My son has been "high needs" since day one (colicky, very challenging temperment). He'll be two in July. I'm just wondering if this sounds like a sensory issue to anyone?
He cannot stand the carseat (cries in the car whenever we reach a red light, even though i give him toys, ect), hates hates hates the grocery cart, and does not like the stroller. He just wants to run. I realize to a certain degree, this is normal. But this seems extreme. He really cannot stand to be still. He always seems bored, even at home. I really work hard trying to create "fun" for him (forts, water play, sidewalk chalk, ect), but he has a very hard time with independant play. He does do some stimming behavior (like spinning just for like 10 seconds though) and he will stare at his hands when he's really really tired. We do not take him out to eat, because it's just a disaster. We used to be able to take him to outdoor festivals, but lately that's been difficult, too. He just ends up screaming to get out of his stroller, then when we let him out he just runs everywhere. We have a "leash" for him, but it doesn't help because he just pulls the opposite way of it, and ends up crying and throwing a tantrum if we don't go his way. He has had sleep issues off and on since day one. Also, he does have a speech delay, but is making some progress in that area.
On the other hand...he is extremely friendly, loves hugs and kisses, loves kids and animals, and has great eye contact! He reaches for things, and definitely tries to communicate. He seems to understand most of what we say, and can point to animals and objects in books when asked. I have mentioned my concerns to his pedi, and she believes all is normal--that he's just sensitive. I will bring it up to her again at his next checkup, but I wanted some mommy opinions!
Also, he has been allergy tested and has no known allergies. But, could someone please tell me--is there a difference between being sensitive to a food and having an actual allergy? Is there a way to be tested for a sensitivity, or do you just eliminate the food you suspect?
Wow! Thank you so much for all of the supportive, kind words! I wrote down a bunch of the information, and am going to do some research and get a plan together. I cannot thank everyone enough!
I seem to be recommending this frequently lately- but if you think there is an issue, call up Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) and have him screened for disabilities. It'll give you peace of mind to have someone else say "he's just being 2". :-)
Hi K.,
It is hard to say whether it is sensory at this point. Young boys are tough in discerning, however with consistent boundaries he should be doing better than what is described. I would definitely look at food sensitivities. Yes, there is a difference. Allergies are things that cause an almost immediate reaction; sensitivities are things that build up over time and reactions can take four days to appear. We had our daughters tested through Immuno Labs as recommend by our pedi, Dr. Bain in Frisco. We did not go for hyperactivity, however this lab has a guarantee that their results are accurate and will reduce the behaviors or they refund your money. We tested due to ear infections and our infections are gone....we took the offending foods out for four months and have added all back in without issue except for cheese. Within 36 hours of cheese being eaten, our lil' daughter, now 3, will have a double ear infection. I LOVE this lab. I wish we had found them sooner. Dr. Bain has changed our course of care and we could not be happier. Not all labs can stand behind their results as Immuno does, so be picky in your lab choices. Feel free to contact if you have questions.
Your son sounds very similar to my daughter (now 11). Back when she was little most pediatricians were not aware of sensory issues. Now days, you shouldn't be going to a pediatrician that isn't addressing them. Based on my daughers' experience, I believe the sensory issues are indicative of an underlying health issue. A large proportion of ADHD and Autistic kids have sensory issues and can be helped by early intervention. Please find a new pediatrician. Dr. Bain is great if you can get into her.
Food sensitivities are often not detected on the typical scratch test. There are blood test to detect less severe allergies. Unfortunately they can be quite expensive and my insurance would not cover it. We were given a recommendation to Dr. Homoky in Plano (ACM Healthsolutions.com) who deals with allergies by accupressure. (I don't understand how it works, but he's really helped me). In the first visit, he was able to tell me what I was allergic to in about 20 minutes for $65. He's now treating me and 2 of my children for food allergies. You do pay for each treatment, (children are $45), but the total cost to identify and treat my daughter's allergies is less than it would have cost just for the blood test to identify the allergies.
The other thing I would recommend is looking into a book called Gut and Psychology Syndrome. You can get it off amazon. It talks about how the health of your digestive system effects your brain and nervous system. In the past 11 years I've ready many, many, many books trying to understand and help my daughter and this one really seems to be on to something. The author, Dr. Campbell-McBride is an MD, neurologist and nutritionist, so she looking at things from many different directions and gives so many great explainations.
