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Sensory Processing Disorder vs a Toddler Being a Toddler?
How would one know if a 2 year old has SPD vs a toddler being a toddler? We are becoming concerned our son has SPD. He is really bright and very active but certain things make me wonder and for my husband, certain behaviors are getting worse.
1. He has always been sensitive to noise--airplanes flying overhead? Too loud. When he was 6 months we had to leave a wedding because he totally went into a scream fit from the time we left the wedding to the time we got home. It was the usual increase noise of people talking as the wedding went on.
2. He's very particular to what type of shirt he wears. They're all tshirts but he refuses to wear solid colors/stripes. It's a complete meltdown. Usually he wants to stay in his pajama top. The shorts he doesn't mind changing.
3. When I tried putting on a cotton button down shirt (different cotton feel than a t shirt) for photos, he freaked out.
4. He had severe colic as a baby along with acid reflux.
5. For 6 months he was terrified of getting his toenails cut. Fingers were ok. But toes he was afraid. I've never accidentally clipped him to make him afraid.
6. Lately he's been going into complete meltdowns over the littlest things. Some days it's refusing to be with my husband, he only wants me (nothing bad is going on). He refuses to go to bed and within 3 hours he wants to sleep with us. Yesterday he saw one golf club of my husband's and freaked out. He wanted the rest of his clubs to choose. If we won't let him do everything by himself, he melts down (some things he still needs help with). Some days he refuses to let us brush his teeth. Now he's totally in love with swimming/the tub. When I drain the water out of the tub, he gets super angry screaming, scrambling for the drain, grabbing at my hands in desperation, and then hitting, screaming in my face no!
He is our first child so we don't know if this is SPD or just a 2.5 year old being a 2.5 year old. School says he's pretty good/normal. He has friends, is really loving, and pays attention during story time so I don't believe it's autism spectrum disorder. He talks up a storm and his motor skills are really advanced (he stood at 6 months and walked by 11 mo).
1. He has always been sensitive to noise--airplanes flying overhead? Too loud. When he was 6 months we had to leave a wedding because he totally went into a scream fit from the time we left the wedding to the time we got home. It was the usual increase noise of people talking as the wedding went on.
2. He's very particular to what type of shirt he wears. They're all tshirts but he refuses to wear solid colors/stripes. It's a complete meltdown. Usually he wants to stay in his pajama top. The shorts he doesn't mind changing.
3. When I tried putting on a cotton button down shirt (different cotton feel than a t shirt) for photos, he freaked out.
4. He had severe colic as a baby along with acid reflux.
5. For 6 months he was terrified of getting his toenails cut. Fingers were ok. But toes he was afraid. I've never accidentally clipped him to make him afraid.
6. Lately he's been going into complete meltdowns over the littlest things. Some days it's refusing to be with my husband, he only wants me (nothing bad is going on). He refuses to go to bed and within 3 hours he wants to sleep with us. Yesterday he saw one golf club of my husband's and freaked out. He wanted the rest of his clubs to choose. If we won't let him do everything by himself, he melts down (some things he still needs help with). Some days he refuses to let us brush his teeth. Now he's totally in love with swimming/the tub. When I drain the water out of the tub, he gets super angry screaming, scrambling for the drain, grabbing at my hands in desperation, and then hitting, screaming in my face no!
He is our first child so we don't know if this is SPD or just a 2.5 year old being a 2.5 year old. School says he's pretty good/normal. He has friends, is really loving, and pays attention during story time so I don't believe it's autism spectrum disorder. He talks up a storm and his motor skills are really advanced (he stood at 6 months and walked by 11 mo).
I know what you mean and I think thats what happens in a lot of cases go with that gut
Thank you. I'm still on the fence with this. Some days I believe so since he's just so...picky about things. Then other days/between parenting boards, others are telling me he's just a toddler. I just hate to poke around to find "trouble" when nothing is there.
I have also remembered that we have a member who has a child with SPD she is called specialmom and she is cl of the divorce and breakups forum, you may want to take a look and run some questions by her .
There is a book that will be helpful to you about SPD ' The out of Sync child "by Carol Stock Kranowitz..she says a child with sensory disfunction does not necessarily exhibit every characteristic . Here is a good link for you www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/Sensory-Processing -Disorder... If you go back to the forums page on the right, you will also find the expert/doctor forums, there is a Dr Kennedy who has some good input on child behavior .
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