Son Diagnosed with Sensory Modulation Disorder

Hi C.

I am a mom of a 6 year old that has sensory processing disorder, I also have it and I am an Occupational Therapist who works in a school setting with many children who have sensory processing disorder (SPD) which is the umbrella term that sensory modulation disorder falls under.

While I don't think that there is a "cure" for SPD, I believe that is just how the individual is wired are do believe there are things that can be done to lessen how SPD effects ones life.

I started to suspect that my son had SPD when he was less than a year old. It took me quite a bit of advocating, and determination to get him the help I felt he needed. He started going to therapy for Sensory Integration when he was three and has come a long way, and made huge improvements.

It is great that you are already getting him evaluated. I would recommend that you find either an Occupational Therapist or a Physical Therapist who is trained in Sensory Integration. My son actually sees a Physical Therapist who is trained in Sensory Integration (SI).

I would suggest that once have him evaluated that you talk with the OT/PT and they can give you suggestions that will fit with your son's areas that he has trouble. Without knowing what sensory areas your son has issues with, no one can really give you suggestions to help your son; and even then there is a certain trial and error piece to it all because what works for one child might no for the next.

You might also want to check out Dr. Lucy Jane Miller's book Sensation Kids. Dr. Miller is one of the foremost authorities on the subject and does a lot of research on SPD. Her book Sensational Kids is written for parents in a very easy to read and understand style.

Hang in there I know it can be scary when you find out that your child has an issue, but I can tell you as an adult with SPD it is possible to have a happy, successful life despite having SPD, you just learn how to work around it.

I don't know if sensory modulation disorder is the same thing as sensory integration disorder, but if so there are a few books that have been quite helpful, The Out of Sync Child, and The Out of Sync Child Has Fun, and The Highly Sensitive Person.

I am a counselor in an elementary school and have seen the number of kids with sensory integration issues rise over the last several years. Helping/living with a child with sensory issues can be quite a challenge. There will be people who pooh-pooh it and think it doesn't even exist, others who will get angry at a child's "quirks" and expect them to "just get over it". Your own tendency may be to baby him and try to protect/accommodate him too much. It takes alot of strength on your part to keep the balance, to hold and project as "normal" a perspective as possible, encouraging your son to grow through this as much as possible (and it does seem they "outgrow" parts of it) while at the same time protecting him from the harshness of the environment, whether that be human or physical.

Also, in addition to working with his speech therapist, check into getting Occupational Therapy from an OT who specializes in (or at least "believes in") sensory issues. Sensory integration issues can be very mild, or very debilitating, very individualized and often seemingly contradictory. Good luck and get some support for yourself as well.

Hello C.. I have a son with that who is also slightly autistic as well. There are things you can do at home such as play with play dough and let him play with his food at dinner time as well as swinging on his belly if he has a swing set or at the park. My son was diagnosed with Sensory issues at about 25 months and is now 8 years old and we made him a weighted vest for school so he gets the sensory input he needs to concentrate in class. He is in a mainstream classroom and not special needs because the therapy for speech actually worked so he can be understood before kindergarten. You can also use an electric toothbrush all around the mouth and not just not the teeth to stimulate the tongue to move and get the muscles in the tongue working to help with speech. Usually the OT professional will give you lots of good ideas such as playing with shaving cream on mirrors and such. My son was in the early intervention program in AZ and they helped me get the help we needed. I hope you got some good ideas and if you need to talk and vent just contact me on email ____@____.com

D. P.

Hi C.,

I have a 6 year old who has mild sensory issues. We struggled monumentally in her early years with clothing. She is much better now but we keep her on a rich and active sensory diet. A heavy blanket helped with sleep issues and she responds well to doing "heavy work". I believe the key is finding what works for your child as none of the interventions seem to be universal. Would be happy to share more. It is challenging and finding supports is very important. Deb

Hi C.,

SMD and other behavioral disorders can be controlled or eliminated through proper nutrition and lifestyle. It is unfortunate that our society has so many labels for the same issue (poor diet and toxic overload).

My son (now 10) had similar issues and we resolved them within one month of making the changes. This experience is what propelled me into holistic health.

Best of luck to you!

Warm Regards,
G. Van Luven, H.C.
Healthy Habits Wellness Center, LLC
www.HealthyHabitsWellnessCenter.com
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My son was diagnosed with this in the 1st grade. It is also called sensory processing disorder, or sensory integration disorder. there are some great resources online. Also, a book called "raising a spirited child" helped me a lot. Our son is now in the 3rd grade and functions very well. I do not know if his case is typical, but he has either outgrown the majority of it, or learned to cope so that most of it does not affect him. There are a few things that made a dramatic difference for him: controlling media, diet, exercise, and a good occupational therapist. First, exposure to television and computers heightens his smd reactions, so we just don't watch tv. He gets rewarded with a little tv on the weekends. Diet: he had adhd-type behaviors in addition to the smd. we had a great pediatrician who suggested we put him on an elimination diet to discover if he has food sensitivities. we did, discovered he reacts to soy. eliminating soy from his diet, as well as all artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, etc. has made an incredible difference in his beahovior and his smd (as well as his tourette's, which he's also been diagnosed with). exercise: having him exercise daily, as well as doing heavy work (we have him move concrete pavers from one side of the yard to another) does wonders! it gives his body the input it needs. occupational therapy: we had an informed ot at his school come up with a sensory diet. as long as his teacher obeys it, he does great in the classroom. beware of windy days, however..sensory nightmare. if you have any questions, or are interested in the elimination diet details, email me..i'm happy to help!