year old, Damien, had sensory processing disorder, SPD. He had just turned 2 a couple months before, couldn't talk at all, and wasn't the happy kid that we knew. Often times, little things would set him off and he would go into meltdown mode, or we noticed he would go missing, only to be found, hiding in the closet.
He couldn't handle going to church, or places with crowds. The noise and people were too much for him. Many times, my husband and I would get so frustrated that we would put him in time-out, only to realize that made it worse. He was being punished for something he had no control over.
One thing we really worked hard on, was to try and find an outlet for him. We knew he loved to play on my tablet. If he needed a little downtime, we would put him somewhere and let him play games for 15 minutes. He loved to cuddle, and we noticed that was one way to get him to calm down. After a few months, we taught him to go to his room if he was overwhelmed. It wasn't long before he was able to recognize and do things on his own. He still needed help with church or play groups. But we always made sure we had what he needed.
The one thing I've realized through all of this, is to have patience. Things will get better. You and your child will find things that work. Talk to your occupational therapist, and be honest. If they ask how are you doing, answer them honestly. I don't know how many times I've been asked that, and have said, "today sucks." They understand and are there to help you along the way.
Are there still hard days? Oh yeah.
Are there days I want to lock myself in the bathroom? Yep.
Are there days where I look at my life, and just laugh? Yes.
I mean, come on... I have THREE kids with SPD!
These kids are my life, and I've realized that my attitude has a huge impact on how I look at and handle situations. Be strong, it WILL get better.
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