Lastly, as you pusue this, I gently encourage you not to avoid literature or possible treatments because they are associated with autism. Emotionally, I shirked away from anything autism-related because my daughter was so verbal, emotionally connected, etc. She was eventually diagnosed with ADHD. Over the years, I've come to see that there is some common ground between autism, adhd, sensory disorders and that often treatments recommended for one of these will conditions will also help the other.
You are right to be pursuing this now. Everything is so much easier if you start when then kids are young. In the last years we've made dramatic changes in her diet (with dramatic results) but it is so much harder with a preteen than with a toddler. It will not be easy, but it will be worthwhile!
K.,
Reading your post has brought back so many memories of the early years of trying to figure out my son. I also had the many dr's that told me there was nothing at all wrong with my son when I completely knew better. My suggestion is ECI. They changed our life!! And totaly for the better! We had an AWESOME group of therepist that helped us learn about our son and how to help him not only succeed but excel in life. If you would like some more information on which therapist we used through ECI, or anything, please dont hesitate to private message me. In addition to getting help for your son, it is really awesome to talk to other moms who know what you are going through. I am more than happy to talk with you if you would like.
Good luck, and I look forward to hearing from you.
If you are concerned, I would definitely have it checked out. The best advice anyone gave me was to contact ECI. They come out for free and perform the evaluation for free. They even recommend a plan of action. Call your pediatrician and they can give you the number for ECI in your area.
I felt the same way that you do, but my son had different issues. We moms have a certain instinct. Follow your instincts. Good luck!
Very few pediatricians are fully versed in sensory integration issues. Get him checked out by a specialist. Also get a nutritionist involved. Email me privately and I can send you the name of one that helped our son. He did a complete turnaround when we got refined sugar out of his diet and gluten. You want early intervention whatever the issue may be. There are some fine resources in the metroplex for sensory issues so get an evaluation asap.
If he is not sleeping properly it is going to affect every aspect of his behavior so that needs to be addressed first. Make sure you are giving him a routine for sleep and getting him into a relaxed state prior to bedtime.
Try giving him some control over his environment in small ways. Will he do "tasks"?
Often kids with sensory issues need to do "heavy" tasks like pushing the laundry basket full of clothes, lifting things. Lots of sensory issue kids like deep hugs, pressure on their bodies yet hate tags in their clothes and the straps of the car seat. It gets easier as they age but these years can be trying. The occupational therapy for sensory issues is a lot of fun, we did it for almost a year, so don't be put off having him checked out asap.
Yes! Sounds like sensory issues, and you're doing a great job asking for help now.
My daughter was similar in some ways, but I didn't know what sensory issues were then. Pediatricians were useless, because this type of thing is not bad if you're only with the child 5 minutes, but if this is your world 24/7 you need HELP! I've been there.
The good news is that at age 8, while we're still dealing with dyslexia and periodic anxiety, the sensory issues are gone.
Try cranio-sacral massage therapy. The first massage decreased my daughter's sensory issues dramatically. She slept all night and woke up happy for the first time in her whole life the night after that massage. WOW! It doesn't work like that for everyone, but you'll know if it's really helpful for your child after the first massage. She was 5 1/2 then, and I was so sad I didn't know about this sooner. We started at Sally Fryer's clinic, Integrative Pediatric Therapy for an evaluation, and now use www.kenpiercy.com for cranio-sacral massage. We did 18 months of OT, but our insurance wouldn't pay for IPT, so we went elsewhere. ECI might do OT for free.
Chiropractic care might really help too. I wouldn't have guessed this, but it has helped me and all 3 of my kids feel so much better since we started going. We see Melissa Shelton at Preston and Hedgecoxe. Her practice is about 30% kids, and she's very gentle. Insurance will probably cover this too.
We do all natural diet, get lots of excercise, play outside as much as possible, look for sandboxes, swings and have a trampoline at home. We avoid structured activities, and I do not hesitate to leave a place if behavior deteriorates. My daughter used to lay on a desk chair and ask us to spin her (age 2), or spin herself standing up. We asked her once why, and she said, "it helps me grow."
We got her a 10 pound blanket to sleep under starting when she was about 5 1/2. She said it helped her fall asleep better. Ask an Occupational Therapist if this might help your son. Sometimes the OTs have "loaner" blankets for you to try at home.
Another helpful book is "Raising Your Spirited Child." Patience, consistency and battle-picking are survival skills in your world.
Pursue the food sensitivity investigation - it may be causing more trouble than you realize.
On the bright side, you may have a track star there.
Hang in there, and keep looking for other moms who have this kind of high-maintenance kid. Particularly when it's your first, you have no basis for comparison, so it's really easy to feel like you're not measuring up somehow as a mother. In reality, you have a different challenge than most moms. Half the benefit of those therapies is sitting in the waiting room with other moms whose kids are similarly challenging and swapping stories and ideas of what to try next.
Good luck,
S.
SAHM of 3 (8, 6 and 2)
K.,
I just get so upset to hear about a doctor who says thats normal. Its the trend nowadays! You as a mother KNOW what he is doing is not typical! He should be evaluated and you can start with ECI Early Childhood intervention BUT they are slow and do not give the needed hours a week! Sally Fryer in Dallas and in Plano owns Integrative Pediatric Therapy. ###-###-#### She is VERY knowledgeable about Sensory Issues. She can evaluate him. There is NO need to wait. The faster you get him help the faster you will help him! Sensory Processing Disorder can also be related to the way he eats. If you get him evaluated she will explain everything to you and help you too. There is a developmental Pediatricain in Dallas Dr. Lisa Genecove but she is a wait to get into. LISTEN TO YOUR GUT!
L.
My best advice, if you think something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't. I would call the pediatrician to discuss the situation. You may need to be persistent and perhaps change doctors. For years I was told it was a stage that my son would outgrow. I wish I had insisted on seeing ECI or paid for help myself. Best case, if your son is normal but challenging, ECI will can give you great parenting advice. Don't stop until you get an answer that feels right. Best of luck to you!
My son was diagnosed with sensory integration disorder when he was 2. I will tell you, the pediatricians did NOT help me at all (I went to several around this time because we moved and I was trying to find a pediatrician that I liked, but I talked to all of them about the problems I was seeing). One of the things that helped me was the book "Out of Sync Child". There is a checklist in the book that helps you to see if your child has the symptoms. There is a BROAD range of symptoms - from the child who needs sensory stimulation to the child that does not want sensory stimulation at all. My son was the child that did not want sensory stimulation at all - so he would sit very still and play by himself for hours (it was very disconcerting). Honestly, I don't know how the child on the opposite end of the spectrum from my son would behave, but I do know that when my son was in therapy, the therapist told me that sometimes they had to teach some of the kids to just start jumping in order to get the sensory stimulation they need in order to be able to calm down.
I highly recommend that you see a SPECIALIST to get resolution. Your child may just be hyperactive - which would have different treatment than sensory issues.
Good luck..it is very exhausting to have a child that has special needs - be it hyperactivity, sensory disorder, or whatever. The pediatricians DON'T help and you have to find the solutions yourself!
-L.
Call North Texas Therapy Innovations for now ###-###-####. Our son is also has "sensory issues". He has made lots of progress, but we still have a long road ahead. It has been worth every penny.
Don't even bother with the peditrician. You can call ECI directly. From what you said in your question, I would even get an appointment at the Child Study Center. You can go to their website and print out an application for an evaluation with a developmental pediatrician. It takes a while to get an appointment, so do it ASAP. I have been exactly where you are and it is better to know the answer, what ever it is. Good luck! If you have any more questions, you can send me a message.
My son was diagnosed at 6 weeks as hyperactive. I can tell you the absolute telling event about hyperactivity is this. If you hold him down, or he is held down and made to be still for any reason, he will fall asleep. The reason is that their brains go on beyond what their bodies can do, so if you still their minds, their bodies go to sleep.
To be sure, you can take him to ECI. There is one in Fort Worth and one in Dallas. ECI is early childhood intervention. They will diagnose all types of problems from a to z.
D. Kimbriel
Grandma to 2 beautiful boys
Food allergies and food sensitivities are very different and whil enot as life threatening the sensitivities can be much worse with regard to behavior. I would recommend going to Dr. Jennifer Dagnan. She is a chiropractor in Irving that does nutirtion response testing that can check for food sensitivities as well as other toxins that could be effecting him. Her website is http://www.dagnanchiropractic.com/
If your pedi doesn't take your concerns seriously, I'd check with another doctor. My niece was kind of "wild" as a toddler. Similar stories, she was sweet and "normal" but then there were the extremes. No one story seems out of the ordinary, but where 1 mom might deal with a melt down in the grocery cart one time in 2 weeks, my niece might melt down every time. If you tell the doctor he melts in the car seat, he might say that's normal, and it is, but combine it with the other things and something just isn't right. I think you as a mom know and you are aound them more. I would press the doctor to take you seriouly. Early intervention is key. With my niece, she started to have self esteem issues b/c she was always "in trouble" for running away, being sassy, not doing what she was told, etc. She's 6 now and doing better. She was finally told she was ADHD and was put on medication that helps her. Even if you son is too young to get a diagnosis, here are some things I noticed with my niece. My sis in law was not very consistant with punishments and consequences (I realize when they act out more it's hard to be consistant b/c you get tired, but it is key!) I think you also have to think of new/different consequences. I think my niece sometimes weighed the choices "if I run away, it's going to be fun, but I'll get put in time out...well, I can deal with time out b/c it's going to be fun to run!" Also, watch your reactions. Try to stay calm regardless of what he does and not react, he may enjoy you chasing him. If he's too difficult to bring out, practice at home. I noticed my niece didn't eat at the table really, she sat for a few mintues, said she was done, got down, played, and then walked to the table for mom or dad to give her another bite...he can only eat at the table and if he's done, his plate is done and he has to wait until the next meal. If this happens a few times (maybe 30 times), he'll learn! If you go out somewhere and he melts down, just know that you'll have to take him outside to calm down, or just leave. It's tough, when the basket is full of groceries and he melts down, you have to just leave, with the basket full so he knows you mean business. ANother option is to have hubby ready to come take him from the store if he melts or grandma, or a good friend. You might try reading or taking a Love & Logic parenting class, they have great ideas, tips, and real life examples of how to deal with this. Above all, you are the mom, and you know your child. If you think something is off, keep checking until you find something who'll listen. Oh, I also suggested to my sis in law to keep a journal of everything my niece ate, how much TV she watched, how much she slept, etc. to see if there seemed to be a trigger. That may help.
Sounds like you might have reason to be a little worried - especially with your first one - Speaking from years of experiance (I am a grandmother) the first thing I would do is talk to another Pediatrician - Your son may be perfectly healthy but there are some warning signs that might be something to worry about. I know that SOME Pediatricians will automatically pass off concerns of a first time mother.
Most - on the other hand - will listen and test if necessary.
Grandma B
Hi K.,
I know you love your little one. Have you thought of food "reactions". Maybe taking him off ALL high fructose corn syrup, dyes--added coloring like cool aid etc., all sugar items--cute cereal, lollipops, snacks etc.. You would haveto read labels becuase the food manufacturers secretly put it in them. or even have him tested for food allergies at your doctor's office??
In your search engine, type in the word "hyperlexia" and see if the symptoms listed describe your son. Good luck!!
I think your pedi is probably right, it sounds like he is just sensitive. I would keep bringing it up at every appointment though and I would even make a special appointment for it if you have gone a little while between appointments and he is still exhibiting these behaviors and reactions.
There is a place on Randall Mill in North Arlington called the Asthma and Allergy Clinic run by Dr Joan Gregory. She does what is called NAET. Nutritional allergy elimination treatments. She is amazing she helped me when no other Dr could, she works with kids with Autiusm and other sensory disorders. Everything we eat and breathe has an effect on our senses I know she can help you. Good luck
Reading your letter brought back sooo many memories of my son at that age. We took him to the child study center in Ft. Worth. They diagnosed him as autistic with a mood disorder. I'm not sure that I agree with the autistic diagnosis seeing him now at 10 years old, but there is definately something different about him. I would suggest talking with your dr about having him seen by a psychiatrist or at the child study center. I will be praying for you and your husband. Having a child with difficulties like these is h*** o* your relationship. So, remember to make your marriage a priority. Good Luck
